This Large Wicker Basket Was Crushed in the Garage, but She Found a New Use for It
A large wicker basket was crushed in the garage, leaving its front panel damaged while the base, back, and sides remained intact. Instead of throwing out the whole basket, blogger Rita May removed the broken section and turned what remained into a bed for her dog, Sofie.
Scrap plywood replaced the damaged front, while a standard pillow fit inside the basket as a cushion. Most of the original wicker stayed in place, including the woven base and three surrounding walls.
She Cut Away the Broken Wicker
Before cutting, Rita added glue to loose wicker ends to keep the remaining weave in place. She then used a small saw to cut through the damaged front near each corner.
Removing the broken section did more than prepare the basket for repair. It opened one side, giving Sofie a lower point to enter the finished bed.
Most of the Basket Stayed Intact
With the front panel and horizontal rail removed, three wicker walls and the woven floor remained. The basket no longer needed to function as a container, so rebuilding the missing wicker wasn’t part of the plan.
The cut front left space for a new panel that could cover the exposed edges and give the basket support.
She Kept the Woven Base
The wicker floor had survived the garage damage, so Rita left it in place. That meant no new base or frame was needed before adding the front.
Keeping the existing floor also preserved more of the basket rather than turning the project into a rebuild from new materials.
Scrap Plywood Became the New Front
Rita’s husband, Larry, cut scrap plywood to span the open side. A wide scoop cut through the center lowered the entry, while taller ends covered the basket corners.
Rita rubbed mineral oil into the plywood instead of covering the grain with paint. The new front contrasts with the woven wicker but follows the basket’s original width.
A Standard Pillow Fit Inside
No custom mattress was needed. A standard pillow fit across the basket floor, and Rita covered it with a blue-and-white striped pillowcase.
The pillow fills much of the interior without covering the wicker walls, while the curved plywood opening leaves its front edge within reach.
One Damaged Section Changed the Basket’s Purpose
The before-and-after view shows how little of the original basket had to disappear. Its broken front is gone, but the sides, back, base, and curved upper edges remain part of the finished piece.
Plywood closes the exposed front while the pillow turns the former storage basket into a place for Sofie to rest.
Sofie Put the New Bed to Use
Finished bed passed its best test: Sofie climbed through the new opening and settled onto the pillow. A basket headed for the trash now has a second life, with most of its wicker still intact.
Would you have seen a dog bed in this crushed basket, or tossed it before the idea crossed your mind?