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How to Make Homemade Shoe Cleats

Jeffery Keilholtz

Making your own shoe cleats is a creative way to give your feet extra grip when you are running. Cleats are especially important for athletes moving on soft and wet surfaces — snow and ice, for example. The cleats provide sole extensions that stick into the ground and give you additional stability as you walk or run.

Use a real pair of cleats as inspiration.

You can create your own cleats in a matter of minutes with the right tools. Once they are complete, show off your cleats to family, friends and fellow athletes.

  1. Drill one No. 8 three-eighths-inch screw into the bottom of the sole — from the bottom of the sole and upward into the shoe — near the front of the shoe. Evenly space the remaining five three-eighths-inch screws to cover the front third of the sole.

  2. Drill one No. 8 half-inch screw into the bottom of the sole — in the same manner as in Step 1 — in the middle of the shoe. Evenly space the eleven remaining half-inch screws to cover the additional two-thirds of the sole. Skip to Step 3 if you wish to use smaller screws throughout the process.

  3. Drill No. 8 one-quarter-inch screws into the bottom of the sole — from the front to the heel — in the same manner as in steps 1 and 2. Space them evenly. Keep in mind that one-quarter-inch screws are more likely to fall out with repetitive use of the cleats.