Transform a Bike Tire Rim into a Unique Decorative Fall Wreath

Decorate your porch, garden or front entryway this fall with a beautiful wreath made from a bike tire rim. Painted to look old, this wreath will be a conversation starter for all
of your daily visitors.

My son was recently cleaning up a pile of childhood bicycle parts when I saw a tire rim propped against the trash pile. Old vines and leaves were tangled in it's spokes. It almost looked like it was decorating the area. Giving it a closer inspection, I realized the structure and the spokes would be ideal for a decorative fall wreath.

The rim had the rusted axle and bolts still attached, so my husband supplied the muscle to remove them. I used a grease cutter to remove the icky oil inside the center hole of the wheel.

Step 1
Paint both sides of the rim and the spokes using a brown or orange acrylic paint. I used an old paintbrush that I could pounce on the spokes. It actually gave the metal a textured surface that looked similar to rust, which was perfect for this project. Allow the paint to dry well or it will scrap off when decorating. Note: A spray paint could also be used, but the texture will be smoother.

Step 2
Wind a 9-foot long fall garland around the rim. If yours has decorative berries and flowers like mine, adjust the garland with the decorative elements on the front of the wreath. Weave the beginning and end of the wreath under the spokes to secure. Cut away excess garland if needed. My rim was 16 inches in diameter so 9 feet of garland was more than plenty.

Step 3
Cut 1-yard of black netting in half lengthwise. Netting is usually about 72-inches wide. After cutting you will have two pieces 18-inches wide by 72-inches long. Scrunch the width of one length together and lightly wind halfway around the rim over the garland. Tuck the beginnings and end of the netting under the vine of the garland to secure. Wind the remaining netting around the other half of the rim.

Step 4
Gather several strands of raffia in your hands and tie into a bow. Cut a 6-inch length of craft wire using wire cutters. Thread the wire through the back of the raffia bow knot and tie the ends of the wire around the rim at the top of the wreath.