Duct Tape Rope, Leash, and More

By now, you might have seen or heard of many different things that you can make from duct tape. Even though you might not want a duct tape pillow, or a duct tape hammock, the tape can still be used to make all sorts of other useful things around your house. Good, quality duct tape is ideal for making whatever you want and you can find that at a home improvement store.

Make assorted types of rope with duct tape and you’ll find lots of ways to use them. One rope-type thing you can make is a dog leash – or even a collar. To make a collar, measure around the dog’s neck, and cut a length of tape to that measurement. With the sticky side facing up, fold the edge that faces you over to the center, then fold the opposite edge over to the center, and slightly overlap them so that no adhesive is visible. Slide a “D” ring onto the collar. To make a closure, sew on a piece of Velcro, a snap, or another type of closure.

Make a leash for a dog by using tape again. Unroll a length of tape to equal the length you want for the leash. Lay the tape on a flat surface so that the sticky side is facing upwards. Fold the tape exactly in half. At one end, fold the end over a couple of inches, slide on a lanyard to hook onto the collar’s “D” ring, then tape or sew the end down. At the opposite end, fold the tape over six inches or so, and tape or sew it down, to make a loop handle for the leash.

Make rope to use around the house by rolling the duct tape. Lay out a piece, fold a tiny bit of one long edge over, then use it to roll the tape, from that side to the other. Roll it very tightly to make cord, or a little looser to make rope. Or, just make narrow but flat rope by folding the long edge of the tape over the amount you want for the width, then fold again, and again, until you get to the opposite side.

It can be difficult to roll or fold really long pieces of the duct tape but you have choices to make that a little easier. One way is to make smaller rope pieces, then tie them together, end-to-end. Another way is to use a long piece, but lay an object on one end. Roll or fold the rest of the tape; the object will prevent the very end from being rolled or folded. Cut a second piece of tape, remove the object, and lay the second piece on the end of the first piece, and continue folding or rolling. Continue adding another and another piece, and using an object at the end of each new piece to hold it, until the rope is as long as you want.

Duct tape is much cheaper than rope and works just as well, in most cases. You can even use other types of really sticky tape, like quality electrical tape. However, you should never use tape rope for climbing, holding a vicious dog, or in other cases where, if it breaks, can cause serious problems.