If you're having a new garage door installed, think twice before disposing of the old door. You've probably seen lots of examples of upcycled household doors; handy types frequently make them into charming desks with the old door serving as the writing surface. Similarly, you can give your old garage door new life in unexpected ways. 

When you upcycle something, you take something old, unwanted or both and turn it into something great. Old garage doors are perfect for an upcycling project; they're made from durable materials, and the door can be kept intact or separated into smaller parts to suit your needs. Here are some examples of what you can do with an old garage door.

1. Art for your living room wall. Old garage doors made from solid wood are a DIY-ers dream. You can turn a panel from this type of door into unique, rustic artwork by stripping the paint and hanging the panel horizontally above a sofa. Do this with two or three door panels to enhance the effect.

If your doors are very old, keep in mind that stripping the paint with a heat gun can melt applied details on the old woodwork. Your best bet is to carefully apply a chemical paint stripper to remove the paint.

2. Headboard. Another easy way to upcycle a garage door is to use it as a unique headboard. Just make sure to secure it to the wall behind the bed for safety, and you're all set.

3. Raised garden beds. The panels of an old garage door, wooden or steel, are perfect for forming the sides of a raised garden bed. You just need to attach them to each other to form a frame for your garden. You can use old wooden fence posts as anchor points at each corner of the garden bed.

4. A custom bench. This project is more involved than the others but results in a lovely, rustic place to sit. Use the door panel that's in the best condition to serve as the seat. Then cut another panel into shorter segments to form leg-like supports for the bench. The result is a unique bench that's perfect for the front or back yard.

Most garage door companies will haul away your old door and dispose of it for you when you have your new door installed. But if you enjoy DIY, tell them you'd like to keep the old door. With a little imagination and some elbow grease, it's charm will live on in a new way. Contact a local company, such as Caspersen Garage Doors, for further assistance.