How to Resole a Shoe With a Used Tire

Written By: Ronan

Comments: 9

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

Replacing shoes after they wear out can be expensive. This is a comprehensive guide to repairing the sole of worn out shoes using the tread from an old tire as an alternative. It can be a cost efficient solution.

The use of basic hand tools is required.

Tools

Parts

Polyurethane Glue

Step 1

Cut across the tire using a knife creating a groove approximately the width of the tread.
Do not cut completely through the tire.

Step 2

Remove the tread from the tire while scraping underneath the top layer with a knife.
Peel back the layer, cut the tread, and remove it from the tire.

Step 3

Lay the tire tread flat.
External side of tread facing down on the table.

My shoe are new huaraches

Robin Causey - 20/01/18

Step 4

Clean the bottom of the sandal with a damp cloth to ensure the surface is free of debris.

Step 5

Place the sandal with the sole facing down on the tire tread.

Step 6

Outline the sandal with a bright colored marker.
Remove the sandal.

Step 7

Apply adhesive on the inside of the marker drawn.

What adhesive should i use.

argon2040 -

Step 8

Place the sandal in the outline.

Step 9

Insert a wood block into the sandal.
Clamp the wood block to the tire tread.
Allow adhesive to cure according to manufacturer recommendations.

Step 10

Remove the clamps and wood block.
Cut the excess tread from the sandal with a utility knife.
Never cut toward yourself.

Step 11

Smooth edges of the tread, and remove excess tread/adhesive.

Awesome!

Would like to see a side view of the finished shoe too!

Can't wait to do this on some boots, shoes, & sandals!!!

RECYCLE STUFF!

Sheila Ferrell -

Conclusion

Your shoes are now ready to wear.

Author

Ronan

Member since: 24/06/15

190 Reputation

6 comments

can I use this on heavy duty shoes like basketball shoes for outdoors?

Ranjie - 08/02/17

What type of glue did you use? I am wanting to fix the soles of my Chaco sandals as the sole is coming apart. If you could give me the best brand I would appreciate it.

Andy

Andy - 20/03/17

I was just going to post about fixing Chacos!! To answer your question, I use Barge Cement: it's a'contact cement' so paint both faces with it smoothly, wait about 5 to 15 mins to let it get real tacky then clamp it! I always let this and similar cure for 24 hours, if not 48.

My problem with (two pair) of Chacos is extremely quick wear. I don't get the popularity if I get a half of summer before the heel is worn down to the sandal body.

Rick - 21/07/17

These instructions used what appears to be silicone glue, which will not hold up. What would be much better is contact cement. Barge All Purpose TF cement would be much better. I would also use a rasp or a small sanding disk to try and smooth the rubber before gluing it down as well.

Ron Hargrove - 25/03/17

I used the tread from a lawn tractor tire as it has no steel cords to worry about. It was easy to cut. I ground the inner texture off the tire and abraded it with a sanding disk and glued it on with contact cement. One year later and still going.

James Stork - 26/01/20

SO cool!! I’m wonderin' why you ‘filet’ the tire? Is it because the steel is so hard to cut thru?

I think usin’ a metabo, & a grinder would work …?

I like the idea of the tractor tire - but not sure what kind of tire you meant. The big tires have tread much too large. The front tires just have ribbed tread. One reason I want to try this is to have chunky tread on my shoes. I've got a good tire to start . . . has nice smaller, pattern deep tread, but having cut a tire before & drilled thru one (for different purposes) I'm wondering if I can filet one evenly!!

Sheila Ferrell - 31/03/22