How To Make a Hockey Net out of PVC

After our son started playing ice hockey last fall we bought him used roller blades so he could start working on his skating at home. Then we bought him a used outdoor hockey stick. Then my husband bought used roller blades and a stick for himself.

The boys were outside practicing skating and stick handling so often my husband decided to make a net from PVC pipe so they could work on shooting as well. I decided to document how he made the nets so other sports parents could make them for their kids too. All supplies are from a home improvement store except the mesh laundry bags which we bought from WalMart.

1. You will need: two lengths of PVC, PVC pipe fittings for sprinklers, two mesh laundry bags, PVC glue, twine and a PVC cutter or saw .

2. We used two 10’ pipes. Ours are ½” but  ¾” pipe will work just as well. The fittings need to be the same size as the pipe.

3. Buy 14 connectors: (2) 90º elbows
(6) Y elbows
(6) male/female connectors

4. Cut the two lengths of pipe. We made two nets, one slightly smaller than the other so they can nest easily for storage. Our pipes measure 21” H x 33” W x 14” D (our second net measures ½” smaller all the way around).

5. Cut the laundry bags so they lie open. Do not cut all the way around. Reserve the drawstring and use one to sew two horizontal sides of the bags together. Tie a knot at the ends.

6. Assemble the frame and connectors using the PVC glue. You will end up with a four sided frame.

7. Take the mesh and fit it around the frame. Use the other drawstring to stitch the mesh to the PVC frame (we had to supplement with the twine because the drawstring only covered two of the sides).

8. The PVC glue will set right away so you’re ready to use your new nets! Have fun!

Melanie Sheridan has been a wife for 12 years, mom for eight and blogger/freelancer for four. She lives in Southern California. Melanie loves shoes, shopping, coffee, reading, Twitter, chocolate and her Canon Rebel. Find her on her personal blog; Mel, A Dramatic Mommy and her group blog; San Diego Blog Conference.

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