My sister has a large collection of old record albums, but not all of her records are in good condition. Some were purchased at flea markets and yard sales, and many were damaged beyond repair. Even though some of her old record albums were damaged, she didn’t throw them away. It seemed a shame to throw away something that lasted for decades. Instead, we came up with creative uses for old record albums, and designed several useful crafts. We sold some of our creative crafts at her church rummage sale, and others we made into gifts. In the end we gave new life to dozens of otherwise useless items from days gone by. If you have old record albums that you can’t use, try these creative uses. You’ll be amazed at what you can do with old records!
Creative Mosaics
I enjoy working on mosaics, but most of the time my mosaics are made from broken colored tiles. When my sister handed me a stack of old record albums, I decided some of them could be used to make creative mosaic designs. Wearing a pair of gloves, and with the help of tin snips, I transformed two old record albums into dozens of small pieces that would be used to make a mosaic picture for my son.
I drew the shape of a music note on a stretched canvas painted a shocking shade of blue. I painted the musical note a lighter shade of blue, and I filled it in by gluing on pieces of the broken record albums. In addition, I made certain to leave about two centimeters of space in between each piece so the lighter blue would show through. My son loved this musical work of art, and I completely used two record albums that would have otherwise been thrown away.
Record Album Bowls
One of the most creative uses for old albums involves heating them in the oven and transforming them into decorative bowls and interesting conversation pieces. These are great for 50’s parties, anniversaries, and retro restaurants. No two bowls are exactly alike, and each one is a work of practical art.
Begin by providing adequate ventilation in the room, and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, position an old record album over an oven-safe bowl that’s turned upside down. Once the oven reaches 200 degrees, place the bowl and old record album on a baking sheet, and heat it in the oven just long enough to soften the vinyl. This should take approximately 9 minutes.
Once the record album begins to droop over the outside of the bowl, remove the baking sheet from the oven. The vinyl will be warm to the touch shortly thereafter, and you’ll be able to quickly mold it into the shape you desire.
Remove the record album, and using hot pads, turn the bowl over. Carefully bend the record album so it will fit inside the bowl. Once the record album cools completely you won’t be able to form it further, so it’s important to work quickly. Make random waves and curves to create a dramatic piece of art.
After the record album cools completely it can be left as is, or it can be spray painted and decorated further. The finished bowl can be used to hold wrapped candies, keys, coins, or any other non-food items or foods that won’t come in direct contact with the surface. With imagination and creativity you’ll discover dozens of uses for this interesting piece!
Make a Retro Clock
If you’re into retro music, consider making a retro clock using an old record album. This is one of the most creative uses for those who love interesting timepieces. Purchase the numbers, hands, and clock mechanism, and drill holes and openings to attach the parts. Even a novice can create a clock using a kit. If my sister and I can put together clocks using old record albums, anyone can! This is by far one of the best uses for old record albums, especially for those who love oldies and interesting memorabilia.
