I recently decided to make a useful form out of one of the free computer monitors left in the hallway of the University of Windsor’s Lebel building. The process was very brief and effortless and I would suggest that anyone who has a computer monitor (broken or intended to be discarded) try this out. The average monitor takes on an elegant form and can be painted to suit a specific motif. The heat release vents also work well to drain excess water from the soil.
Although it’s great to recycle used electronics, this particular project wasted about 85% of the monitor’s material. Further brainstorming is needed to make this project more efficient.
Photos and explanations of the construction/deconstruction process below:
Basic computer monitor waiting to be taken apart.
Rear view of monitor showing heat vents and bolt tunnels (top left).
Step 1 – Remove power cord by hand – should not be permanently attached. (Red)
Step 2 – Remove all bolts which attach the face of the monitor to the body. In this case there are four mounting bolts. (Blue)
Step 3 – Remove bolts from base. (Yellow)
Step 4 – Place base aside for mounting later.
Monitor housing is almost ready to be filled.
The internals are not needed for this project, but finding alternative uses would be ideal.
Step 5 – Attach base to monitor housing. There are a few ways to do this:
1 – Drill holes in the bottom of the housing and place bolts between the two.
2 – Find a very strong adhesive and bond the two (not recommended).
3 – Purchase a mounting bracket from your local hardware store and bolt the two together. * Always drill a hole near the size of your bolts diameter before bolting. Plastic does not have the flexibility to allow bolts through easily.
Step 6 – Fill planter with earth, your choice of plant, and potting soil. Enjoy!
*The hole for the power cord and CPU cables will need to be plugged. I used a piece of laminated cardboard and let the force of the plant and soil keep it in place.