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Make Cement PVC Weights

Tools & Materials Required:

    • 8 4 inches (10 cm) diameter PVC caps
    • Power drill
    • Eye protection
    • Gloves
    • 16 nuts
    • 16 bolts
    • 16 washers in 5⁄8 inch (1.6 cm) size
    • 4 eyebolts that are 5⁄8 inch (1.6 cm) in size.
    • 4 pieces of 36 inches (91 cm) PVC pipe
    • PVC primer and glue
    • At least 50 pounds (23 kg) of fast-drying cement
    • Water
    • A container for mixing cement
    • Trowel or tool to fill PVC pipe with cement
    • optional: 4 cabinet handles
    • Rope or bungee cord.

 

When finished, these weights will weigh about 40 pounds (18 kg) each. You may prefer making smaller weights, using shorter 2 feet (61 cm) pieces of 3 inches (7.6 cm) diameter pipe.

Consider making 8 smaller weights of about 20 pounds (9.1 kg) each to make them easier to transport.

Drill holes into 4 of your PVC pipe caps. Make a mark using permanent marker in the center of your pipe caps. Using a 5⁄8 inch (1.6 cm) drill bit in your power drill, drill a hole into the center of 4 of the caps. Always use eye protection and gloves when operating power tools.

Attach 5⁄8 inch (1.6 cm) eyebolts to the caps with nuts and bolts. Insert 1 eyebolt into each hole that you drilled. Twist a 5⁄8 inch (1.6 cm) nut onto the eyebolt on either side of the cap to sandwich your eyebolt in, place a washer on the inside end, and then twist a bolt on that end to secure it.

Glue the caps with eyebolts onto the PVC pipes. Most PVC glues have a brush inside the cannister, and require you to use a purple primer liquid, sold near the glue itself, before brushing on the glue. Follow all instructions on the PVC glue as you brush the glue on and attach caps to what will be the tops of each of your pipes. Allow your glue to dry for the length of time determined by the glue instructions.

Drill a small hole in each of the bottom caps. The caps for the bottoms of your pipes will need a small hole in them to allow air to escape when gluing the caps on. Wearing eye protection and gloves, use a small drill bit to drill a hole into these plain caps

Optional: Add handles to facilitate carrying.  This step is optional.  You could screw two holes and add a cabinet handle in the middle of the 36 inch PVC pipes.  Make sure to do this before you add concrete and measure the appropriate distance for the cabinet handle.

Mix some concrete and fill each pipe. Use a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket to mix your dry cement with water according to your cement package directions. Keep in mind that the cement starts to set quickly, so you’ll need to work quickly. When each pipe is full, stand it against a wall on the eyebolt to let the concrete dry. Pro Tips:
  • This step can benefit from the help of a friend. When the concrete is mixed, 1 person can fill the pipes with a small trowel while the other person holds the pipe upright and occasionally taps it on the ground to make sure the concrete is moving toward the bottom.
  • Consider mixing your cement in 2 separate batches, so that you aren’t as rushed to use up all the cement at once before it starts setting.

    • Allow the concrete to dry and glue a cap bottom on each end. Allow the concrete inside your pipes to dry completely for a few hours. Take the unattached cap bottoms and your PVC glue and primer, and glue these caps to the bottoms of your pipes. Allow them to dry according to the glue instructions. Your weights are now complete. Hang onto them until you need them for your assembled tent.

    Connect each weight to your tent frame with bungee cord or rope. To attach your weights to your assembled tent, clip a bungee cord or tie a rope around the eyebolts. Take the other end and clip or tie it to the tent frame at the top corner near the leg of your tent, giving enough length to the cord or rope so that the weight hangs near or on the ground. Do this to all 4 corners of your tent. Tie the weights to the legs down near the ground with rope or Velcro strips, so that they don’t swing around or become a tripping hazard.