How to Repurpose Old VHS Tapes

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 20, 2023

If you're the crafty type, there are some really cool things you can do with your old VHS tapes. You can glue them together to make things like furniture and art, or even turn them into lights! You can also use individual parts of VHS tapes for other practical purposes, like wrapping gifts, spooling thread, or storing art supplies.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Building Things with VHS Tapes

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1
Glue old VHS tapes together to create coffee tables or night stands. Glue 16 tapes together, side-by-side in a 4 by 4 grid, to create a table top. Glue tapes together in stacks of 4 (so the flat parts are stuck to each other) to make the legs.^{[1]
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- You can use super glue or any other strong glue, such as epoxy, to attach the tapes to one another securely.
2
Make boxy shelving out of VHS tapes glued together in squares. Lay 1 tape flat, then use super glue to glue a tape vertically at 1 end of that so the skinny part is stuck to the surface of it. Glue the skinny part of another tape near the edge of the wide part of the vertical tape. Glue 1 more tape in the remaining space to create a perfect square.^{[2]
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- When you are finished, each tape will have 1 skinny end stuck to another and 1 wide part stuck to another.
- Hang up these individual squares on your wall as shelves, or glue several together to create a bigger grid-shaped shelf. If you create a large grid-like shelf, you can set it on the floor instead of hanging it up on a wall.
Tip: You could even use several of these shelves as legs for a table to make some extra storage space.

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3
Create planters from old VHS tapes glued together in a box shape. Make a flat bottom for a planter by gluing several tapes together with super glue, side-by-side so the skinny parts are stuck together, in a square or rectangle. Stand up tapes on their sides to make the walls and glue the skinny parts of those tapes to the flat surface of the base you made.^{[3]
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- For example, to create a small planter, lay 2 tapes flat, side-by-side, and glue them where they touch. Then, glue 4 tapes in a square on top of the base to create the sides. Fill it with dirt and plants and voila!
4
Create abstract art sculptures out of old VHS tapes. Draw a pattern or design that has straight lines. Use super glue, or a hot glue gun, to put the tapes together to create the sculpture based on the design you drew.^{[4]
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- For instance, you could use VHS tapes to create the pixely outline of an old video game character like Pac-Man.
- You could also glue tapes together in letters to spell something out. For example, to make an "E," glue 2 tapes end-to-end. Then, glue 3 tapes horizontally so the skinny parts of the tapes are attached to the wide, flat parts of the first 2 tapes you glued together to form the letter "E".
5
Attach VHS tapes to old CDs to create bookends. Use super glue, or a hot glue gun, to glue 1 or 2 old CDs to the bottom of 1 or 2 old VHS tapes. Lay the CD flat on a table, put a bead of glue on the skinny bottom part of a tape, and stick it vertically across the middle of the CD so it stands up.
- If your VHS tapes have the old cardboard sleeve-type covers, you can keep them on to give each bookend a unique look and add an interesting touch to your bookshelf.
6
Take apart a VHS tape and put LED string lights inside to make a lamp. Unscrew the 5 screws that hold the cassette together with a small Phillips screwdriver to take it apart. Lift out the spools, cut the tape in the middle, and unwind the tape from each spool. Wrap LED string lights around the spools, put them back in the cassette, and screw it together.^{[5]
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- You can use clear or colored lights. Create several different varieties of these mini LED lamps to decorate your home with.
- Make sure to run the plug end of the cord with the power button out of the cassette before you screw it back together.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Reusing Parts of Tapes and Cases

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1
Store art supplies or anything else inside of plastic VHS cases. The old plastic shell-type VHS tape cases are perfect for storing things like pens, pencils, markers, and other art supplies. They snap shut, so whatever you want to store inside won’t fall out.
- You could use the cases to store board game pieces, such as dice and scorekeeping materials.
Tip: If the plastic cases have sleeves on them, you can create your own covers to label what’s inside.
2
Use VHS spools to store anything that can be wound up. Unscrew the 5 screws that hold the cassette together, take it apart, and recycle the plastic shell and tape. Save the spools and use them to wind up thread, yarn, wire, or anything else wrappable.^{[6]
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- The outer shell of VHS tapes can be recycled normally, but the actual tape inside needs to be disposed of by an electronics recycler.
3
Stick a picture inside a VHS cover with a plastic sleeve for a unique frame. Slide out the old movie cover and replace it with any picture you want to. Hang it on your wall, or just stand it on a shelf or anywhere else you want to display it.^{[7]
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- You could put 1 standard photo-sized picture inside the sleeve, or create a collage of several smaller pictures, such as 2-3 Polaroids.
4
Use the tape from inside the VHS as ribbon to wrap gifts. Open up an old VHS cassette and pull out the tape. Use it to tie bows around presents like normal gift-wrapping ribbon.
- Wash your hands after handling the tape from old VHS cassettes. The tape is coated with metals that can rub off onto your hands in a black dust that can be toxic. Let the recipient of the gift know that they should wash their hands after removing the bow.
5
Replace the covers on a notebook with an old cardboard VHS tape cover. Find a spiral notebook that is approximately the size of a VHS tape and unwind the spiral from the notebook (the same way you unwind a key ring from a key). Cut the front and back covers off of a VHS tape cover of your choice and use a spiral hole punch to make holes in the covers. Place the pages of the notebook between the new covers, line up the holes, and wind the spiral back through like you are winding a key onto a keychain.
- A spiral hole punch is a hole punch that punches the right number and size of holes for a specific size of spiral. Make sure you use the right size of hole punch for the spiral of the notebook.
- You could just glue the old VHS tape cover art to the front and back covers of a notebook for a quick shortcut.
- You can also use the covers of several old VHS tapes to create a collage that you can use as wall art. You could mount them onto a piece of poster board.

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Tips

Consider donating VHS tapes to a local school or non profit organization that still uses a VHS.

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Recycle pieces of discarded VHS pieces instead of just tossing them in the garbage.

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Whenever gluing VHS tapes together, make sure that the surface is clean.

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Warnings

The tape inside of VHS tapes is coated with metals that can leave a black dust on your skin. This dust is potentially toxic, so make sure to always wash your hands after handling the tape. It is not recommended to wear anything made out of the tape.^{[8]
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