One of my favorite winter activities is to head on down to the bowling alley and throw a few games. However, in all of my years of bowling, it never dawned on me that the alley itself might actually be a great material source for a fun new DIY project!
Similar to this litter box made from an upcycled wicker chest, this DIY idea transforms something old and useless into a lovely and practical home addition.
Imgur user bacongrease42 posted this project that shows just how easy it is to make a cool piece of furniture out of a piece of unused bowling lane.
Scroll through below for an in-depth look at this clever upcycle. The next time I go bowling, I may just have to keep my eyes open for amazing DIY possibilities like this.
Would you want a bowling alley desk in your home? Let us know in the comments.
This clever DIY-er and his girlfriend needed a big desk for their apartment. But rather than simply buy one, he "wanted to build something and make a fun project out of it."
And the surprising source material? Five feet of old bowling lane that was being sold at a nearby store.
He writes, "Getting this thing home was a beast. I never had a chance to weigh the wood, but it easily felt like it weighted 400 to 500 pounds."
With a lot of teamwork — and even more sweat — the couple got the oversize bowling lane up their building's stairs and into their apartment.
They started by preparing the underside of the lane. As it was covered in tar and glue, they chiseled and sanded until it was flat, with no dangerous nails or wood shards to be found.
Because of the lane's large size, they decided to cut it down a bit.
This DIY-er writes, "We used a circular saw to cut four inches off each side. Fortunately, we covered everything of importance in sheets, because the entire room ended up covered in saw dust."
Next, the couple took on the sanding process to give their soon-to-be desk a lovely, even surface.
With the sanding finished, they removed several nail pieces that were sticking out from the sides.
This Imgur user writes, "I used a chasing hammer to push them back in as much as I could… All of the nails are flush and smooth now."
The couple added a coat of cherry danish oil "to bring out the color and warmth of the bowling lane."
They also used a dark oak stain on the sides of the lane.
They finished off the staining process with three coats of polyurethane, giving the lane a polished look and a slight shine.
They used polyurethane on the bottom as well and added support brackets to keep the old wood from buckling or breaking over time.
And in just a few days, this couple had a beautiful DIY bowling lane desk, with hairpin legs and rolling cabinets underneath.
This Imgur user writes, "This was a very easy project!"
With a little bit of work and a whole lot of creativity, they were able to create a truly one-of-a-kind addition to their home — the perfect desk for any bowling lover!
How would you transform a piece of old bowling alley? Would you want a desk like this in your home? Let us know in the comments.
Please SHARE this unique idea with DIY lovers and bowling lovers in your life!
