Sustainable Cardboard Tiny House

Do you want to make a cubby or dwelling that promotes the idea of 'living with less', that is sustainable, environmentally friendly and super fun to play in? Well you've come to the right place.

Makedo's Tiny House is a great way to advocate for homes that use natural resources for energy, that have a minimal carbon footprint and are a model for the types of houses we want our future generations to build.

5 Features of a sustainable house include:

• energy-efficient design
• passive heating and cooling
• recycled and sustainable building materials
• wastewater treatment and reuse
• smart lighting

This Makedo Tiny House incorporates:

• upcycled cardboard
• solar panels
• electric vehicle charging (no carbon here!)
• windows for natural ventilation
• venetian blinds for shading
• water tank
• planter box for growing herbs

There are many elements you can add to this tiny house. Use this as a guide to build your own version and share it in the Comments section below.

Supplies

Find a big box, a few smaller boxes and some Makedo cardboard construction tools.

Step 1: Prepare Big Box

Lift up the flaps on the bottom of the box to increase the height. (You might like to remove any sticky tape from the box.)

Step 2: Create Corner Straps

Take a separate flap of cardboard and score length wise down the middle using the Fold-Roller. Then use the Safe-Saw to cut four equal sized straps.

Step 3: Attach Corner Straps to Box Flaps

Each strap wraps around two open flaps to create a secure corner.

Use the Makedo Scru-Driver and two Makedo Scrus to secure each strap in place.

The big box will now be taller and stable. Additional straps can be added as necessary.

Step 4: Prepare Roof Panels 1

Open the flaps at the top of the big box.

Use the Safe-Saw to remove two opposing flaps.

Cut Flap B lengthways in two.

Step 5: Prepare Roof Panels 2

Cut off half of each remaining box flaps as shown, leaving you with two half-flaps attached to the box.

You should now have five panels; A, B1, B2, C and D

Step 6: Attach Panels to the Roof

Using a Scru-Driver and Scrus, attach panels B1, B2, C and D to the box flaps to begin the peaked roof.

Overlap the first panel over the box flap and secure with Scrus in the corners as shown.

TIP: Reverse alternating panels for colour variation.

Overlap the second panel over the first panel and secure with Scrus in the corners as shown.

Repeat on the other box flap.

Step 7: Final Roof Panel

Using the Fold-Roller, score lengthwise through Panel A.

Create the roof peak by folding Panel A in half.

Overlap the roof peak over the attached roof panels and secure with Scrus in the corners as shown.

Step 8: Create Front Door

Cut out a rectangular doorway using the Safe-Saw.

TIP: To ensure greater structural integrity, cut the door on the side of the house where the roof panels are attached.

Step 9: Door Hinges

Cut small (10cm / 3") squares to use as hinges.

Score lengthwise down the centre and fold as shown.

* In this photo we cut 2 hinges, but later realised that we needed 3 for this door!

Step 10: Attach Door

Space hinges evenly along the doorframe and attach using two Scrus on each side (to stop the door from dropping).

TIP: To add strength at the fold line of the original big box, we added an extra hinge in this location.

Step 11: Create a Solar Panel

Source a dark coloured box (fruit boxes are good) to cut out your solar cells.

Attach the solar cells in an array to a suitably sized panel.

Attach the panel to one side of your peaked roof.

TIP: make a folded hinge to allow your solar panel to move and follow the sun.

Step 12: Create an Electrical Vehicle (EV) Charger

Cut the flaps off a smaller sized box using the Safe-Saw, and then attach one of the flaps horizontally across the centre of the opening, by folding over the edges and attaching with Scrus.

Create a charging cable out of strips of cardboard, joined together to achieve the desired length. Add a bracket to the underside of the charger to secure the cable when not in use.

TIP: To make a coiled effect for your charging cable, wrap the strips around a curved object to shape the coil.

Attach your EV Charger to the side of the Tiny House where there is space to park your cardboard EV.

Add an electric vehicle of your own design or follow this Makedo car on Instructables.

Step 13: Create a Rear Window

Sketch a window onto the back wall (opposite the front door) and cut it out using a Safe-Saw.

You can also use the Fold-Roller to trace out the cutting lines.

Step 14: Create a Venetian Blind

Your sustainable Tiny House will also need window coverings to help regulate the temperature inside. Create a folding venetian blind to block out the heat of the sun!

Source some softer (ie: thinner) cardboard that measures slightly higher and wider than the window, and score across the width at equal distances as shown using the Fold-Roller.

Fold along these lines in alternate directions and then attach above the window with Makedo Scrus.

Step 15: Create a Water Tank

Roll some thinner cardboard around a reference shape such as a pole, column or container to help create the curve. We used two pieces of cardboard to enable a larger diameter for the water tank. These were joined together with Scrus and then attached to the side of the Tiny House.

Add a lid and inlet pipe connecting the water tank to your roof for extra realism.

Step 16: Embellishments

Don't forget to include some personal touches to your home. In this Tiny House we added a planter box and flower, a house number, a label for our EV charger and a water-tank sign. You could add some window frames, a door bell, a door mat, an outdoor light (solar, of course 😉), an induction stove, a vegetable garden...

Have fun, and we look forward to seeing what you make. 💖

Share your ideas and outcomes in the comments below!