133. Simple DIY - working with corrugated cardboard - part 1

[@tominhouston1]

Thanks for the corrugated cardboard series. Through work I have access to loads of corrugated sheets. I’m going to get creative.

[@ImaginethenMake]

That's great Tommy! For inspiration, try a quick Google search for "building things with cardboard". Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@clemmcguinness1087]

Poor person's super light plywood ... thx. You're giving me lots of ideas!

[@ImaginethenMake]

Exactly right! Free "plywood". Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@johnkozaczok3713]

Believe the spray glue your using needs to be let dried and tacky to the touch for about 2 to 3 minutes before connecting the two pieces together. You also have about maybe 10 minutes or longer of working time before it may get too dry. If you don't let it dry before you put the two pieces together then the glue acts like it is still in the can. Warning, ...you have to make sure your two pieces are lined up perfectly because you won't be able to readjust the placement without damaging the cardboard. Using this glue properly may make your strength test even more impressive. Thank you for this video, I never thought to run the cardboard perpendicular for greater strength.

[@ImaginethenMake]

Thanks for your comment. Yes, I have heard others say to let the spray adhesive dry enough so that it is tacky. In this video, I probably let the glue dry for 1-2 minutes; it might seem less while watching the video, but the video was speeded up in the editor. Thanks again for your comment and for watching.

[@badad0166]

Some plywood and bricks would really help lock the lamination sandwich while it cured. Kudos on the perpendicular bias approach.

[@ImaginethenMake]

Agreed, sticking a piece of plywood plus some heavy weights onto of the cardboard while the glue dried would probably increase the bond strength. Even so, I was surprised at how strong the cardboard sandwich was. I think the perpendicular approach helped to make it strong. I'll have to try this experiment again using long pieces of cardboard with the corrugations all running in the same direction. Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@Hedriks]

I really love stuff like this....

[@ImaginethenMake]

Thanks for your comment and for watching. Cardboard is typically free and pretty fun to work with. I do have a playlist of other videos using cardboard. If you'd like to check that out, here it is: kzbin.info/aero/PLGCBwUeR2BD0SvqEJhwwjOR53E8DV6FVD&si=exdXdCPiYfAxSyFH .

[@phil7556]

If you spread the wood glue evenly over the cardboard, it would strengthen the layered cardboard twice as rigid than the spray glued cardboard.

[@ImaginethenMake]

Thanks for the tip and for watching. I'll have to try that.

[@dopapier]

I use a small jigsaw to cut through layers of cardboard so cutting curves etc is easy.

[@ImaginethenMake]

I'll have to try that. Maybe also try cutting layers of cardboard on a scroll saw. Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@OLDCHEMIST1]

Very helpful! I am a total newbie to all of this, although I have fiddled with putting cardboard together before. Funnily enough some people have put me off by ridiculing the very idea!

[@ImaginethenMake]

I think that when most people think of cardboard, they immediately think "Amazon box" and (hopefully) recycling the empty box. I think most don't think of cardboard as a legitimate building material. What would the world be like if everyone made something useful for themselves using the empty Amazon box(es)? So keep experimenting with cardboard! I will tell you that years ago, I made a prototype iPad stand for my wife and she still uses the cardboard stand everyday! At first, I thought that after a while, I would build a "finished" iPad stand out of wood. Now, I don't feel that way. The cardboard is light yet very strong and the cardboard was free! (I will make her a new one soon though.) Here's the video of me building the stand if you are interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i32zZGiZrtWgfpYsi=MMst24HnDqYJwad- . Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@OLDCHEMIST1]

@@ImaginethenMake Yes, absolutely agree, most people just see cardboard as rubbish and bin it or recycle it. I am considered very odd at work because I try to use other people's junk to mend things rather than go and and buy something new. I am thought of as being rather odd anyway, as, even for an Englishman, I drink an amazing amount of tea! All ideas welcome! I look after people with learning disabilities one of whom has an iPad which he manages to send crashing to the floor! I think making him a stand to make it more difficult for him to wilfully or accidentally "lose" the iPad would be excellent!

[@ImaginethenMake]

How about some sort of thick, soft foam iPad case? Something where the buttons and plugs are still accessible though. Just a thought. Thank-you for choosing to spend your time helping those that are less fortunate. As always, thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@OLDCHEMIST1]

@@ImaginethenMake Excellent idea! It will be a while before I attempt it as a project and I may well do it at work - we have a "down" time on some shifts and can do what we like, as long as it's legal, as it is unpaid time. Generally it's a pleasure helping the people I help; although they will never be rocket scientists, they are lovely people in their own way. Thank you very much for the help and the videos. You make it look easy and are very professional in your approach!

[@ImaginethenMake]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@wesritter]

Sodium silicate (waterglass) Is the adhesive of choice when corrugated cardboard is manufactured, it is moisture sensitive but very strong & is bug, fire ,mould and rot resistant. I have used it to lay up to 40 laminations of recycled cardboard over an armature or form, to create load bearing structural ( bend, shear, compression, impact resistant) arched shells for tiny home construction. I arrived at this site searching for Information about others who may be experimenting with this material for building strong light weight constructions for human habitation: ETC. I would love to hear from anyone who is working with applicable technologies using recycled cardboard boxes

[@ImaginethenMake]

I don't know anything about Sodium silicate so I haven't used it. I'd like to know more though. I'd also really like to find a cheap way to make corrugated cardboard and chip board be more durable (stiffer without adding thickness and waterproof or at least water resistant). I'd also like to know more about how you use cardboard. Since there is so much free corrugated carboard, there is a huge opportunity to make stuff with it for very little cost. I have made a simple box which I use in the top drawer of my dresser everyday. I also made an iPad stand for my wife which she uses everyday. (Videos of each of these projects are on my channel.) Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@raisajay7563]

I would love to hear how the bass sounds in the cardboard box vs. an MDF box. I just watched another video about strengthening cardboard that references this video said that cardboard cannot sustain bass... Would the corrugations within the cardboard layers interfere with the sound because it is void spaces as opposed to solid structure? I ask because I have no idea how any of that works. I would love to hear a sound test!

[@ImaginethenMake]

Interesting question. I don't really know a lot about sound, but I have spent some time trying to sound proof a portion of my garage; I discovered that it is not a trivial problem to solve. I learned that sound waves do not like to travel through materials that have a lot of mass. MDF certainly has a lot more mass than corrugated cardboard; in other words, it is a lot harder to get sound waves through MDF than it is corrugated cardboard. I think the statement, "cardboard cannot sustain bass" is probably very true. Why are you asking? Are you building speaker cabinets and considering making them from cardboard? Thanks for your question and for watching.

[@rishitattri8553]

Hello sir, do you think that cardboard can be used to build commercial furniture? Or if there's any other type of cardboard that might be suitable for this? I am trying to start a cheap but functional furniture startup. I am very new to this, your channel has been a great help, Thankyou very much!

[@ImaginethenMake]

Yes! Cardboard can be used to make furniture. Just Google "carboard furniture" and you'll see. And of course, you can design and make your own furniture pieces. Maybe catch the eye of someone and make a few dollars -- who knows! I'm sure there are some things to watch out for though. For example, cardboard is very flammable. Best of luck to you. Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@SacredHeart0520]

Maybe try some cheap epoxy With 3 layers

[@ImaginethenMake]

Good idea! The only kind of epoxy I have ever used is the 5-minute kind. I think I would need a lot of it because I would want to cover the entire surface of the cardboard, 2 sides, for all of the inner layers and 1 side for each of the outer layers. To save myself the epoxy mixing, I have thought about using some spray adhesive (like Super 77) or maybe try an ordinary glue stick. Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@Tessa-oi3ic]

How does that stuff act at high Temps? Thinking hot car. Does it get tacky/sticky/stinky?

[@ImaginethenMake]

That's a good question. I'll have to do some testing this summer when the inside of my car can get quite hot. A quick Google search says that hot glue melts at 250-375 degF; a glue stick melts at 220-240 degF; Super 77 spray adhesive fails at about 190 degF. I don't think the inside of my car has ever gotten that hot. Out of all 3 of these adhesives, I suspect the glue stick is the "safest" one to use (no heat required to apply, no nasty vapors (that I know of). I also say "safest" because kids use them everyday when working with paper. Thanks for your comment and for watching. Stay tuned for a future video showing some simple tests.

[@noweare1]

I think with the 5 pcs it would be strong enough for a lot of projects. Could maybe make a dog house if in the end you could use some waterproofing paint or epoxy.

[@ImaginethenMake]

Hi Joe. Woodworkers building cabinets using plywood typically use an edge banding to cover up the edge of the plywood. (Sometimes the edge is used as a decorative feature though!) When using cardboard, I have started using chipboard (the kind of cardboard typically found on the back of note pads) as a kind of edge banding for cardboard (to cover up the cardboard corrugations). I have also used chipboard to face the cardboard which makes the corrugations a lot less visible. I buy chipboard from Amazon and find it very inexpensive. I have not tried to waterproof cardboard yet although finding an inexpensive way to make cardboard at least water resistant would be very useful (since cardboard gets very weak when it gets wet). I imagine using a sealer (like the sanding sealer shown in several of my videos) would be a good start. Then finish the project with rattle can enamel and perhaps a coat(s) of poly or varnish. All interesting ideas to test out! Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@rwind656]

Pretty good for mocking up a project.

[@ImaginethenMake]

Yes, I think so. Stay tuned for part 2 & 3. Thanks for your comment and for watching.

[@rwind656]

Looking forward to more on the subject. Thanks.