Not every person can afford to purchase a new piece of furniture - a wardrobe for storing clothes. After all, this purchase is very expensive. However, there is a way out: you can create such a cabinet yourself, using available materials, for example, large cardboard boxes.
This design has many advantages. First of all, this is its low cost, ease of manufacture, environmental friendliness, and originality. Of course, you won’t be able to create a full-fledged closet out of clothing boxes with your own hands, but if you need a lightweight design for storing small items, then this option is perfect.
Advantages and disadvantages of cardboard furniture
Any furniture has its pros and cons. If we consider cardboard options, we can immediately highlight several positive features:
- There is an opportunity to create individual and stylish things that no one else will have.
- A chance to inexpensively set up a photo studio - for those who are developing their own small business, cardboard furniture will be a worthy start.
- Easy transportation - transporting several kilograms of thick cardboard is much easier than wooden modules. The owner also saves on transportation costs.
- Savings - you can even find thick cardboard for free if you wish. Many stores are happy to get rid of waste paper themselves.
- Durability – if you follow the manufacturing instructions, such furniture will not be inferior in strength to standard furniture.
At home, it is quite possible to make original furniture from cardboard with your own hands.
Additionally, we can highlight environmental friendliness, when the owner of the premises can afford higher quality and more expensive furniture; recycling the old structure will not harm the environment. As for the disadvantages, here we can highlight one and the most important one - the furniture will not tolerate dampness. However, with proper care this can be easily avoided.
Modular stool-table
Fold 154 green and 43 yellow modules.
Assembly diagram:
- Collect a strip: 2 green modules in odd rows, 1 yellow module in even rows. Total 23 yellow. and 26 green.
- Close the strip into a ring.
- Collect a circle: 6 green in rows 1 and 2, 12 in row 3.
- 4 – 18, 5 – 18, but on the other side.
- Glue the circle to the ring.
- Assemble 4 legs similar to the ring. Each one requires 12 green and 5 yellow.
- Glue the legs to the base.
- Turn the craft over.
You can place a small soft toy on such a stool or use it as a stand for various small things.
Chair in traditional technique:
What kind of furniture can be made from cardboard?
There are a huge number of options for what you can do with your own hands in a few weekends. Below are the main ones that will help you design a standard studio or even a full-fledged apartment.
Closet
If after purchasing a large refrigerator there are still some boxes left, then making a cabinet will not be difficult. Below you can find diagrams, instructions and photos of finished products that will definitely inspire you to create your own version. The main nuance is that it is better to choose compressed types of cardboard, as they are particularly durable. After time, the cabinet will not become “slanted” and will be able to fulfill its standard purpose.
Cardboard makes good household items.
Table
When a family buys an apartment in a new building, purchasing furniture for the duration of the renovation is not the best idea. While preparatory work is underway and the move is being made, you can make a dining table with your own hands. For inspiration, you can see a photo of a disassembled and assembled cardboard table.
With the help of this raw material it is easy to diversify the interior of your home.
Children's furniture
All parents know how quickly children grow and how easily they get injured during active play in the room. To save yourself from unnecessary expenses and possible injuries, you can make a crib, a small chest of drawers and small chairs from cardboard. Ready-made plans will help a young family equip the nursery with everything they need.
Cardboard is used to make furniture for children.
Chairs
One of the popular options that may be needed even when decorating an expensive interior. Many products are sold in stores at huge prices, but their cost is much lower. The collected ideas will help you create an original place to relax. By the way, many experts recommend starting with this option.
Properly selected material and technology make it possible to produce quite functional items.
Shelving
A great chance to get rid of boxes after moving. You can assemble the rack using a modular system; such a product will last long enough and withstand the load.
The furniture weighs almost nothing, it can easily be disassembled into its component elements, which greatly simplifies its transportation.
Bookshelves
It is unlikely that it will be possible to make hanging ones, since books weigh quite a lot, but floor ones are not a problem for skilled hands. Below are ready-made options that will help you assemble a decent interior for any home.
Household items made from thick paper are characterized by sufficient strength and can last a long time.
Dresser
The frame is assembled according to a special scheme, after which it can be covered with self-adhesive tape and placed in the most visible place. If you use high-quality, multi-layer cardboard, guests won’t even notice the catch.
You just need to take a responsible approach to the drawing up of the drawing, the quality of the assembly, and the choice of fasteners.
Cabinet for kitchen or living room
The finished product will be stylish and beautiful and will fit perfectly into the classic and retro style of the interior. A model of the future cabinet is drawn on paper, and places for shelves are outlined. Then the parts are cut out to the required size.
The sides of the cabinet and its bottom are made thicker in one of the following ways:
- Take 2-4 identical pieces of cardboard. Carefully coat the first cut with glue, apply the second, and let the glue dry. In this way, all the parts are connected to each other, resulting in a piece of thick material.
- Cut out two identical cardboard pieces. Prepare long strips of thin or corrugated cardboard 1-2 cm wide, bend them like a snake and stick the ends onto one part. After drying, cover the snakes with a second cardboard element, pre-lubricated with glue, and allow the entire structure to dry.
The process of cutting out and thickening all the elements of the cabinet is quite important, so you need to be careful and patient. To avoid confusion, all parts are numbered or signed in another way. The glued cardboards are placed on the floor for a day and pressed down with a weight so that they do not warp.
Then proceed like this:
- Grooves for shelves are cut into the side walls of the future cabinet from the inside.
- Place the shelves inside, securely glue them with “Moment” or hot glue, and leave to dry for 24 hours.
- They connect the structure into one whole - glue the top and bottom, glue in the internal partitions, if any.
- After the structure has completely dried, all side sections are carefully sanded with sandpaper or carefully sealed with thin strips of paper.
Making a cabinet from corrugated cardboard
The next step is to decorate the cabinet. All surfaces are covered with craft paper or regular white paper, and then painted with acrylic paint.
There is another option for finishing the structure. It is coated with a wood primer, allowed to dry, and putty with an even, smooth texture (for example, finishing gypsum) is applied.
The dried layer of putty is sanded with fine sandpaper and painted over in any color. For example, the combination of beige and gold paint looks beautiful - they are alternated with chaotic strokes.
You can also paint all surfaces in one shade, and then go over some areas with a damp sponge dipped in a different paint, or treat only the corners and contours. Any decor and fittings are glued onto the finished cabinet.
How to make it yourself
As with any assembly, the master must have a standard supply of tools. Below we will consider the main nuances of making furniture from cardboard. Proper preparation is the key to success.
Cardboard is an environmentally friendly product and does not have a negative impact on human health.
Required materials and tools
The thicker the cardboard, the stronger the product will be. Equipment is often packaged in such material or heavy products in the form of canned food, etc. are transported in it. Therefore, it is worth looking in warehouses, stores and other facilities.
Cardboard varies in density and characteristics. Each type of material has its own purpose.
As for tools and additional items:
- How to understand whether cardboard is thick or not - light is always thinner. The darker the consumable, the denser it will be.
- Scotch tape, glue - using glue will be stronger, but tape will be needed for temporary fixation. What kind of glue - PVA, any construction glue, the main thing is that it is transparent, so it will be easier to hide imperfections and joints.
- Craft paper - used for fixing joints.
- Tracing paper is white paper, ideal for decoration or as a base.
- Wallpaper, fabric, self-adhesive - all this can be used for decoration.
- Pencil, tape measure.
- Knife – preferably a stationery knife.
- Sandpaper.
- Construction hairdryer - if glue will be used.
Designer cardboard can be of different shapes, sizes, and colors.
As practice has shown, in a home storage room, all this can be found without problems. You can make furniture from cardboard or store boxes yourself even with children.
Drawings and diagrams
The preparation process includes not only collecting everything necessary, but also cleaning the main material. The cardboard that citizens buy in stores or warehouses contains a huge amount of tape and glue. Many modules can be stored in damp conditions for months, so the selection of material must be done with particular care.
The process of preparing for work includes not only the selection of material, its cleaning and disassembly, but also the creation of drawings.
Once the cardboard has been cleaned and prepared, you can begin searching for the instructions you need. Below are the main options that you can use for home creativity.
First of all, you need to decide on the type of furniture and model. Then choose the most successful scheme.
Important! If you independently search for cardboard products online, you may come across counterfeits for dollhouses. To prevent this from happening, it is better to search on specialized sites and forums.
Forming parts
As long practice has shown, the formation of parts from which furniture is assembled occurs according to one system. First, paper patterns are made, then they are applied to the base, and then fastened together. Before assembly, the joints are treated with sandpaper. After this, the protruding corrugation is covered with tape, after which it is treated with glue and dried under a hairdryer.
At least three-ball raw materials should be selected. If this is not available, you can glue together several sheets of thin cardboard, which will increase its strength.
By the way! To make the cut and joint areas look attractive, you can seal them with furniture putty.
If a craftsman plans to make the most durable product possible by gluing together several layers, they need to be placed under a press. Then the plates will be neatly connected, and excess glue can be collected with a rag or sponge.
If necessary, stiffeners can be used to strengthen the structure.
Fastening the structure
Strengthening the structure is a rather complex process. If children's play furniture can do without this, then the crib and shelving will definitely have to be strengthened. The first thing that can be useful in home engineering is stiffeners. How to make them correctly can be found in the design diagrams above.
The finished product can be protected from moisture and its strength increased by applying parquet varnish to the surface
What other techniques may be needed:
- Parquet varnish – protects against high humidity.
- Symmetrical furniture - in this case, the very design feature gives stability. You can experiment with shapes, but then you will have to come up with options for strengthening yourself.
- Two-layer parts - everything should be clear here, the thicker the walls, the stronger the module.
Using the above recommendations, there will definitely be no problems with strength.
Grooves and stiffeners must be coated with glue, thereby extending the service life of the structure.
Assembly technology
For convenience, experts have identified several interesting methods that will be needed when assembling cardboard furniture.
For example:
- Layer-by-layer bonding of plates is a technology invented by Frank Gehry in 1970. By the way, several items from the collection are still bought in Europe, the average price is $400. The system is simple - a figure is invented, after which the parts are cut out according to the pattern, then the contours are connected. Examples of finished products can be found in the photo.
- Frame furniture is made from a large number of stiffening ribs. In fact, this technology looks like a structure made of many accordions.
- Frame furniture covered with paper is ideal for creating unusual shapes. First, the main frame is made from the ribs, after which the decorated part is assembled according to the pattern.
- Origami is one of the interesting methods that is distinguished by its creativity. By the way, the furniture turns out to be quite stable. The main thing is to find the right scheme and have good physical fitness.
Possible options can be used individually or combined.
The last method is to use phases or modules. Assembly is only suitable for professionals, because each part must be as smooth and accurate as possible.
Mobile rack
The procedure for making a rack is quite simple. If there are several identical boxes, the lids are carefully cut off from them.
Using tape and plastic clips, they make a lightweight storage system from the blocks: the boxes are placed on top of each other with their sides and connected into a single whole. This shelving unit is ideal for arranging a utility room or pantry; moreover, it can be expanded, reduced or disassembled without any problems.
How to care for such furniture
When the furniture is ready and is already in use by household members, the main question arises: “How to care for such a structure?” After all, standard wet cleaning will definitely not work here; cardboard quickly deteriorates, and in addition, it tends to become covered with mold and mildew. What not to do:
- You cannot leave it in a damp room or in the rain - the furniture is definitely not for balconies and cottages.
- You cannot jump, press, or increase the load.
Cardboard products can be useful and convenient, and add variety to everyday life.
What you can do:
- Cover with strengthening varnish.
- Wipe with a dry cloth and use a vacuum cleaner.
- Use fabric for decoration, the covers from which can be washed.
It is unlikely that such furniture will last long if it is used as standard. However, for a temporary option and decorating a studio, it is ideal.
The simplicity of the material allows you to realize any idea without much complexity and dilute the interior with unusual elements.
Shoe rack
To make a rack, several identical rectangles of cardboard are prepared, which are thickened with the help of snake strips. The thicker the future shelves are, the more reliable the entire structure will be.
The sides of the shelves are covered with thick paper, and round holes are cut out on four sides of each of them. Through them, using plastic pipes and glue, the entire structure is connected, turning it into a rack.
For decorative purposes, the shelves are pre-painted, varnished, glued with wallpaper, self-adhesive film, or the decoupage technique is applied to them. The pipes should also be painted in the chosen shade so that the product looks elegant and harmonious.
If desired, the shelves can be made curly, however, processing their edges will be quite difficult. Shelves and cabinets made of cardboard are an ideal solution for home and garden. Making them will not take much time or money, and the result will certainly please the most picky owner.
Basket for things
Instead of spending money on plastic baskets, you can use cardboard boxes to store clothes that need washing and dirty laundry. Choose the right size and take care of the appropriate decor.
Just remember to cover the inside of the box with moisture-proof material so that it lasts as long as possible.
Original lighting fixtures without extra expenses
If the lampshade of your lamp or floor lamp is broken, do not be upset, because it can be replaced with a cardboard one, which will look no worse. You can also build completely independent lamps from boxes by cutting holes in them and decorating them with suitable decor.
Drawer dividers
It’s not easy to find anything in drawers: chargers get confused with headphones, small parts roll into the very depths, and everything you need is the last thing to catch your eye. You can make convenient delimiters from a cardboard box, thanks to which all items will lie in their “compartments.”
House for a cat
Everyone knows that cats are crazy about cardboard boxes and are constantly trying to get into them. Delight your pet by building him a cozy house with pillows and soft walls, or a spacious open bed.
Wall decorations
This idea will appeal to fans of voluminous letters and cute inscriptions on the walls. You can make absolutely any inscriptions or images from unnecessary boxes and self-adhesive film.
There are a lot of options for beautiful and practical use of old cardboard boxes. You just need to show a little imagination and your interior will sparkle with new colors, and you, in turn, will get spacious and useful storage for a variety of things.
Sizing
The dimensions of toy furniture are determined in accordance with the size of the doll.
Depending on the gender of the toy, the length of the doll may vary:
- male dolls - 15 cm;
- female dolls - 14 cm;
- baby dolls - from 7.5 to 10 cm;
- baby - from 6.5 to 7.5 cm.
These are standard sizes, for which the cabinet height is at least 16.5 cm.
The world of dolls is quite wide. And these parameters are not constant. So, fashionista Barbie’s closet height is 30 cm.
The largest dolls are:
- Juan Antonio - 40-55 cm;
- Baby Annabell - 46 cm.
To make a wardrobe for such dolls, it is better to choose a box from under boots or household appliances.
Matchboxes
Empty matchboxes can make a nice chest of drawers.
Materials for work:
- 3 matchboxes;
- Double-sided tape;
- glue;
- colored double-sided half-cardboard;
- beads;
- white acrylic;
- brush;
- a simple pencil with a ruler;
- scissors .
First, connect the boxes with double-sided tape.
Then cut out four rectangles from colored paper. The size of the first two is 50x35 mm, the rest - 50x40 mm. Glue strips of double-sided tape along the edges.
Next, glue all the parts to the sides, bottom and surface of the future chest of drawers.
Paint the boxes with acrylic paints.
Decorate the drawer doors with colored half-cardboard. To begin, cut out rectangles measuring 3x1 cm. Then take smaller strips of rich pink color. The size of the strips is 2×0.5 cm.
Glue them to the doors one by one.
White beads will replace the handles.
From the remains of hot pink paper, make two rectangles (40x35 mm and 40x25 mm). One - to decorate the surface of the chest of drawers, the other - the side.
The chest of drawers is ready.
Making a doll closet with your own hands is not difficult. Having chosen one of the feasible methods, you can safely begin construction.
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