Hilarious Duct Tape Hacks That Prove Some Things Shouldn’t Be Left To DIY
Duct tape is useful for a lot of things, but that doesn't mean it should be used on everything. When it comes to things like car repairs, utility pole damage, or clothing, duct tape shouldn't be the go-to. Still, some would beg to differ, using the household item on everything from busted pipes to flat tires. Read on to see some of the most hilariously bizarre ways that people have used duct tape beyond its abilities.
To Hold Together The Body Of A Car
Who needs a car repair when you have duct tape? This person's ride looks like it's barely hanging on thanks to a thorough duct-taping job. We're not sure what exactly happened to the car, but it's definitely missing the back bumper.
The best part is the sticker the owner put on the truck. It reads, "My car says a lot about me... I always make you laugh." At least they have a sense of humor about it.
To Make Your Cell Phone Hands-Free
In the age of technology, hands-free devices are a huge deal since they allow you to multitask. This man figured all he needed was some duct tape to turn his cellphone into a headpiece.
The way he wrapped the duct tape around his head is reminiscent of a person wearing gauze due to a hurt jaw. Based on the man's taped eyeglasses, we'd guess he's big on saving money by cutting corners whenever he can.
To Fix A Vandalized Deer Statue
Some people love their lawn ornaments, and this homeowner must be one of them. They couldn't part with their deer statue, even after someone vandalized the antlers.
To "fix" the issue, they just grabbed a few thin branches and some duct tape. The branches act as replacement antlers held to the deer's head by some duct tape. They could have at least gone with brown duct tape because the black color sticks out like a sore thumb.
To Secure A Utility Pole
We're no electrician, but shouldn't a broken utility pole be held up by more than just duct tape? This looks like an accident waiting to happen, and there's going to be a lot of unhappy residents if and when it does.
The pole is severely cracked near the base and is leaning to the side just waiting to tip over. Good thing someone had a roll of duct tape to save the day for the neighborhood.
To Repair A Tire
Apparently, using duct tape on car repairs is somewhat common. We certainly wouldn't recommend it, but it's a hilarious sight. This person used a bunch of duct tape to fix what must have been some tire damage.
It looks like they rolled the tape around the tire several times and then put it back on the rim, so at least the tape is securely fashioned. When the tire is rotating, you may not even be able to tell!
As A Car Roof Rack
This one makes us even more nervous than the bumper repair did. This driver used duct tape not to hold the car together, but to secure moving boxes on top of the car! They even have a couple stacked!
As though the boxes on top of the car weren't risky enough, they also overstuffed the truck so the door couldn't shut. Instead, they left it wide open and wrapped duct tape around the overflow. They really didn't want to make two trips.
To Replace An Arm Sling
At first glance, we thought this man's arm was broken and in a cast. Upon closer inspection, it looks like he just wrapped it in some paper towels and duct tape, so we sincerely hope it's not even a sprain.
The makeshift sling doesn't seem reliable enough to support the full weight of his arm. Perhaps he's just playing dress-up with the grandkids. That would certainly be better than avoiding a trip to the doctor.
To Prevent A Bike From Being Stolen
This cyclist must have had their bike stolen one too many times. Rather than just leaving it to chains and a lock, they thought it much safer to wrap the entire bike in duct tape.
They literally didn't leave one centimeter uncovered, which would make it a huge hassle to get ready to ride it. Another possibility is that someone did this as a practical joke. If that's the case, that friend must have a funny way of showing that they care.
To Hold Together An Airplane Jet
It looks like the person who took this photo was one of the passengers in the plane looking down at someone duct taping the jet. As though boarding a flight wasn't nerve-racking enough, imagine looking down and seeing that!
As it turns out, that isn't actually duct tape, though it looks like it is. It's called speed tape and is crafted from aluminum specifically for airplanes and race cars to act as a temporary repair.
To Repair The Sidewalk
Some sidewalks have broken down so much over the years that walking over them can be a tripping hazard. That seems to be the case with this severely cracked cement. Or at least, it was before someone went and got the duct tape.
Once again, we're thrown off by the color choice. They could have at least gone with a black duct tape so it didn't pop out to anyone walking by, like this silver "repair" does.
To Refurbish Your Shoes
As with the bike, these shoes are completed covered in duct tape. Even the shoelaces are precisely wrapped! We're not sure if this was a practical joke, or someone trying to refurbish their shoes.
The pair must have been falling apart if someone felt the need to completely cover them in duct tape. That, or they just wanted them to be waterproof. Either way, it's not going to be easy talking all that tape off.
To Air Dry Laundry
Some people prefer to air dry their laundry as opposed to throwing it in a machine. The problem is that sometimes there aren't enough spots to put all the clothes, especially without a clothesline.
This person solved that issue with duct tape. They ran the tape from one support beam to another outside the house. Our only question is how the water didn't weaken the adhesive! They didn't even use any clothespins, for crying out loud.
To Make A Cup
This seems like the sort of thing a college student came up with: a cup made out of duct tape. There's that adjustment period young adults face of not having many household items. Apparently, this person thought duct tape could solve their dishware needs.
We just wonder how the cup would manage to hold liquid without coming apart. And how would one go about cleaning the thing?! Nevermind the taste of adhesive and polyethylene infiltrating every beverage.
To Fix Broken Glasses
Eyeglasses are both fragile and frequently used, making them likely to become damaged at some point. Since many are reliant upon their glasses, sometimes they need a quick fix before they can afford another pair.
For some reason, duct tape seems to be a popular go-to. You'd think that superglue would be a less obvious option, but perhaps it's just not as reliable as good old duct tape. It may look a little dorky and poke at the skin, but at least it works!
To Make A Hat Impossible To Look At
This person did such a precise job of covering their hat with duct tape that it almost looks like the whole thing is made out of it. While the owner may have thought it was a good idea from a fashion standpoint, it doesn't make much sense functionally.
The metallic colors would reflect the sun like crazy, making it hard for others to look at the hat-wearer when they're outdoors. The resulting heat probably wouldn't be very comfortable, either.
To Make An Outfit
If a special event is coming up, there's no need to go shopping. Just grab whatever is lying around the house and turn it into a blouse! That seems to be the logic behind this person's outfit.
She literally created a strapless shirt out of duct tape and newspaper. The shape of the shirt is impressive, all things considered, but we can't imagine that it's very comfortable to wear. And forget about trying to wash it.
To Carry Tools Around
In all honesty, this duct tape tool belt is pretty impressive. It looks like the man took an actual belt and covered it with duct tape and then concocted duct tape pockets to securely hold the tools.
The good thing about this DIY tool belt is that it can be personalized to the maker's needs. The not-so-good thing is that it looks pretty tacky and might not hold up so well over time.
To Replace Your House Slippers
We can't imagine a scenario where duct tape shoes would ever be useful, but that didn't stop this person from making a pair. They look more like house slippers than anything, but the tape defeats the purpose of having something cozy to slip on your feet while inside.
These shoes wouldn't offer any comfort, warmth, support, or protection. If anything, they might keep feet a little more clean, but they aren't even strong enough to wear outdoors.
To Seal Pipes
Who needs a plumber when you have duct tape? In all seriousness, this has to be a very temporary fix. We can't imagine that the adhesive would be much a match for water frequently spilling out of the pipes.
We're assuming it's a spill because why else would duct tape be used on pipes? Perhaps they just wanted to cover up the rust and thought a shiny layer of silver tape would make it look like new.
To Close Overstuffed Luggage
For those of us who are heavy packers or don't have adequate luggage, this duct tape hack may be a necessary last-ditch effort. The packer just couldn't get the zipper closed, so they wrapped the suitcase with duct tape!
This traveler must have been worried about losing a lot more than their luggage when boarding the flight. If things went really wrong, they could end up with an empty suitcase! Hopefully this was for a road trip.
