Is it possible to save and repurpose broken concrete?

Today’s society is all about reducing waste and reusing items. There are many ways to recycle old things and make them new again. When it comes to concrete, this is also the case. Concrete that has broken may not seem like a material that can be used again, but in fact, it can. Read on to see how you can take broken concrete and reuse it for something new.

Pathways

For starters, you can use broken concrete to create a pathway or walkway. Broken concrete can be laid in a pattern and then filled within with concrete mix or other material to make a unique design. When you have large chunks of concrete, you can make the pathway appear to be made of stone pieces but in fact, it is just concrete sections. This is a great way to get a new pathway added to your home for no money. Just use broken pieces of concrete and lay out your pattern, using a filler to create the shape of the path.

Retaining Wall

Surprisingly, you can also use broken concrete to create retaining walls. Pieces the size of square foot blocks can be used to create the wall or smaller, depending on the layout. Pieces can be wedged into place and the walls created with each piece connected together. The layers can be packed with soil or with other material to create a unique feature for a garden or other outdoor space.

Raised Flower/Garden Beds

If you like the retaining wall idea, you can also use the same premise and create raised flower/garden beds with broken concrete pieces. Make square or rectangle shaped beds that are raised off the ground and have a unique space to display flowers and plants or to grow your favorite vegetables.

Patio

If you have enough broken concrete that is smooth in nature, you can create a small patio. Use the larger pieces to create a floor surface after digging the area out and creating a flat surface. You can allow the space in between the pieces to grow up with grass for a unique look or use pebbles or sand to fill in the gaps.

Odd Yard Art

If you have a garden, you can also use broken concrete for odd yard art sculptures. If you have larger pieces, consider creating seating. Large pieces can be placed in a landscaped area and used as seating which creates places for guests but also unique conversation starters. Smaller pieces can be used to make mosaic stepping stones which can also be placed in a garden area or around the landscaping of your home.

Broken concrete is not something that has to be thrown in the trash. Get creative. If you have a pathway or item that was created from concrete and it ended up being broken or busted up, think of how you could use the concrete in other areas of your home. You may be surprised at what you come up with my using your imagination!