Traction mats are a necessary tool for off-roading, but even if you’re sticking to asphalt, they could come in handy during the winter months. Rear-wheel drive, less-than-ideal tires, and snow or ice-covered roads are a good recipe for getting stuck.
I remember my grandfather’s stories of putting a 200-pound sack of corn in the trunk of his Mercedes-Benz, to apply more pressure on the rear tires and create grip. Modern vehicles don’t suffer from this issue, but having a set of DIY traction mats in the trunk of your car is a good way to be prepared. Traction mats you can get in a store can set you back $100, but our homemade options will cost only a fraction of that amount.
To make traction mats out of wood, the first thing you’ll need are some planks. The dimensions don’t necessarily matter, as long as they’re thick enough to endure the weight of the vehicle. If you have some spare planks in your backyard, those will work great.
Depending on how elaborate and effective you want your traction mat to be, you’ll need a power drill, a portable circular saw, and a top-handle jigsaw. If you do not have them, you can borrow them from a friend, or buy them as they’ll pay for themselves over time. Make sure to use safety goggles and operate tools responsibly.
Traction mats can be made entirely out of planks. It can be made by using only a hammer and chisel, but a circular saw will make the job go faster. Take a look at this video guide to get an idea of what we want to accomplish. His solution didn’t work well at all, but we can improve upon it and create a more functional traction mat.
What we could do with this build is instead of making rectangular treads, we can make more frequent saw teeth. The space between two teeth will be great enough not to get gunked up with mud or snow, while the spiked tips give more chances for the tire to grip. It’s also a good idea to create tire-pattern groves on the back of the plank, just to give it more grip. This is still the least effective method, but it’s also the easiest and cheapest to make, and it should work in case you get stuck on the side of a road.
Instead of relying on the carved treads to act as points of grip, you can use a set of screws to the same effect. You’ll need a power drill, a box of bolts. To get the best grip, hex cap bolts are the best.
You can be as creative as you want with this build. Take your power drill and punch some holes through the plank. Then, use the drill to easily screw in the bolts. Depending on how tough your wood is, you might want to get a set of washers to prevent splitting or cracking. Bolt nuts are optional, as we just want to make a studded plank.
Where you’re going to use this traction mat determines the length of the bolts. For use on unpaved surfaces, you might want to get bolts long enough to protrude on the other side and act as traction spikes. On asphalt or concrete, they’re not going to work as well because they might break off from the weight. If you plan on using this method, always put the caps towards the tires, to avoid punctures.
Once you get yourself unstuck, go back and check if any of the bolts got broken, and collect them so that someone else doesn’t puncture their tire.
Combining the rigidity of wood with the traction of rubber will make for an excellent DIY traction mat. The best rubber for the job would be an old car tire. It’s durable, and if it has some treads on it, even better. A local tire store might even give you one for free as they’re next to worthless. If possible, find a ripped-off-road tire as they have the largest tread.
You will need a scalpel to carve up the tire. Remove the sides until you’re left with a hoop made entirely out of contact surface. With a horizontal cut, open the tire and spread it out like a rug. The following video shows how to safely cut a car tire.
With the rubber ready, it’s time to merge it with the plank. There are two ways to go about it, either with glue, or bolts. The shape of the tire will make it impossible to bend it straight, so if you plan on using glue, you’ll have to cut it up in smaller chunks and glue them individually.
Personally, I would not recommend using glue. The force applied on the traction mat when the tire spins are enormous, and will likely tear off individual pieces. With bolts, you can leave the tire in one segment, and force it into shape. Use washers and nuts to secure the composition. Alternatively, you can use any material that provides grip, like old carpeting or regular rubber. You can even use a plastic milk crate.
DIY traction mats are a much cheaper way of getting effective results, but you should exercise caution when you’re making or using them. You’re essentially placing a long piece of hard material on an uneven surface beneath your vehicle. One wrong move, a slight slip of the tire, and the traction mat could be forced towards the vehicle and cause damage.
Keep the engine revs low and create a rocking motion to gain enough momentum and spring out at the right moment. If you get into a situation where you’ll need traction mats, you’re almost guaranteed to need a shovel. Folding-stock shovels don’t take a lot of room and will come in handy.
Making a decent traction mat is easier than it seems. All you need is a few basic power tools, a few wooden planks, and miscellaneous parts. They’re a great way to practice using tools, and even if you mess up the mat can still work, or you can always make another one for a few dollars. If you ever get stuck, one of these traction mats will be able to help you get yourself out!
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