Nurturing creativity in children is the key to their all-round development. Creating various products with your own hands shapes your thinking and helps you study different textures materials, colors, shades. The little man learns to work with glue and scissors. Paints, pencils and felt-tip pens enable children to express themselves creatively. Children as young as 3 years old can make crafts from cardboard.

This type of crafts is very popular in children's preschool institutions due to the availability of material, durability of products, ease of creating creative works.

Until recently, making cardboard toys was considered the prerogative of children. Nowadays, DIY cardboard crafts have become a favorite pastime for many adults. Cardboard is used to make postcards, panels, packaging boxes and even furniture and much more.

Beautiful elegant boxes, houses for dolls and babies, frames for paintings and photographs - many of these works will decorate the interior and add originality to the design.

For creativity you need to prepare the following materials:

  • Cardboard: technical, corrugated or ready-made colored.
  • Scissors (for babies with rounded ends so that children do not get injured).
  • Stationery knife. Be sure to check the knife lock so that the blade does not come off during operation and injure the child.
  • PVA glue, glue gun, as well as narrow and wide tape.
  • Stationery: markers, felt-tip pens, pencils, colored paper, stapler, clamps.
  • The following are also used to decorate cardboard products: colored ribbons, beads, and decorative cords.
  • A ruler and compass will definitely come in handy.
  • Templates, layouts.

First works

Cardboard crafts for children are quite diverse. They will interest both boys and girls. At first, the help of adults is especially necessary for the little ones. Cutting out of cardboard is quite difficult for kids, so the help of adults is invaluable. The very first job that a baby can easily do with the help of adults is an airplane.

To create it you will need a roll of toilet paper, if it is not there, then you can glue it yourself. Also prepare a stationery knife or scissors, brads, a sheet of cardboard, preferably corrugated, an awl and paint.

Children under 5 years old are not entirely confident in using scissors and a stationery knife, so an adult should take on the job of cutting out the elements of the craft. Let's consider step by step production airplane.

Step one.

Draw the elements of the toy yourself or find samples on the Internet and print them.

Step two.

Make symmetrical holes in the roll for the wings and tail. Using an awl, carefully make holes in the middle of the circle and the future airplane propeller.

Step three.

Help your child assemble the parts correctly. Connect the propeller and the circle with brads. Leave a small gap between these parts. Insert the resulting workpiece into the sleeve. The airplane is ready.

The kid can paint the plane with paints or stick colorful pictures. The resulting toy will bring a lot of joy to your child. The child will be proud of a handmade craft.

Together with your children you can make toys with moving parts. The little one will be delighted that he made a bear and it moves its paws.

This teddy bear is made very quickly. You need to copy the details of the bear onto cardboard. Cardboard can be pre-painted. You can find a diagram of the teddy bear on the Internet or draw it yourself.

All received elements, except the upper legs, are cut and glued. In order for the teddy bear to move its upper paws, these parts must be connected to the body with buttons on the front and wrong side. We connect the resulting structure with a stick.

The teddy bear can be painted with paints or the surface can be smeared with glue and covered with cereal. Pieces of fabric are suitable for decoration.

Cardboard houses

A special place in making DIY cardboard crafts for children is occupied by the creation of houses, castles, and towers. Every child needs a place that he considers only his own, so that he can retire there and play without the constant supervision of adults. This desire of the baby intersects with the desire to imitate adults, to try on adult life.

To make a house, prepare packaging boxes for equipment: TV, computer, refrigerator. To add personality and color to your craft, use colored paper, markers, and paints. Discuss with your child appearance house. Look for ready-made diagrams on the Internet.

So you have:

  • several cardboard boxes in which household appliances were packaged;
  • house diagram (ready-made from the Internet or created independently);
  • a stationery knife, as well as scissors for cutting out parts;
  • tape, glue and glue gun for fastening structural elements;
  • felt-tip pens, paints, pencils and markers.

You need to transfer the house template onto cardboard, cut it out and glue it together. The house can be made into one room, or you can build a real castle.

When manufacturing, consider the following:

  • To prevent the baby from feeling cramped, the door should not open inward.
  • For greater structural stability, use cardboard pipes. These are available in stores or you can make them yourself.
  • Do not let your child cut out the details. Technical cardboard is a very dense material, and to cut out a part according to a template, you need to apply force that kids don’t have. Trying to help, the restless person may not be able to hold the knife in his hands and get hurt.

After the house is assembled, decorate your craft together with your baby. From the box you can also make a ship for your child, doll houses for your daughter, or a real kitchen, like your mother’s.

By imitating adults in play, children undergo socialization in society and try on the role of mom and dad. For girls, from several boxes you can glue together a multi-story house where dolls will live.

Below is a master class on how to create dollhouse with your own hands will step by step provide the basis for such crafts.

To make such a craft, you do not need large financial expenses and a lot of time.

Prepare:

  • a cardboard box that can hold 2-3 floors for dolls;
  • multi-colored tape;
  • stationery knife;
  • white paint for windows;
  • pieces of fabric, wallpaper, as well as felt-tip pens and paints for decorating crafts.

Step-by-step instructions for creating a house.

Step one.

Cut the box into two halves along the tape line. The top flaps of the box must be cut off.

Step two.

We use two cut pieces to create the second floor and the triangular pediment of the attic. We attach the received parts with tape.

Step three.

From the second half of the box we cut out the roof, stairs and another floor.

Step four.

Cut out windows and doors according to the markings. Glue the stairs to move to the next floor.

Step five.

Use white paint to paint the windows and steps on the stairs. You can make furniture for dolls from leftover cardboard.

Such a house can be covered with colored paper, pieces of wallpaper or painted, built up or expanded to the side.

Types of crafts

There are crafts made from colored cardboard, which are often used in children's creativity. In preschool institutions, children learn to create postcards, appliqués, and various gift boxes, as well as boxes for storing small items, such as jewelry or small cars.

When doing creative crafts with children, they often combine several types of materials. An interesting result is obtained when, together with corrugated paper plain cardboard and colored paper are used. Such products from corrugated cardboard, like postcards made using the quilling technique.

  • Application.
  • Finger puppets. Cut out the figure and make two round holes for the fingers at the bottom of the craft. In this way you can assemble your child's first puppet theater.
  • Crafts made from corrugated cardboard: postcards, panels, toys. Usually for postcards and panels are chosen floral motifs. The quilling technique is more difficult to learn. Work in this technique requires more perseverance, scrupulousness, and accuracy. Children's crafts using the quilling technique are available to children from 5 years old.
  • Boxes different forms and types. Can be round, square or triangular shape. Colored ribbons, beads, and embroidery are used for decoration.

To create a round box you will need:

  • corrugated cardboard;
  • glue;
  • scissors;
  • ruler;
  • round shape;
  • materials for decoration: beads, flowers using quilling technique.

Step one.

Cut a strip from cardboard. The width of the first stripe will determine the height of your piece. Wrap the strip on a flat shape with a round base, for example, a glass; a roll of tape will also work. Cut off the excess strip. Secure the ends of the strip wrapped around the mold with glue.

Step two.

Carefully cut out the second strip, which will become the side of the lid. Wrap it over the first strip and secure the ends with glue. After the glue has dried, remove the blanks.

Step three.

Apply glue to one of the edges of the workpieces. Place the greased edge against the cardboard. Press firmly. When the glue dries, cut off any excess with a utility knife.

Quick navigation through the article

Cardboard is easy to bend, cut, paint, glue, stitch and hold its shape, and it is always available. What you need for children's creativity, development fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, logical thinking and imagination! In this material we presented 13 super ideas, 100 photos, 1 step-by-step master class and a selection of video tutorials on making cardboard crafts with your own hands.

Where can I get cardboard?

To make children's crafts, in addition to sheet colored or corrugated cardboard from the store, you can use the following scrap and scrap materials:

  • Cardboard boxes (you can ask the warehouse workers at your nearest store);
  • Disposable paper tableware;
  • Rolls for toilet paper and paper towels;
  • Packaging of cereals and sweets, such as corn flakes;
  • Egg packaging (it’s good to use cells);
  • Packaging of dairy products.

13 ideas for cardboard crafts + Master class

Idea 1. Construction toys

The good thing about cardboard “constructors” is that they are easy to make and decorate, fun to assemble and, of course, play with. You can come up with and design such a toy yourself, or you can make it with the help of ready-made scheme from our article or found on the Internet.


Click on the photo to download the templates for these figures

Click on the photo to download the templates for these figures

Idea 3. Puppets or just dolls with moving parts

Making a puppet out of cardboard is very easy and at the same time interesting. You just need to draw the details of the man, cut them out and fasten them with mini pins (sold in scrapbooking stores).

  • Instead of special fasteners, you can use thin wire (for example, for beading). Simply cut a piece of wire 2 cm long, thread it through the holes of the parts and twist its ends on the front and back sides as shown in the photo on the right. You can also use metal rings as fasteners.

If you want the figurine to become a real puppet, then you can:

  • Connect the arms and legs with a single thread, as shown in the photo below, or with two threads (one thread connects the legs and the other - the arms).

  • Tie a rope to each arm and leg, then tie all 4 ropes to the ends of sticks folded crosswise. An example of such a puppet is shown in the following photo.

Idea 4. Finger puppets

Finger puppets are made even easier and faster: a small figurine is drawn, then two holes are cut out in its lower part. Woo-ala, the first “actor” for puppet theater ready! In the following selection of photos you can get some ideas for finger puppets.

Idea 5. Land, air, water and space transport

A car, plane, bus, ship, boat or rocket made from cardboard is no worse than one bought in a store. After all, making such a toy with your own hands together with your parents already seems like a fun adventure. And when you get tired of the cardboard vehicle, you can use it to make other toys and crafts.

Idea 6. Mini kitchen

If you have a couple of boxes square shape, then why don’t you make a mini-stove and sink out of them?

You can make a refrigerator from one elongated rectangular box.

If there is enough space in the room, a washing machine can complement the kitchen.

For a master class on how to make a cardboard craft in the form of kitchen furniture, watch the following video.

Idea 7. Toy equipment and household items

Do you need props for role-playing games or things to decorate a cardboard house? We suggest making them from cardboard with your own hands.

Idea 8. Masquerade costumes

IN kindergarten Or is there a matinee or performance coming up at school? Or does your baby just love transformation? You can make an amazing outfit from cardboard. Here are photo examples fancy dress made of cardboard for boys.

And here are photo examples of cardboard costumes for girls.

Idea 9. Bookmarks

To make bookmarks, it is better to use not too thick colored cardboard, and in order for the craft to last as long as possible, it should be laminated with transparent tape.

Idea 10. Aquarium with fish

Cut off the lids of the cardboard box and paint its inside in blue tones; if desired, decorate the aquarium with applications made of plasticine, glitter, colored paper, etc. Cut 3-5 holes along the top of the box and pass a thread through each hole. Next, cut out 3-5 fish from colored paper. Attach a large button (from the outside of the aquarium) and a fish to each thread. That's all, the aquarium is ready.

Idea 11. Town in a box

You just need to trim the sides of the box and paint them on the inside and... voila! You get a city with roads, with which the child will play for hours, moving cars and figures of men.

Idea 12. Three-dimensional toys made of corrugated cardboard using the quilling technique

Volumetric crafts can be “twisted” using the quilling technique from corrugated cardboard. Having mastered the skill of forming various figures, the child will be able to experiment with shapes and colors and even create figures of their favorite cartoon characters.

Materials and tools:

  • Carton;
  • Tracing paper or white tissue paper;
  • Black cardboard (you can paint regular cardboard with a thick layer of black paint);
  • White pencil;
  • Wooden skewers, straws or wire;
  • Scotch tape and/or glue;
  • Scissors;
  • Stationery knife.

Step 1. First we need to make the theater body. To do this, cut off the lids from the box, and then cut out its bottom.

Step 2. Cut a piece of tracing paper larger than the box size. Carefully glue it to the sides of the theater with slight tension, as shown in the photo.

Step 4. Now it’s time to cut out the characters for the future play from black cardboard. Keep in mind that the more detailed the silhouette of the figure, the more realistic the shadow theater will be. Therefore, it is best to draw figures using templates found on the Internet and printed.

Step 5. The shadow theater is almost ready, all that remains is to glue the figures to wooden skewers or wires. You can glue them as shown in the photo below or perpendicularly to make it easier to control the characters.

Despite the fact that the majority computer programs, which are performed in 3D modeling, allow you to quite realistically imagine the appearance of your future home; prototyping houses made of paper is still relevant. After all, not everyone knows these programs. And ordering such a computer model from an experienced engineer or designer is expensive. In this case, mastering simple techniques for modeling houses made of paper and cardboard is much faster.

And if you have children from 2 to 10 years old, then this work for them can turn into a most exciting activity. Moreover, the educational and developmental effect of this type of activity is difficult to overestimate. This includes accuracy, motor skills, skills in working with tools and, of course, the development of spatial thinking.

Simple layouts of paper houses and patterns for gluing

Making a house model with your own hands is not difficult. The simplest layouts paper houses The easiest way is to make it from the so-called. developments, when all their elements are connected to each other by fold lines and represent a solid element in the form of a diagram.

Also, the development, in addition to the walls, floor and roof, has additional bends for gluing. You can find links to such scans on the Internet. It is enough to print them on a printer or, by measuring the aspect ratio, draw them on sheets of paper or cardboard and obtain a scan diagram for modeling.

You can transfer the resulting scan to colored paper.

Using a needle or awl, you can transfer key points of various elements onto it: windows, doors, places for attaching additional architectural elements, etc. You need to cut them out immediately using a stationery knife, placing a piece of thick cardboard or plywood under the sheet with a scan.

Separately, overlay elements are made: window frames, shutters, doors, etc., which you glue onto the finished layout last.

The easiest way to make an even bend along the lines is to apply a ruler with a sharp edge to it. By repeating this procedure at all bend points, you will get a development ready for gluing.

You can also make a development by making each structural element separately and connecting them together at the bend points from the inside with tape. This method is especially interesting when you are making a house model from thick, hard cardboard.

You can glue the layout using quick-setting adhesives such as PVA, stationery silicate, glue stick, etc. You can also make it using double-sided tape, sold in hardware stores.

We offer a video to help:

Making a layout for a house model with your own hands

Process self-made development is no less exciting than working with ready-made samples. To do this, you will need almost any program for working with graphic images installed on your computer. CorelDraw or something similar that processes vector images is best. In it, with an increase or decrease in the image size, both the thickness of the lines and the loaded textures change in the same ratio. This allows you to obtain more realistic images. And the library of textures built into its shell is impressive. At the same time, by filling the sweep element with texture, you can get the finished appearance of the main layout elements.

The entire process, including filling parts of the scan with the selected texture, applying visual effects and architectural elements, and inserting images from the symbol library, takes from 10 minutes to half an hour if the house is not very complex. Print the scan on a color printer and start prototyping.

For testing, you can use this one we made by copying the image to your computer and enlarging it to the required size.

Making complex designs from paper

The process of manufacturing complex multi-component house models is not much different from that described above. It’s just that similar sweeps are performed for individual elements of composite layouts. A group photo of the assembly of such a layout shows its individual elements and assembly order.

Having mastered the simple technique of making simple houses out of paper, you can create entire paper towns with landscape design elements, plants, car models and small architectural forms.

Paper building models round shape The easiest way to do this is to apply the formula for determining the circumference of a circle (2πr) to their calculation, adding to it a strip for gluing.

You can also add realism to your layout by simply lighting the house from the inside.

To do this, you can mark the connection points for the LEDs and the battery on the scanner, and then install them during the process of gluing the layout.

Such a house can also serve as a night lamp, but in this case it is better to use a switching power supply connected to the mains.

The charger is suitable for mobile phone. You can also use inexpensive Christmas tree garland:

Simple house layouts without development

These are, first of all, houses assembled with your own hands from paper cylinders. The same layouts are great for various small architectural forms on prefabricated layouts with landscapes.

But also, using a similar technique, you can create a realistic model that imitates a log house so dear to the heart of any Russian.

To do this, you need to take longer pieces of paper to make the tubes, so that after folding, its turns resemble the annual rings of a tree cut.

And the junctions of the crowns can be modeled by pressing the ends of the tubes with a solid round object of suitable diameter.

It is easy to assemble a paper frame from such elements. And display the intermediate crowns along the facades, and for a sample you can take a photograph of any real log house.

It is better to make roof coverings for model houses separately, in the form of paper slate sheets, tile flakes or honeycombs of bitumen shingles.

Dear readers, if you have any questions, please ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)

The layout of a house and its architectural model - how do they differ? The first can be made from available materials: paper, cardboard or wood. It does not necessarily have to repeat the shape of a particular structure. The architecture of the building can be anything, as long as the result of your creativity pleases both you and those around you.

An architectural model is an exact copy of a building with a repetition of all the main and minor features. It is built from expensive materials and can take months of hard work to complete. Therefore, we suggest first building a model of a house from scrap materials. Don't know how? In this article you will find recommendations and detailed instructions on how to make a cardboard and wood model.

Miniature paper house

The model of a paper house, the diagram of which is attached in this article, is a simple construction, although the work on its creation can be an interesting creative process that requires attention and perseverance. You will need thick paper; newspaper or packaging paper will not work.

It is better to take a standard sheet of 29x21 cm. If the contours of your future home do not fit into the size of the sheet, you can glue two together using the “joint to joint” method, overlaying a strip 2 centimeters wide. After the workpiece the right size received, you need to make markings. We propose to build a model of a paper house, which will be rectangular in plan, two-story, with three doors, windows and

Drawing

First of all, we recommend copying our diagram, which you see in the photo, in order to indicate the dimensions of the future building. Then you need to decide what the length and width of the layout will be. Write these numbers on the diagram. Next, determine the height of the first and second floors, as well as the roof. Now you can transfer the resulting drawing to the base sheet using a ruler and pencil, measuring all the parameters of the future house. The next step is to draw windows and doors. Their location can be changed as desired, depending on your taste. A paper house model allows you to make design changes at any stage of construction.

Layout assembly

At the next stage, you need to draw all the “wings” that you see in the diagram. They will act as mounting brackets when assembling the layout, supporting the roof and connecting the walls. Next comes the most important part of the work, which requires accuracy and attention. Follow all the lines of the drawing ballpoint pen along the line and with pressure. This is done so that you can bend the paper in the right place.

A paper house layout requires precise fold lines. After all the boundaries have been drawn, you can cut out windows and doors, as well as “wings” with scissors. The next important point: it is necessary to correctly bend the entire structure and glue it in the right places. For this we recommend PVA glue. When the model is dry, you can start painting.

Cardboard house model

Such buildings are made not only from paper. You can also make a model of a house with your own hands from cardboard, a material strong enough to make the building look “real”, with opening doors, windows, floors and ceilings, interior decoration and even inhabitants sitting inside on miniature sofas and chairs.

It all depends on how interested the “builder” is in the final result. He can build any model of a house with his own hands. However, its implementation is complex creative process, requiring accuracy and perseverance. You will need the usual tools: scissors, a retractable stationery knife, an awl, a ruler (preferably metal) and PVA glue.

Corrugation as the main material

It is better to take two types of cardboard for making a model: smooth and three-layer corrugated. The second one will go to the floor and ceiling, and the first one will go to making a corner for the connection individual parts structures, small details of external and internal design. A cardboard house model needs a base. This can be a plate glued together from two layers of corrugation or cut from plywood. The base or base of the layout is drawn out according to the dimensions of the future house and can be filled with decorative miniature flower beds, garden vases, and benches.

Next, you need to draw a diagram of the location of the walls, porch and extensions on the base. After this, you can begin making the main parts: walls with cut out door and window openings, the ceiling and floor of the second floor (if To assemble the structure you need to prepare corners from thin smooth cardboard. The longer the corner, the stronger the connection. Optimally, its length should not be less than 70% of the connection length. The width of the cardboard corner is 1.5-2.0 cm.

Wooden house model

A do-it-yourself house model from wood can only be made with the participation of adults, since the work involves woodworking machines for home use. They are quite dangerous if there are no working skills. Hand tools for woodworking also require caution when working with them. The blades of knives, planes, files and gravers have sharply sharpened cutting edges.

Blanks

Do-it-yourself models of wooden houses require care during the work process. Creating them is an exciting creative activity, during which the master can show quick wits and ingenuity. First you need to make a drawing of the future house. Then make a base for the layout. After this, you can start creating parts.

It is better to make walls and floors from thin planks 1.5-2.0 centimeters wide and 5.0-7.0 mm thick. The workpieces are placed on a flat surface close to each other and fastened with the same slats, which are applied perpendicularly from above and pressed with some kind of weight. All parts are pre-coated with PVA glue. After the manufactured block has dried, it can be adjusted according to the drawing and joined to other parts.

Finishing

The assembled model must be sanded and polished. This is done manually using glass sandpaper grade 25-N on a fabric base. Then the surfaces are sanded clean with 8-N sandpaper until completely smooth. After processing, the layout can be painted, doors installed, windows inserted and finishing work carried out.

A home model created with your own hands usually has a removable roof. This is necessary to ensure free access to the interior, since toy furniture and other interior decorations will have to be installed in a miniature building. The surface of the walls is covered with “wallpaper,” i.e., painted strips of paper. The floor needs to be painted brown or cover it with linoleum - it can be made from oilcloth.

To creatively decorate your apartment, as well as add personality to it, you can make furniture from cardboard with your own hands; the patterns and diagrams are so simple that even a beginner can make the products. A variety of options will allow you to choose the right piece of furniture and make it, involving all family members in the process.

At first glance, you might think that cardboard is a fragile material that requires special handling. On the one hand, this is correct, on the other hand, having chosen the desired type of cardboard, you don’t have to worry about its further use. Cardboard furniture will be durable and practical if you follow the sequence of work and recommendations for using tools.

To choose an option for making a furniture product yourself, you need to consider several proposals:

  1. Toy furniture made of cardboard - it is profitable and creative to make your own furniture for dolls. If children require the purchase of a new house for Barbie with all the accompanying accessories, the solution would be to produce this option with your own hands;
  2. Bookshelves are considered one of the most simple products from cardboard. They don’t take much time to make, and the books don’t put much stress on the cardboard;
  3. The original table will not be a dining table on which dishes are constantly located, but a small coffee or coffee table. A child can perform developmental tasks on such a piece of furniture, because it is designed for a light load;
  4. Chest of drawers - this type of furniture is convenient for storing documents or papers; children’s accessories will also fit here. It is easier to make a chest of drawers from cardboard boxes from large appliances, such as a refrigerator;
  5. Shoe rack - an original shoe stand in the form of triangular cells will fit comfortably into any hallway. Entering the room, all guests will be surprised how convenient and practical the rack turned out to be;
  6. A small chair for children - since cardboard is not intended for heavy loads, furniture for children is what you need. A small chair for your baby will become his favorite object, where he can draw or play.

As you can see, furniture made of cardboard is easy to make. To make it you need the simplest material and a minimum of tools.

Shoe rack

Toy

Required materials and tools

Regardless of what type of furniture is chosen for self-production, the list of materials will remain the same. This necessarily includes the main raw material - cardboard.

To make the products durable, you should give preference to three-layer cardboard. The quality of the material can be checked by cutting.

If you purchased a single-layer analogue in advance, do not be upset. This option works well for making a dollhouse and furniture for dolls. If you use it to work on real furniture, you need to glue several layers of cardboard to give it greater strength.

List of materials and tools for work:

  • Scotch tape - it is better to buy paper, regular and double-sided;
  • Stationery or sharp construction knife;
  • Scissors;
  • Tape measure and long ruler;
  • Pencil and rubber band;
  • Sandpaper – for cleaning cuts;
  • Kraft paper;
  • Glue – depending on the type of cardboard, you may need PVA, hot melt glue or Moment.

If all the listed materials and devices are prepared, you should proceed to the manufacture of the selected furniture. Experienced cardboard craftsmen recommend that beginners choose simple work to start with, for example, shelves or a table.

In order for furniture made with your own hands at home to turn out not only beautiful, but durable, a number of rules must be followed. They will help you make high-quality products that will appeal to all household members:

  1. Gluing layers – when working with single-layer cardboard or to strengthen furniture, it is necessary to glue the material. When gluing cardboard together, try to place the layers perpendicular to each other - this is how they give increased rigidity;
  2. Choice of glue - people who have already made furniture from this material recommend using Moment glue. It does not get wet after application and instantly holds product parts together. You can also purchase a glue gun and thermal sticks, which melt when heated, creating a glue trail;
  3. Why do you need kraft paper? Kraft paper is used to cover the edges and joints of furniture. With this move, the furniture looks neater. Before gluing, the joints are cleaned with sandpaper. You need to remember that the paper cannot be cut - it must be torn with your hands. This way the layers will become smooth, without transitions;
  4. Features of cutting - during the manufacture of cardboard furniture, special attention is paid to cutting the material. Usually a stationery knife is used - it is important that it is always sharp, because the accuracy of the parts depends on it. If thick cardboard is difficult to cut, you can use a jigsaw.

Using a jigsaw, the work goes much faster. It is important to carefully cut the parts and avoid mistakes, because the tool is too powerful for cardboard.

Cut cardboard with a knife

Select the type of cardboard you need

Use kraft paper

Choose your glue carefully

Step by step instructions

To ensure that production goes quickly and without problems, there is step by step instructions, master class of cardboard furniture consists of step-by-step description every action. It begins with the creation of a drawing, followed by the formation of parts and their strengthening. The final stage is the assembly of furniture. Each of the stages must be considered separately.

Create a drawing

The first thing you need to do is make a drawing of the furniture. To begin with, draw it on a regular A4 sheet so that you can see a smaller version. In such a sketch, it is important to write down all the dimensions and respect the scaling. If you have the skill to work in special programs that allow you to develop product models, you should use them.

The first drawing must show the product in a general three-dimensional form. Next, you need to draw a projection of the furniture with a top, side, and rear view separately. The next step is to depict the details of the product: each detail must be drawn separately.

When the drawing is ready, it must be transferred to sheets of cardboard:

  • Using a tape measure and a long ruler, draw on the surface of the raw material with a pencil, measuring the required dimensions;
  • For work, you may need a square so that the corners of the future furniture are even in the drawing;
  • When drawing on thin cardboard, try not to leave scratches with a pencil, and when making furniture from corrugated cardboard, draw clear and deep lines;
  • It is necessary to cut out parts in compliance with all indentations and possible distance margins.

You can use ready-made patterns or come up with your own product that meets specific sizes and preferences.

Forming parts

It is worth noting that when cutting out parts there should be no visible bends. If the work is done on a box of household appliances, it is better to cut on smooth edges. From six-layer cardboard you can make your own furniture of increased strength, for example, a shelf for shoes or books.

The details of the product are formed using a sharp stationery knife. Craftsmen advise using a construction knife if you plan to work with multi-layered raw materials. As the knife becomes dull, its blade is replaced. A dull knife will not be able to cut the required part smoothly and along the contour - you will have to redo the pattern.

Depending on the type of furniture assembly, parts may be:

  • Plug-in;
  • Glued;
  • Stackable.

The latter option involves gradually increasing the cardboard to achieve optimal thickness. This move will further strengthen the model, preventing it from sagging under loads. It is beneficial to use cardboard sleeves in the design - special tubes with a high density. They are suitable for the production of furniture legs, as well as for assembling structures in an original style. For example, a chair made of cardboard tubes looks creative and can support a person’s weight.

Plug-in

Glued

Building up

Strengthening structures

Each part must be processed after cutting with a knife. This happens in the following way:

  1. Cleaning up. The cut edges of the module must be sanded. This technique will give them smoothness and prepare them for further processing;
  2. Pasting. Kraft paper is used for this. It must be torn by hand, and then carefully glued over the edges using PVA glue. You can apply paper to the entire surface, which creates additional reinforcement.

Furniture assembled using grooves will be durable and reliable. In the photo below you can see the principle of making such furniture: during the cutting process, oblong holes are additionally outlined, which are subsequently cut out. An additional structure is inserted into the grooves, which fastens the frame on both sides. Thanks to this, the furniture becomes stronger.

Stiffening ribs are often used, which additionally secure the base of the furniture. Using them, you can independently strengthen a cardboard tabletop, a shoe rack, or a bookcase. The stiffening ribs and grooves must be coated with glue. By strengthening the structure, you won’t have to worry about the durability of the furniture in the future.

Sand the surface

Cover the surface with kraft paper

Build process

All prepared parts are glued together using a glue gun or Moment glue. If assembly is carried out using grooves, they are also glued for strength. It is recommended to repair all unevenness on the surface of thick cardboard using putty - it will not leave marks, and the excess will be hidden under the finish.

Parts that require gluing in layers must be placed under a press. Books or other heavy objects are good for this. After gluing, they are left for several hours, or better yet, for the whole day, until completely dry. All resulting ribs must be masked using craft paper. Carefully paste over the resulting corners to give them roundness. Next up is the small matter - decoration. There are several options:

  • Decoupage - pasting with napkins;
  • Painting with acrylic composition;
  • Wallpapering;
  • Using self-adhesive film;
  • Decorating with mixtures.

Finished furniture can be used for its intended purpose within a day after production. Anyone can make furniture from cardboard with their own hands; how to find patterns and diagrams will be discussed below.

Apply glue to the coating

Pressing the elements

We putty cracks