Breakfast bar - step 6

I have said that if I ever got new kitchen base cabinets they would have drawers instead of just shelves.  Well heck, I ask myself, why am I making shelves for my breakfast bar instead of drawers like I prefer?  I couldn't find a reason, so I decided to make drawers.  Here's the first one. 

Breakfast bar - step 5

Creating this shelf is basically the same as step 3.  Cut a bottom piece the correct size, side to side, front to back.  Cut the struts with the flutes going up and down.  Glue in place.

Breakfast bar - step 4

Are you able to follow the steps ok?  If not, please post a comment and I'll try to explain it better.

I'm now ready to add the next shelf.  This one will be 18 inches above the first one.  I lay the unit on it's back so it will be easier to glue the struts.  The struts I cut are 18 X 1 inch, with the flutes running lengthwise.   Here I have the box laying on it's back.

Breakfast bar - step 3

Remember where we left off with step 2?  Now I'm going to make the first shelf.  I measure from side wall to side wall (above the shelf wall) and front to back. The shelf should set comfortably on top of the struts when finished.  I need two cardboard pieces the same size.  A top and a bottom to close up the struts inside the shelf.

Breakfast bar - step 2

Now it's time to start constructing the bones of the first section of the breakfast bar.  Remember, I'm creating this breakfast bar in four sections.   I use two basic ways to add strength inside my furniture pieces.  I'm showing you the first way with this first section of my breakfast bar.  I'll show you the other way when I construct the second section.

Breakfast bar construction - step 1

Now it's time to begin the construction of the breakfast bar.  This will be section one of the four.  I gathered the boxes I need to start.  I've been very lucky that the man who brings me cardboard has double fluted boxes large enough to cut big pieces.  Double flutes are stronger but you can use single flute if that's all you can find.  Just be sure it's large enough to cut full pieces from it and only build furniture to hold light weight stuff.

I cut one bottom piece, two side pieces, and one back piece.  There's no top or front pieces for now.  When cutting the side and back pieces I was careful that the flutes go from top to bottom.

Repairing dents and dings

Sometimes you will get cardboard boxes with things like this on them.  You don't want your furniture to have dents or dings unless you are going for that look.

Breakfast bar - the beginning

I often use the words paper boards and cardboards to mean the same thing.  With any piece of  cardboard furniture you need to start with a sketch.  You don't need to be precise with the drawing.  It's only to help you plan the construction so the furniture fits where you want it to fit.  I write notes on my sketch to help me remember measurements too.   For this piece I did a sketch of an overhead view to remind myself that it should have an area underneath for a person's legs just like a table would.

The secret revealed

In order to construct cardboard furniture you need to know where cardboard is strongest.  Knowing where the strength of the cardboard is, is the secret ingredient for it's construction.  You don't want to make a whole piece of furniture only to have it collapse the first time you put something heavy on it or in it.  So here's an experiment.  Take a cardboard tube and stand it on end.  The one I'm using is a paper towel tube.

What do you see?

If a stranger were to walk through my house they might believe I'm ready to be committed..... or at the very least; be signed up for a hoarder intervention.  Just to see the items I save, a person might believe I have a serious mental problem.  Hmm... maybe they are right.  I do save some strange things.  I save and save.... until it all becomes a fire hazard then I clear almost everything out and start saving all over again.  Along the way, some items actually do get used for it's intended purpose. 

So let me ask you this..... when you see this stuff, what do you see?  A pile of empty boxes ready for the trash?  Most people would. 

 I don't see these items in quite the same way as most people. 

These two boxes could become the decorative parts of a chandelier or pretty gift tags. 

These 4 boxes look to me like the beginning of a quilting machine tool storage box with sections for spare parts and screwdrivers.   Hmm.... maybe a storage box to hold paint brushes, paints, crayons, and drawing pencils? 

See how nicely the boxes play together?  Just a little work and the boxes could be fixed for stacking instead of down inside each other.  Each box would hold different tools or parts.

This box could be woven into parts of a basket or a bowl.

So what do you see here?  More trash?  Again, most people would see these as just trash.  I see pretty shiny gift bows made from the chip bag because the inside is silver.  I see the can labels and the noodle bags woven into a purse.  The phone book made into paper beads.... hmm, maybe small homemade note pads. 

What about these?  What do you see? 

Add those boxes to some of these boxes and I see an organizer cabinet for plastic quilting rulers and rotary cutters.  The boxes above would be the drawers and boxes like this one as the bones of the cabinet.

All you have to do is imagine the possibilities.  I don't see all that stuff as just trash.... I see it as construction materials for crafts or art.
Cardboard (in my opinion) is the most versatile art medium or craft supply ever created.  Cardboard can be found in all manner of shapes and types.    It can be manipulated to form even more shapes and forms.  You can cut it, bend it, shape it, twist it, weave it, curl it, tape it, glue it, write on it, paint it, crimp it, emboss it, and the list could go on and on.  The best part about cardboard is that it's FREE. 

It doesn't matter if you are just bored and looking for something to do or simply out of funds to buy supplies for your favorite craft..... cardboard can occupy your time.  Pick up an empty cardboard box and look for the possibilities within it.  Need a new piece of jewelry?  Make one out of cardboard.  Need an organizer system for a kitchen drawer?  Make it out of cardboard. 

Being broke should not be an obstacle to having furniture in your home.  Once you know the secret to construction you can make any furniture you need.  This could include beds, couches, dressers, china cabinets..... oh the possibilities!  Are you beginning to see what I see instead of just a pile of trash?  No?  Well give me a little time and maybe I can show you the possibilities hidden in the trash cardboard.

Basic tools needed

There are some basic tools needed when working with cardboard.  What you actually need for each project will depend on what you are making.  I will show you what I have right now and add to this list as I work with newer projects.  This is what I would call a basic starter kit for working with single or double fluted cardboard.  That's the average type of packing and shipping cardboard found in any dumpster. 

This is my basic tool kit

1.  Plastic rulers (from my quilting supplies)

2.  A metal square ruler

3.  A craft knife (breakable blade)

4.  Measuring tape

5. Foam sander (this has 2 grit sizes, fine and course)

6. Scissors (for cutting paper)

7.  Pencils

8.  Metal wood rasp (used for knocking off hard edges of glued joins, costs about $2 at Big Lots)

I also have a supply of different glues

1. Small craft glue gun and lots of glue sticks

2.  All purpose white glue

3. Rubber cement

Be sure to check out my post for making homemade glue and paste under the label "3 - Hints tips and stuff"

One of the most important items in my basic tool kit is the tape.  This tape is very important for sealing the joins and making them strong.  It's also rather expensive and hard to find.  This is the type of tape that was used for sealing cardboard boxes long before self-adhesive brand tapes (like scotch) were invented.  This tape is made from paper with reinforcing strings running through it.  The glue is activated with water which creates a really good bond with cardboard. 

I believe I bought that roll of tape from Office Depot or from Staples for around $12.  If anyone knows of a cheaper place to purchase it please let me know.  The tape is 3 inches wide so I cut it into strips of 1 inch to help stretch it farther.  For most joins on the cardboard a 1 inch strip works fine.

The water activated glue and the paper of the tape helps it bond better with the paper of the cardboard than a plastic based tape does.  It can also be painted as if it were a part of the cardboard because it's paper.  Plastic type tapes do not hold paint well.  Don't be tempted to use masking tape either.  Masking tape will not hold a permanent bond with the cardboard and you will have wasted your time. 

Along with these basic tools an electric jig-saw is helpful for cutting multiple pieces of cardboard at the same time.  (I'm dreaming of getting a Dremmel but it's out of my budget.) 

This should be enough basic tools to get you started.