- 1). Clean the used tire completely. If soap and water are not enough to remove grease stains, try a more powerful solvent.
- 2). Cut out the flat portions of the tire. Use a saw or sharp knife to remove the rims of the tire, leaving only the flat center part. Once the rims are removed, this section should be easy to flatten out.
- 3). Cut out the soles of your shoes or sandals. Using a sharp knife, cut out the shape of the soles to the appropriate size. Use an existing pair of shoes as a template if you are unsure about size or shape.
- 4). Place your foot on one of the soles and, using the measuring tape, measure the distance across the sole over your foot. In other words, position the measuring tape like a sandal strap to hold your foot comfortably to the sole and take note of the measurement.
- 5). Cut four strips away from the remaining rubber in the used tire. Each strip should be long enough to complete a loop over your foot, with an additional half inch on each end. Therefore, add one inch to the measurement you just took and cut out the straps to that measurement. The strap width can vary depending on the type of footwear you want. For a more closed shoe, simply cut the straps wider, but make sure to leave some space between the straps to allow for ventilation.
- 6). Cut small holes in the front of your soles where you want to position the straps. Make sure you are cutting one hole on each side of the sole so that the strap will be held firmly in place and that you have made enough holes to accommodate the straps (four holes in each sole).
- 7). Push the straps through the holes you just made. Once you are comfortable with the look and fit of the shoe, use a hot gun to melt the straps into place permanently.
- 8). Sand the edges of your shoes to remove loose pieces of rubber.
SHARE
