How to make a rack of cardboard do-it-yourself

Furniture made of cardboard is an original, affordable way to transform unnecessary material into an unusual, charming thing. Appearance it is almost no different from the furniture purchased in the store, but will cost much cheaper. In the presence of cardboard boxes, you have to buy only paint and glue. Observing certain rules for processing the material, cardboard interior will be very strong and do not bend under the load of objects.

Furniture made of cardboard is an original, affordable way to transform unnecessary material into an unusual, charming thing.

Pros of self-made cardboard shelves

• Elegant design - you design a thing with your own hands, relying on personal preferences.
• Practicality - it will be necessary to spend money only on the purchase of the necessary tools.
• At any time, cardboard furniture can be disassembled and re-folded, which is very convenient when moving or during repair.
• You do not have to spend time searching for a practical, attractive thing that is ideal for an interior.
• Cardboard furniture does not contain harmful, toxic and other hazardous substances.
• Durability - the life of the cardboard furniture will be long-term if it has not been exposed to moisture and has been properly processed when it is created.

Observing certain rules for processing the material, cardboard interior will be very strong and do not bend under the load of objects.

On the eve of the first steps of work, it is necessary to decide on the design and construction of the shelf made of cardboard, it can have a classic shape, be in the form of a rack or some shape (elephant, bear, other animals or images) - everything depends on your imagination and abilities. The simplest, accessible to each option is the classic or shelf-rack, because its creation requires a minimum of skills. More difficult to manufacture are unusual, curly shelves. They need a creative approach, in most cases - the ability to draw, require more time to create.

Elegant design - you design a thing with your own hands, relying on personal preferences.

Note! You should not use cardboard racks in places of high humidity (bathroom, street), because they quickly lose their original appearance, become unusable. It is also necessary to protect furniture from fire, it is very flammable.

Practicality - it will be necessary to spend money only on the purchase of the necessary tools.

Cardboard products are best attached to each other with special plastic clips, and not to glue them together. In this case, it is easily understood.

At any time, cardboard furniture can be disassembled and re-folded, which is very convenient when moving or during repair.

In order to increase strength, in a box of thick corrugated cardboard, insert a second, slightly smaller one.Then the structure will acquire sufficient rigidity, will be able to withstand serious loads.

You do not have to spend time searching for a practical, attractive thing that is ideal for an interior.

Useful recommendation: instead of paint, you can use wallpaper or fabric. Thus, your product will suit any unique interior or give it such appearance.

Cardboard furniture does not contain harmful, toxic and other hazardous substances.

Having shown your imagination, creativity in full, you will create a unique masterpiece of interior that your family and guests will admire.

The necessary materials and tools

1. Cardboard. It should be understood - the thicker the material, the stronger the furniture will be. There is an opinion that the dark color of the cardboard indicates its high density and vice versa - light cardboard is thinner. However, do not rush to get rid of thin material, it is useful for pasting joints. Either thin cardboard paste together, thus getting thick. If you use this method, glue the waves of each subsequent layer perpendicular to the previous one.
2. Scotch and glue. Any type of application is acceptable, but the best option would be Moment glue. Due to its properties, the cardboard does not get wet, all the necessary parts are quickly and securely fixed.
3. Kraft paper is used to strengthen the edges of the furniture, instead you can use thin cardboard.
4. White paper or tracing paper. Stick it over the entire surface for ease of decoration. Please note: before sticking tracing paper or kraft paper, it must be torn, not cut.
5. Materials for decorating the finished product - paint, wallpaper, fabric and everything else that your imagination wants.
6. Pencil, tape measure for measuring and tracing details.
7. Office knife or jigsaw. Follow the sharpness of the tool, it depends on the accuracy and quality of cutting. Replace fixture parts more often. Using the jigsaw, you can cut several layers of cardboard.
8. Sandpaper is useful for sanding cuts.
9. To dry the glue faster, use a simple or construction dryer.

Durability - the life of the cardboard furniture will be long-term if it has not been exposed to moisture and has been properly processed when it is created.

Cardboard Shelving Guide

Idea number one. Shoe rack

1. You will need sheets of cardboard measuring 21 × 24 cm. Distribute them into 3 identical strips.
2. With the help of a blunt knife, you need to carefully push the strip so that they bend. Then you can glue the long sides of the sheet with colored tape. Next, from the sheets make triangular oblong shapes, fix them with duct tape.
3. So make the number of triangles you need. To fix such shelves, you need to glue the resulting triangles with double-sided tape or glue to whole sheets of cardboard. The required number of rows and sections you choose at your discretion.
4. Instead of triangular sections, you can create oval, connecting them also together. Calculate the required diameter for your shoes and glue the rectangular strips of cardboard so that they form an ellipse.

On the eve of the first steps of work, it is necessary to decide on the design and construction of the shelf made of cardboard, it may have a classic shape, be in the form of a rack or some shape.

The size of the desired shelf, the number of materials depends on personal wishes.

Idea number 2. Suspended shoe shelf

1. You will need several large cardboard sheets. Relying on the size of your shoes, cut the cardboard into identical rectangles and cut them.
2. Each of the rectangles is divided into three parts, bend. The two sides bend obliquely and connect with each other so that the pocket is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.
3. The bottom of each pocket must be attached with glue or double-sided tape to the top of the previous one from the inside, leaving space for shoes.
4. Such a shelf can be fixed on the door itself or on the wall beside it - in any case, such an original solution takes up little space.

The simplest, accessible to each option is the classic or shelf-rack, because its creation requires a minimum of skills.

Idea number 3. Bookshelf

1. The size of the desired shelf, the number of materials depends on personal wishes. The best option is a five-section rack with a height of 110 centimeters on the side of three sections and a height of 69 centimeters with two sections. Each section will be square, the size of the sides - 30 centimeters.
2. For each part, you need two blanks that need to be glued together. In total, you should have 4 with three, 8 with two, 2 parts with one section.
3. All drawings produce a ruler, cut the parts with a knife and a dense ruler. If you cut on the floor or on the table, first protect the surface from the appearance of cuts.
4. Before starting the assembly, create additional stiffening ribs for the structure; they will create additional volume and strength to the walls. To do this, make a strip of cardboard with a width of about 4 centimeters, glue them sideways in a wave-like manner around the perimeter of one part of the part, then attach the second part.
5. Next, for a good fixation of the workpiece must be sent under the press. As a press, you can use piles of heavy books or a stool.
6. After carefully gluing the parts, you can proceed to the assembly of the shelf, to do this, connect all the parts to one another in the cut-out places, linking them together. Then level the surface with a putty, add evenness to the corners and hide all other defects. For complete drying of the shelves will need a day. This will allow you to get a perfectly smooth surface for easier decoration.
7. Arrange the finished shelving at its discretion.

More difficult to manufacture are unusual, curly shelves.

Sandpaper is useful for sanding cuts.

The final stage - decorating

It is possible to decorate cardboard products with your own hands from any materials, everything depends on your wishes and fantasies - there are many options. The most simple - wallpaper, film, paint.

Old pieces of wallpaper paste over the entire surface of the product, or just the inside, and outside paint it in your favorite color. You can completely paint the shelves, and with the help of stencils or create your own unique patterns or designs.

The easiest way is to use a self-adhesive film. It has an attractive appearance, quickly and securely glued to the surface, unlike wallpaper, it can be washed. If there are defects on the film or you want to change the design, it is enough to purchase and paste another one.

More difficult to manufacture are unusual, curly shelves.

Master class: decorating products using the pages of glossy magazines

You will need:

• any base paper, newspapers;
• glossy magazines;
• universal or white glue;
• acrylic lacquer.

It is also necessary to protect furniture from fire, it is very flammable.

Pencil, tape measure for measuring and tracing details.

Magazine pages cut into strips of 1-2 centimeters in width, twist the tubes with a thin pencil or knitting needles. On the paper, taken as a basis, paste in a row the resulting glossy straws. Then cut the sheet of tubing into a suitable width corresponding to the place of decoration and put it on the glue. When the surface dries well, cover it with acrylic varnish.

The process is very long and tedious, but the effect is amazing.

Cardboard products are best attached to each other with special plastic clips, and not to glue them together.

Master class: surface decoupage

You will need:

• napkins with pictures;
• acrylic paints, acrylic varnish and brushes;
• scissors;
• iron.

In order to increase strength, in a box of thick corrugated cardboard, insert a second, slightly smaller one.

Materials for decorating the finished product - paint, wallpaper, fabric and everything else that your imagination wants.

Cover the surface of the rack with several layers of paint, each layer should dry, then apply another. The very last layer does not dry completely, it should remain sticky. With a napkin, remove the top layer, walk on it with an iron and place on the surface of the product. On top of a napkin, place a clean sheet of paper and iron, heated at low power, iron.

Instead of paint, you can use wallpaper or fabric.

The napkin should stick completely to the surface, if not, add a little paint with a brush under it, let it dry. Do not rush to proceed to the next step, decoupage must dry out carefully, otherwise the figure is deformed.

It should be understood - the thicker the material, the stronger the furniture will be.

Please note: before sticking tracing paper or kraft paper, it must be torn, not cut.

When the surface is completely dry, coat it with acrylic varnish.

However, do not rush to get rid of thin material, it is useful for pasting joints.

Having shown your imagination, creativity in full, you will create a unique masterpiece of interior that your family and guests will admire. Do not be afraid to experiment, keep up with the times, because the furniture made of cardboard is not only affordable, but also the original version to create a cozy and unique atmosphere.

Any type of application is acceptable, but the best option would be Moment glue.

Kraft paper is used to strengthen the edges of the furniture, instead you can use thin cardboard.

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