7 Ways to DIY a Pool Noodle

​by Vicki    ​Sign up to receive project updates by email!

Pool noodles make the best crafting material! Steph challenged me to come up with a post of ideas to using pool noodles. Challenge accepted!

In this post you’ll see a couple of ideas we’ve previously posted, an unoriginal idea (boot storage), but one that we’ve found especially useful since we are now putting our winter boots into storage (yes, we wear boots in Florida!), an idea for using pool noodles to make a floral arrangement, a fun pool noodle footstool, and a squeegee for Steph’s garage floor.

With the new floor coating in Steph’s garage, we’ve found a squeegee to be a necessity as water sits rather than absorbs into the concrete and needs to be removed. Rather than buy one, I decided to see if a pool noodle would work. (Previously we had used this pool noodle type hack with a rake to make a squeegee. That version used split insulating foam and zip ties.)

#1 Footstool

Materials:

• (19) Pool noodles cut to 16” in length
• Hot glue or glue dots
• Double sided velcro to create clamps
• Upholstery fabric, Batting​, and Foam 
• Embroidery hoop or something to use to draw a circle
• Spray glue, Fabric Glue, and Duck tape

Steps:

• Gather 19 pool noodles into a “circle”
• I actually built out the pool noodles from the center, but looking at the final bundle it is clear you can glue one row of five together, two rows of four, and two rows of three.
• I used hot glue which does melt the noodles but does a good job keeping them together. Glue dots also work but doesn’t hold them firmly. As I was gluing the noodles together, I used the double sided velcro to hold everything in place like a clamp while the hot glued cooled. 
• From the picture above follow the noodle pattern to place the rows together. The finally shape is more hexagon than circle. 
• I trimmed my noodles to length after glueing but it was VERY difficult to get a good straight cut. Do yourself a favor and keep the noodles even from the get-go!
• Duct tape the entire bundle together. 

• If using batting, cut the batting to 16" long. Use the entire width so it goes around the bundle a few times. Use spray glue to attach the batting to the bundle.
• Repeat the process with the upholstery fabric cutting the fabric at least six inches longer than the height of your footstool (you want extra to tuck around the ends). Spray and roll, making sure to match up the pattern if your fabric has one. 
• Finish the top and bottom by folding in the fabric as shown. Cut out a circle of foam, cover this with an additional piece of the upholstery fabric for the top. Cut an additional circle of upholstery fabric to cover the bottom.
• The spray glue I used did not hold the fabric well so I used fabric glue to re-glue what did not hold. 

#2 Floral Arranger

Material:

• Pool Noodles—I used two shades of green 
• Silk Flowers—I used green and pink
• Glue Dots
• Plastic tray
• Pre-cut rug yarn
• Serrated knife
• Mini food processor cup

​Steps:

1. Cut the pool noodles to length. I used a mini food processor cup and serrated knife to easily and consistently cut the pool noodles to length. I cut four of each color.
2. Arrange the noodles as shown in the picture. Use glue dots to glue noodles to each other and to the bottom of the tray.
3. Arrange flowers. I started with a row of green that followed an “s” sort of curve down the entire length. I then filled-in with the smaller pink flowers until I was satisfied with the look.
4. Green rug yarn was scattered along the edge and a couple of wood ladybug magnets were added.

Notes: I used this table display for my DIL Ashley's 30th Birthday! We love her :)

#3 Pond Light

Check out our "how to" post here.

#4 Squeegee ​

Materials:

• Handle from a broom/swiffer/mop. Any handle that has an end with screw threads.
• 16” piece of round pool noodle

Steps:

1. Cut an “X” into the center of the noodle. Do not cut all the way to the other side.
2. Push broom end into the “x” until it reaches center.
3. Use as you would a squeegee, cleaning the noodle off as needed. 

#5 Boot Support

Not my original idea, but using a pool noodle inside boots keeps them from bending and creasing during storage.

• For skinny boots I use the smaller diameter noodle.
• For UGG type boots I use the thicker ones or double up the smaller one although the thicker one actually does a better job holding up the boot.
• Simply put the noodle into the boot and use a serrated knife to cut it to the length needed. 

#6 Play Time Campfire

Materials:

• Pool noodles
• Wood grain gift wrap
• Clear contact paper (optional)
• Felt, Hot Glue, and Spray glue
• Plastic bowl
  

Steps:

• Cut the pool noodles to approximately 10 to 11”. Four is a good number to make.
• Cut the gift wrap to fit the noodle leaving some overhang on each end.
• Working outside (because of fumes) spray the noodle and the paper with spray glue (follow the instructions on the can for permanent bonding), wrap paper around the noodle, folding and glueing the overhand to the ends.
• Cover the paper with clear vinyl contact paper, optional
• Cover the ends with hot glue and quickly place each onto tan or brown felt, let cool and trim
• The fire is made with felt, plastic bowl, and hot glue
• Fuse two pieces of felt together with iron-on fusible webbing. Place the plastic bowl onto  the red felt a little off center. With the hot glue, artistically glue into “flame” shapes. I didn’t have enough orange and yellow to add to the fire so I simply placed them into the center of the red. 
• The “stones” are beanbags made with recycled winter/dark clothing. 
• ​The marshmallows are chopsticks and white felt. 
  

#7 Pond Light: Holiday edition

Check out our "how-to" post here.

Please note: We are not sponsored by any of the companies/products that we used. These products were picked and bought by us.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

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