Abstract: A method for making an article of manufacture (10 or 34) includes making a PVC structural element (12 or 36) with a surface (26), adhesively securing a sheet of stranded material (22) to the surface (26), and molding a sponge material (16 or 40) to the sheet of stranded material (22). The sheet of stranded material (22) is a woven material or nonwoven mat. Securing the sheet of stranded material (22) to the surface (26) includes chemically softening a layer (18) of the structural element (12 or 36) by applying a solvent, applying a plastic cement layer (20) to the softened layer (18), partially embedding the sheet of stranded material (22) into the layer (20) and/or into the layer (18), thereby at least partially encompassing a plurality of first portions (28) of strands (24), and molding the sponge material (16 or 40) onto the partially-embedded sheet of stranded material (22), thereby at least partially encompassing a plurality of second portions (30) of the strands (24).