What to Do with Old Plumbing Parts

Posted on: 22 June 2017

If you have old plumbing supplies after doing a construction project, you don't just have to put them in a closet or give them away. You can actually turn many of those items into fun crafts and toys for your children. After the construction or plumbing project is done, try these five ideas.

1. Foam Swords

For imaginative play, you can't beat foam swords. Use some PVC pipe as the "blade" of the sword, and choose some connector pieces to use as the handle. Cover the blade with some pipe insulation, and then, cover everything with duct tape. Now, it's time for swordfighting. Don't hit anyone that hard—plumbing insulation isn't that thick.

2. Foam Nunchucks

If ninjas are more your thing than knights, you may want to make some nunchucks out of plumbing insulation. Cut the insulation so it's about the length of a nunchuk. Then, add some colourful duct tape or electrical to the top of each cylinder of foam, and finally, connect the two pieces with a piece of sturdy cord. Now, you have soft toy nunchucks.

3. Soccer Nets

Want some nets for backyard football? Then, build them yourself with PVC plumbing pipe. Cut the pipe to size, and make a small cube or goal-shaped frame with four pieces for the bottom rectangle, four pieces for the top rectangle and four pieces for the vertical poles.

Connect everything together with quad or triple connectors. Then, make a net with an old sheet, a tarp or a fishing net.

4. Building Kit

Instead of making a dedicated project with your PVC pipes, you may just want to create a building kit. This is ideal for kids who love creative, hands-on play and who might have a future in the construction industry. To make your kit, add a bunch of PVC pipes of varying lengths and lots of connectors. Then, using creativity as their guide, children can make playhouses, tunnels, "skyscrapers" and anything else they like.

5. Foam Chains

Foam chains are great for playing medieval dungeon or to decorate your home for Halloween. To make them, grab a piece of plumbing insulation, which is basically a hollow cylinder of foam. Cut the insulation into pieces so you have several rings.

Then, peel off the paper backing to expose the sticky side of each piece. Interconnect the foam piece by piece until you have a chain. Most plumbing insulation is dark gray—so it's the perfect colour for play chains.  

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