How to Use a Pool Noodle to Protect Your Car Against Scratches in the Garage

Last Updated: August 5, 2019 References Approved

Dings and dents from trying to squeeze your car into a small space, known as your garage can take a toll on your vehicle. Small dents and scratches can appear if you don’t use total precision when backing in and out of the garage, which could add up to a nice sum of money. Instead of having to fight the garage walls day in and day out, why not pad the walls with something as simple as a foam pool noodle? It’s a quick, easy and most importantly, inexpensive way to protect your car.

Steps

1
Cut pool noodle in half, lengthwise. You will end up with 2 long, hollow pieces. Take safety precautions when cutting the noodle in half, keeping fingers away from the blade.^{[1]
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- Lay noodle on a hard surface to cut in half. Identify the middle of the rounded piece first before cutting.
2
Identify the most vulnerable areas in the garage. Certainly the entire wall isn’t a usual offender, but perhaps there is one area that seems to get dinged the most (typically the area where car doors are opened and closed).
- Use your tape measure to determine the specific height of your car door. Keep in mind that SUV doors are considerably higher than doors on a sedan.
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3
Mark off the area where pool noodled will be mounted. Using your measuring tape and pencil, draw a straight line that denotes where the pool noodle should be located.
- Ask an assistant to hold the noodle in place and test out the position before making it permanent. Open and close door in the area to ensure you are on target.
4
Mount noodle to wall. Apply ample glue to the back of the pool noodle and then hold it firmly in place on the target wall.^{[2]
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- Hold for up to 10 minutes or until you know that the glue has adhered to the noodle and wall. Because of the foamy texture you may want to tape it in place too for extra security.
5
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

What kind of glue do I use and where do I get it?

Community Answer

Use velcro strips instead. They're less of a hassle and less time-consuming.