Pet & Animal: How to Make a Hula Hoop

Hula hooping is a fun activity that can be a great cardiovascular exercise, burning up to 200 calories per 30 minutes of use.^[1] Hula hoops purchased at a store can be too big, too small, or too light for your personal preference. Use the following steps on how to make a hula hoop that measures up to your individual needs.

Steps

Preparing for Assembly

Figure out your measurements. To determine the exact length of irrigation tubing you need to construct your hula hoop, stand up straight and measure the distance from your feet to your chest (or anywhere between your belly button and your chest). This measurement is the diameter of your ideal hoop, you then need to calculate its circumference to know how much tubing you need. (Circumference = Pi (3.14) times Diameter (C=pD)).
- The average diameter of an adult hula hoop is 40”. 40 x 3.14 = 125.6”
- The average diameter of a child’s hula hoop is 28”. 28 x 3.14 = 87.9” ^[2]
Make a trip to the hardware store. You'll need three things, all of which can be found in the plumbing section:
- 3/4 inch (19.05 mm) 160psi irrigation tubing
- A PVC pipe cutter
- One 3/4 inches (19.05 mm) PVC tube connector.
- If you don't want to buy a PVC pipe cutter, you can use regular scissors. However, scissors require more effort to cut the PVC pipe.
Alternatively, use a hacksaw instead of a pipe cutter. If you have one handy and you are handy with it, a hacksaw is another option – you just may need to sand down any sharp ridges later.
- In which case, you'll need sandpaper or a power sander. If you use a power sander, you'll need goggles to protect your eyes. As you can see, a pipe cutter is the easier way to go.

Assembling a Traditional Hula Hoop

Cut the irrigation tubing. Use the pipe cutter, hacksaw, or scissors to cut the tubing to your desired length. It will take a bit of effort to cut through, so take your time and be careful.
Soften one end of the tubing. Boil a large pot of water and insert one end of the tubing into the water for 30 seconds. The end of the tubing should be soft and pliable prior to fastening to the other end of the tubing.
- If that’s not handy, you can use a blow dryer; however, this may take longer and involves the dryer being held up the entire time. In general, just having a pot of boiling water going is easiest.
- When finished, work quickly while the tubing is still warm and pliable.
Place the PVC tube connector into the softened end of the tubing. Push down hard on the connector to ensure a solid joint. The two should fit snugly together, with the connector going nowhere.
- Be careful not to push the connector too far down into the tubing. The other end of the tubing will need to fasten to it. It should stick out about halfway.
If you’d like, place “weights" or sound makers into the hula hoop. If this is for a child or for exercise purposes, having something inside the tubing can make hula hooping even more enjoyable (or more of a workout). Here are some ideas:
- Small beans (about 20-30)
- Corn kernels
- Water (a cup or so)
- Sand
- Rice
Dip the other end of the tubing into the boiling water. If you have objects inside the tubing, manage it carefully so it doesn’t come spilling out the other end. This part should only take a few minutes.
When ready, couple the newly softened end onto the end with the PVC connector. Just like you did in the steps above, seal the tubing into a hoop shape by connecting the last two exposed ends.
- Again, work quickly. The tubing is more pliable the warmer it is. As it cools, it will contract and form a strong seal, keeping the hoop together.^[3]
Decorate the hula hoop. Add some personal flare, such as glittered tape, paint or any other enhancements you’d like. It can be drawn on with permanent or special craft markers, too.
- You can easily make candy-cane like, traditional hula hoop stripes with colored electrical tape. It’s smoother than duct tape and blends into the texture of the tubing better.

Assembling a Collapsible Hula Hoop

Get your materials together. You need everything in the above section plus a few other things. The entire list includes:^[4]
- 3/4 inch (19.05 mm) 160psi irrigation tubing
- A PVC pipe cutter
- Four 3/4 inches (19.05 mm) PVC tube connectors
- Bungee cord
- Uncoated coat hanger wire
- A power sander (optional, though preferred)
- Several pairs of pliers
- A couple of friends (it will be much easier)
- A pair of goggles
Measure how much tubing you need and cut it into four equal pieces. Stand up straight and measure the distance from your feet to your chest (or anywhere between your belly button and your chest). This measurement is the diameter of your ideal hoop. You then need to calculate its circumference to know how much tubing you need. (Circumference = Pi (3.14) times Diameter (C=pD))
- The average adult hula hoop is 40” in diameter, or 125.6” long. Each piece would then be about 31” long.
- Constructing a hula hoop for a child? Then you’ll likely need around 26” in diameter, or 87.9”. Each piece would then be about 22” long.
Make unique markings on each end. This will help you know how the pieces fit back together. It’s sort of like a puzzle, where each one is similar but fits best into a certain other piece. In total you’ll need 8 markings, one for each exposed end.
- This can be done with the edge of a knife, scissors, or even with a pen. Don't want to make a permanent mark? Use tape.
Put on your goggles and start sanding the ribs off of one end of each of the connectors. If you’re using a power sander, there’s going to be dust and grime floating up around you everywhere, so be sure to wear goggles or a mask. If you don’t have a power sander, you can do it manually – it just requires a lot of patience and more time.
- Take a break from sanding and see how the connector fits into the tube. There should definitely be resistance, but when you’re finished it should snugly fit inside the tubing. Keep sanding until each connector reaches this point.
Heat one end of each quarter of tubing. This can be done with a blow dryer, hot water on the stove, or an open flame (but an open flame is harder to control and can result in melting). When they become soft and pliable, place the non-sanded ends of the connectors each into a section of tubing, leaving the sanded ends visible and sticking out.
- The connectors should be inside the tubing up until about their halfway point. Any further and they won't be able to do their job of connecting.
Using your markings, fit the hoop together. You’ll be sort of disassembling it in a second to make it collapsible, but for now you need it in its circular form. The warmed tubing should go over the unsanded ends of the connectors, fitting snugly.
Insert the bungee cord to make it collapsible. Here’s how:
- Get an 8” long piece of uncoated metal coat hanger. Use it to open the hoop at one of the four exposed points.
- Snake the bungee cord through the entire hula hoop until it comes out on the other side.
- Pull it taut. Very, very taut. This is where having friends is helpful. You can either pull both ends, or clamp one down to the tubing. Either way, make sure it’s stretched to it’s maximum as this will hold the hoop together when spinning.
- Overlap the ends of the cord and wrap the wire around and around it, digging the wire into it.
- Using pliers, squeeze the wire against the cord. When secure, cut the ends of the cord off.
Assemble and collapse your hoop. It will take a little effort to pull apart, and that’s good. That means it will keep spinning and stay together. Assemble and disassemble the hoop, making sure it works properly.
- If it doesn’t, odds are your bungee cord isn’t tight enough. If it’s too loose, it will collapse on its own when spinning and likely pinch you. Tighten the bungee cord more, reapply the wire, and try again.
- When it works, take your hula hoop on the go with you – it’s easy to pack and perfect for traveling.