5 Surprising Uses for Ratchet Straps
1.) Use them in place of clamps
No tools? No problem! Some flat-pack furniture manufacturers, like the German manufacturer of the bed pictured above, have done away with nails and screws altogether, instead using ratchet straps to hold pieces together. If you have access to a laser cutter or even a jigsaw, you can create your own piece, like this chair: https://www.instructables.com/id/Ratchet-Strap-Chair/?ALLSTEPS
2.) Build furniture
Are you working on a large project? If a woodworking project is too big for any of the clamps in your toolbox, ratchet straps can be used to hold everything together: https://akadesign.ca/diy-project-rustic-farmhouse-table/
3.) Hoist the top off of your truck
Have a hard-top Wrangler or a pickup with a camper top? Instead of spending a ton of money on specially-built hoists, attach ratchet straps to your garage ceiling and use them to lift and suspend the hard-top or camper shell. As forum user mjanderle found out after trying this, "having the top off is a freakin' hoot!" https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/20-hard-top-hoist.605278/
4.) Take up slacklining
Slacklining is similar to tightrope walking. Slackliners walk along webbing straps suspended between two points. It's not uncommon to see them doing tricks and yoga on their lines either. A ratchet strap makes a great starter slackline. Here's how to use one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhPOzZ7j9Y4
5.) Secure loads
Okay, this one is pretty obvious, but many times when people need to strap something down they automatically reach for bungee cords. As our piece Five Reasons You Shouldn't Use Bungees Instead of Tie-Down Straps illustrates, using bungee cords to secure loads is dangerous. Despite the fact that we’ve shown you how to use ratchet straps for everything but securing loads, this is still the job they're best at.