By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Large cardboard appliance box
- Utility knife or tool for cutting
- Packing tape
- Paint
- Paint pad
- Silicon spray or other method of waterproofing
- Carpet
- Plastic
- Duct tape
Step1
Find a large carton from a refrigerator or other big appliance. If you want to create a larger house, you can combine two boxes by joining them from the inside with clear packing tape.
Step2
Determine the position of the boxes. Refrigerator containers can rest on their side for a ranch house style.
Step3
Select the location of the doors and windows and decide whether you want the windows totally open, in a windowpane pattern or with shutters that close. Cut the opening for the doors and the windows based on your decision. You can cut the windows as squares, rectangles or even ovals if you want to be creative.
Step4
Paint the exterior of the house. Use acrylic paint orlatex on the cardboard. Apply several coats of white primer, and then apply the decorative paint with a paint pad.
Step5
Waterproof the house. Use silicone spray for waterproofing tents, clear acrylic enamel or polyurethane on the entire box, top and bottom.
Step6
Cut a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the house and wrap it in plastic on both sides. Use this as the "foundation" for the home. Set the foundation in the backyard and put the house on top. Connect the two with white duct tape and decorate the tape to look like a foundation.
Step7
Staple a heavy sheet of plastic to the top of the box as a roof. This will also help to repel rain.
