How to make an upcycled tyre footstool

Brighten up your decking or even a kids room by creating a brightly coloured tyre footstool from an old thrown away item. Add vintage fabric to give it a retro feel, then sit back, put your feet up, grab an ice cream and enjoy the sunshine.

MATERIALS USED

(All measurements are dependent on tyre size; I used a 12 inch tyre. Please read the steps to establish sizes.)

• An old small tyre, preferably a 12 inch one
• 30m of 12mm rope
• 50cm square piece of wood – MDF or a thick ply
• 50cm square piece of seat pad foam
• 50cm square piece of
• A large button (optional)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

• Clear “extreme” glue and mastic gun
• Strong Scissors
• Jigsaw
• Pencil and ruler/measure
• Screws and screw driver/drill
• Staple gun and staples
• Sand paper
• Cloth to clean

HOW TO MAKE THIS PROJECT 

Step 1: Choose a used good car tyre, 10-12 inch works well. I chose a 12 inch tyre as it is small and a good size for a foot stool.

TOP TIP:
Ask at your local garage as they often have old tyres which they must pay to get collected and recycled. They should be happy to give you one. Choose one that is not covered in oil.

Step 2: Clean the tyre fully using soapy water and leave to dry fully.

Step 3: Measure the tyre to establish the amount of rope that will be needed. Firstly, measure the circumference of the tyre then the height including the flat top. Multiply the two together to get the overall dimension. You then need to divide that by the thickness of rope that you will be using – the wider the rope the less you will need. I chose 12mm rope. I then added a few extra metres just in case – in the end I used 30m of 12mm rope.  Double check that it fits before you start gluing!

TOP TIP:

If you are ordering rope for the project, think about the fabric that you want to use to cover the top if you want it to match. I chose a bright blue but can also be ordered in orange, yellow, green, white or jute.

Step 4: Starting at the base, alongside the piece that is slightly angled on the tyre which you cannot see when it is sitting, attach the end of the rope using screw, screwing it in only a small bit. This will hold it in place.

Step 5: Slowly and carefully, apply a layer of glue around the bottom of the tyre using a mastic gun. Then stick a row of rope down. Attach one row at a time and clear up any excess glue as you go.

TOP TIP:

This is quite a fiddly job so it is a good idea to get a friend to help! It is also quite messy so make sure you cover any surfaces with something that can be thrown away afterwards.

Step 6: Continue applying the glue and rope until you get to the top of the tyre. Make sure you pull each row tight and push it down to meet the row below to avoid any gaps.

Step 7: The next stage is to apply glue and rope along the top flat part of the tyre. To ensure it doesn’t move, apply as many screws as you feel you need. Continue until the tyre is covered.

Step 8: Measure the hole that is left where you will be adding a seat. Either use a tape measure or find something to use as a template like a plant pot or wok.

Step 9: Draw the circle needed onto the ply, then cut out using a jigsaw. Sand down the edges to ensure a smooth finish.

Step 10:  Place the circle of wood onto the foam seat padding and draw around it. Cut this circle out using sharp scissors. You may need to smooth the edges of the foam but if the fabric is quite thick any irregular sides won’t be seen.

TOP TIP:

Choose the thickest foam you can find to create a more comfortable tyre footstool

Step 11: Stick the foam to the wood using the same glue and leave to dry. You may wish to add something on top to weigh it down and speed up the process.

Step 12:  Lay the wood and foam circle onto a piece of fabric. Measure the height of the sides of the seat (mine was 4 cm) to define how large the circle of fabric needs to be. Draw out a larger circle in the fabric adding the side height (4 cm) and another 4cm.  Cut this out using scissors.

Step 13: Lay the material top side down and lay the foam side down into the centre of the fabric. Fold one side across onto the wood and staple into place. I folded each edge to keep it neat.

Step 14: Repeat this on the opposite side ensuring that the fabric is pulled taught.

Step 15: Repeat this on the other two sides. Turn it over and check that it is all fixed with no wrinkles. If there are any, simply remove the staples and start again.

Step 16: You now need to fold over the corners but you do not want to see any folds. Pull over each corner creating folds on the underside and not on the side and then staple into place. You may need a lot of staples to do this well – this is OK!

Step 17:  When you are happy that the seat pad is good, position it into the centre of the tyre footstool. You may need to cut away some of the rope to get it to fit. Then remove the screws that have been holding it in place.

Step 18: Measure the centre of the seat pad and attach a staple using the staple gun. Glue a vintage button on top to finish the look.

Then sit back, relax, put your feet up on your tyre footstool and enjoy this ever changing weather!

This was my tyre footstool article for Reloved Magazine for their August issue. Want to see my other projects? Have a look at some of my favourites: How to make a cocktail cabinet from a vintage suitcase and How to make a cape from a vintage blanket.

I have been nominated for an Amara Interior Blog Award for Best Craft Blog and I need your votes! If you like what I do, then vote for me here.