Description
This carved side table may look like wood, but it’s actually made from an empty vacuum cleaner box! I transformed basic cardboard into a beautiful, zero-cost piece of furniture. This isn’t just a decorative table, but also sturdy enough to hold items as heavy as 20 lbs (9kg).
Project Snapshot
- Level Of Difficulty carving : advanced
2. Timeframe: Multiple sessions since quite ellaborate project
3. Cost : 0 Dollars
4. Dimensions : 16.5″ tall and 16″ wide Tabletop.
Materials List
- Cardboard
- X-Acto knife (craft knife)
- Paints
- Pencil
- Rular
- Carbon Paer
- Tracing Paper
- Design
- Acrylic paints
- Paper napkins
- School Glue/Glue All
Table Dimensions: 16.5″H by 16″Table
Video Tutorial
For more clarity, I recommend watching the video along with the step-by-step instructions. I’ve added timestamps for your convenience.
Step by Step Instructions
- First, I opened the vacuum cleaner box and marked 16″ × 7″ rectangles in a row. I needed six rectangles in total. I was able to get four rectangles from one whole sheet of cardboard in a row. and I cut the remaining two from the same cardboard box.
2. Next, I scored on the lines between the 16″ by 7″ rectangles. and folded on the scored line.
3. Next, I measured 2″ from one end of the rectangles and cut out 4″ by 2.25″ rectangle. These would be legs of the table. then I drew a rectangle between the rectangle that was 4″ by 9.75″ to draw a design on it.
4. I drew a design in the drawn rectangle and carved it with a sharp x-Acto knife.
Watch steps 1-4 on the video from 0:37 to 3:07
5. To cover the rough edges on the design on the cardboard, I stuck paper napkin pieces on the edges with school glue.
6. Next, I painted the cardboard sheets with White acrylic paint. White paint acts as a primer, getting the surface ready for crafting or painting.
Watch steps 5-6 on the video from 3:09 to 3:52.
7. To make the table stronger, I stuck 1.5″ wide strips of cardboard next to scored lines.
8. I joint all 6 rectangles in the shape of a hexagon using glue gun. And now the bottom of the side table was ready. I painted inside of the hexagon bottom with brown acrylic paint.
Watch steps 7 and 8 on the video from 3:53 to 4:49
9. I cutout three 7.5″ hexagons out of cardboard. Stuck them to each other forming a sturdy table top. I covered the rough edges on the hexagon using paper napkin pieces and glue.
10.For the table top to fit inside of the hexagonal bottom I cut out three smaller size hexagons, stuck them together, covered their rough edges with paper napkin pieces and glue. Then stuck this smalled hexagon in the center of larger hexagon.
11. I stuck the tabletop on the bottom of the table using school glue. I left it overnight by keeping weight on it. Next day, after the table top was stuck I painted the table using Yellow, Brown, White and Black acrylic paints I painted the table like wood.
Watch the steps from 9-11 from 4:50 to 5:45
12. Checkout on the video in the real time how my table looked! no one could tell its not wood! Watch video from 5:56 to 6;03
Tips
- Use a sharp blade: A clean blade makes all the difference for precise cuts and smooth
- Choose thick, sturdy cardboard: Since this is a functional piece of furniture, thin cardboard won’t hold up well.
- Cut in layers: Layering your cardboard makes the carving process easier on your hands and helps maintain control.
- Design: Keep The design simple. Choose a pattern with larger cut-out areas. Intricate designs take much longer and can get frustrating. A bold, simple design will still look stunning and be much easier to carve.
- Measurements: Measurements may vary.The size of your table will depend on the box you use. Think of this DIY as inspiration rather than a blueprint. But my table is 16.5″ tall and table top measures 16″.
- Be patient: This is a time-consuming project, but the reward is a carved table that looks like real wood and made at zero cost!
Backstory
When I had just started my YouTube journey, I was constantly on the lookout for trash I could turn into treasure. One day, a new vacuum cleaner arrived and with it came a big, sturdy cardboard box. My creative wheels instantly started turning.
I’ve always loved the look of carved wooden furniture, and this box felt like the perfect starting point. I browsed through several carved wooden side tables for inspiration and finally landed on a design that was both elegant and manageable to carve in cardboard.
If you’re wondering how I came up with this specific pattern. I saw it on a beautiful wooden table and picked the elements that would best fit my project.
And just like that, a $0 carved cardboard table was born, the one that looks just like real wood!
Final word
I hope you enjoyed this idea of making a carved side table out of cardboard. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion below.
For more craft ideas, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. And please checkout my other furniture posts on this blog. Here are the links,
- Unique vase stand
- Elephant table
- Accent Cabinet Out of Cardboard
- Mirrored wall Shelf
- Accent stool
- Window Mirror For entryway
Happy crafting and thanks for visiting my Blog!!
