How to Make a Cardboard Bookshelf

When you move out on your own for the first time, buying furniture can be too expensive. One solution is to make your own furniture from the materials that you used to move with, such as cardboard boxes. By cutting and gluing the cardboard in a specific way, you can transform ordinary cardboard boxes into actual furniture, such as a bookshelf, that can be used in your new living space to hold books.

Things You'll Need

• Box cutter
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue sticks
• 8 L brackets with screws and nuts
• Screwdriver
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Clear topcoat

Instructions

1. Cut three rectangles with a box cutter from heavy-duty cardboard to measure 24 inches wide, 48 inches long.

2. Cut three squares with a box cutter from heavy-duty cardboard to measure 24 inches on all sides.

3. Hot-glue two of the rectangles vertically onto the sides of the third rectangle. Allow the form to cool completely.

4. Attach two L brackets onto the edge of each cardboard square, spacing the brackets 8 inches apart. These will be the shelves.

5. Attach the shelves inside the rectangular form by screwing the other sides of the L brackets onto the heavy-duty cardboard. Space the shelves out as high or as low as you prefer.

6. Paint the cardboard bookcase with acrylic paint, then allow the paint to dry.

7. Cover the paint with clear topcoat, then allow it to dry before placing books onto the shelves.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish