How to Build a Cardboard Corner Chair

A corner chair is a unique piece of furniture. As its name suggests, it is a chair that is specially designed to fit in a straight, two-sided corner of a room. Real corner chairs made from antique wood and upholstered with fine silk can cost hundreds of dollars. But you don't have to spend more than $20 to make a decent corner chair out of plain-old cardboard boxes.

Things You'll Need

• One 3-by-3-foot cardboard box
• Several large cardboard boxes (20 or more)
• Boxcutter
• Tape measure
• Large black marker
• Three tubes of very strong adhesive
• 3-by-3-foot seat/couch cushion
• Two large throw pillows

Instructions

1. Cut the top flaps off of the 3-by-3-foot box. Then cut off any two adjacent sides (meaning any two sides that form a corner). Do not discard your scraps.

2. Use the tape measure and black marker to draw several 3-foot squares onto the other boxes. Once drawn, cut the squares out and stack them up. You will need 30 or more of these squares to form the base of your chair, and you should have enough boxes to provide this many. The squares should fit perfectly into the bottom of the 3 by 3 foot box you cut earlier.

3. Glue the 3-by-3-foot squares, one by one and one on top of the other, into the bottom of the box with the adhesive until you have built up the layers to 1.5 feet high. Cut more squares if you need to. Use the adhesive sparingly so that you do not run out. Sit on top of the stack or lay a weight on top of it to compress the cardboard as it dries.

4. Dry the cardboard thoroughly. This will take a few hours.

5. Place the chair in the corner of your choice. Place the seat cushion down on top of the cardboard, and arrange the pillows on the sides.

Tips & Warnings

• These directions will make a very large chair, but you can make it whatever size you wish. Simply find a box with different dimensions. If you wanted to make a corner chair for a child, use a 1-by-1-foot box and cut all of the interior pieces 1 by 1 foot. Or use a 2-by-2-foot box for a medium-sized chair.

• If you don't want guests to immediately know that your corner chair is made of cardboard you can cover it with a decorative sheet or duvet before placing the seat cushion and pillows down.

• Be careful handling the boxcutter because you will be using it a lot. You may wish to wear gloves for protection.

References

• Earth911.com: Reuse Challenge- The Cardboard Chair
• Country Living Magazine: Modern Corner Chair

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish