DIY Tire Rope Ottoman
As a small project for my parents patio makeover, I decided to make a DIY ottoman to be used as a coffee table/ottoman to rest your feet on for their outdoor space. I wanted something simple and easy to make, and not cost an arm and a leg. With a few basic materials, I was able to turn an old tire into something beautiful and functional.
This is the finished ottoman! I styled it to be used as a foot rest for the bench, but also a place you can rest your drink or other things while enjoying the patio.
I used some basic materials:
- an old tire I bought from someone on marketplace for $10
- a wood round piece (see pictures ahead) 24" diameter, I got this from Home Depot for about $12
- gorilla glue sticks and hot glue gun (already had in my supplies)
- 1/2" sisal rope and 3/8" rope - I ended up using 2 packages of 50 ft rope, for a total of 100 ft each.
- TBH, I wasn't expecting to need as much as I did! I underestimated it for sure. With each package being about $12-16 each (also not expecting that.. lol), that ended up eating up most of the cost of the project. However, I love the way it ended up despite the amount of rope I used!
I used 2" long screws to secure the wood circle to the tire. I predrilled the holes through the wood first with the matching size drill bit. I was so glad the circle ended up being the exact right size for the tire. When I screwed them in, the screws did poke out from the inner rim of the tire but because it was going to be laying flat down and used as an ottoman on the ground, I wasn't concerned about it. The top was pretty dang secured to the tire.
This is what it looked like after screwing it down. I just evenly spaced out 8 screws around it.
There is a little bit of a small gap, as you can see here. This won't be noticeable at all when all the rope is glued on. Its because the tire is not completely flat against the wood but when I tested its hold by trying to pry it up with my hands it was super sturdy and remained in place.
Get your glue gun and glue sticks, and start from the top of the tire but below the wood top, winding the rope around the tire.
It was a very repetitive process! I was very liberal in the amount of glue I used, and glued every piece down as I went with my glue gun.
I kept going around and around until the rope ran out. I was not expecting 50 feet of it to be used up that quickly, and I was sooo close to the bottom! I had to call it good for a day until I went and bought some more.
After googling the process of how to find the exact center of a circle (I never did well in math lol) I began to spiral the 3/8" rope outward. Here's a link if you're like me and don't know how to find the center! I just used the first method.
a shot of the progress! this was recorded on video and I'm not very good at editing so sorry all I have are screenshots.
Once I reached the edge of the circle, I wanted to switch it up on the sides to add some visual interest and different texture. I'm so glad I did, because I think it added such a nice detail! I glued it in an up and down motion in like a squiggle pattern, if that makes sense.
Here it is with the top done. I then went in and finished up the bottom piece with the new rope I bought.
I flipped it upside to be easier to glue the rest on. As you can see in the pictures, the screws are poking out. Sure, I could've maybe used smaller screws or something there but it didn't matter to me since it would be upside down.
And there it is! I love how it turned out. Here are some pictures with it styled in the updated patio space
I hope you enjoyed this DIY project and decide to try it yourself! Overall, besides the rope, this was a fairly budget friendly project. Compared to other nice ottomans out there, that can also function as a coffee table, and also have that farmhouse/bohemian style can be anywhere in the 100's. It's nice to have something both functional and beautiful to use as an accent in whatever space you use it in.
If you want to see more DIY projects and anything home decor, feel free to follow me on instagram @emgraceyourspace
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P-h10582958 on Oct 13, 2021
very nice..
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Dan9611208 on Feb 06, 2022
I was thinking of making one for my daughter but either staining the top or padding it! I also saw one where a woman wrapped the tire with upholstery material. She cut it in strips and wound the tire (going through the hole). Then she screwed on the top, filled in the screws with wood filler and sanded. I think it would be cool done in leather!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Love your finished product. Could you stain or paint the wooden top instead?
What did you use to clean the tire before glueing on the rope?
How weatherproof would this actually be? I have a large uncovered patio, and love the idea, but would want it to look good for a long time. Maybe sealing the wood prior to screwing it down?