Introduction: Beautility: an Eco, Easy and Elegant Beer Bottle Shelf.
Paper and beer bottles -- things that we often find stacking up at home. Well, what if you were given something to do with them, and made at the same time space for other things that are piled up and that you want to display?
Using waste paper, empty bottles, and some time and energy, here's an eco-friendly shelf. It's simplicity at it's best.
Who thought drinking beer could actually come in handy?
If you liked my shelf please vote for me!
Step 1: Gather Your Material
sunshine!
wild amounts of paper (could be newspaper, cardboard, magazines, etc.)
beer bottles
a scrubber
a plastic sheet
for mold:
pieces of wood
hammer
nails
Step 2: The Mold
You can chose your shape and dimensions.
I've chosen a regular rectangle.
Cut the pieces to size. Hammer in the nails.
Your mold is ready.
Step 3: The Paper Pulp
Soak the paper overnight in a bucket of water.
Shred into bits and make it a pulp.
You can add colouring at this point if you like.
Step 4: The Shelves
Squeeze out some of the water so that pulp is semi-dry (having it too wet will take longer and make your shelves shrink further, whereas it being too dry would make them crumbly).
Place your mold above the plastic sheet. Fill in the mold 1 and 1/2 inch high.
Make well spaced holes, not too close to the edge, in zigzag like in the picture. (make them larger than necessary, they shrink)
Remove the mold carefully and repeat process for the other shelves.
Leave them to dry. It should take 2 days in a bright tropical sun.
(I suggest you put weights over the shelves at night, they tend to warp)
Step 5: The Bottles
Scrub/peel the labels off. Of course, you can leave them on if you want to.
Step 6: Assembly
Slot them in the holes, like in the pictures.
Your basic shelf is done!
Step 7: Extra Features
If you want to spice it up, here are things i suggest:
grow creepers inside the bottles
light up the bottles with Christmas lights
You can also paint the shelves and bottles to your liking. I chose not to.
Step 8: The Finished Shelf!
Participated in the
Lamps & Lighting Contest
Participated in the
Furniture Contest
Participated in the
UP! Contest
Participated in the
Cardboard and Duct Tape Contest
26 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
well done, re/upcyclingsuperhero!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
what did you use for the coloring?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I dint use any coloring! when i created the pulp out of newspapers and cardboard this was the color i got! And i liked it so i kept it.
10 years ago on Step 8
Absolutely ingenious!
10 years ago on Step 8
This project is great! :) I love what you've done with the paper pulp and can't wait to give it a go!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Thank you! I cant wait to see some pics! :D
10 years ago on Introduction
PER - FE- CT !!!!
Imagination +++
Inventiveness +++
Beauty +++++
Fun +++++
Eco friendly +++
Practicality ++
etc … +++++
AND : Beer drinking ++++++++++ !!!
Thanks for sharing !
10 years ago on Introduction
This is such a great project! I had already seen something similar but definitely not made with paper...you don't need any glue in the paper pulp to keep it together and make it harder? I love this!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Thank you so much! No you don't need any glue to hold it together, you'll be surprised how hard it becomes!
10 years ago on Introduction
Awesome project with awesome photos. How much weight can each shelf hold?
GM
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Thanks! With the the thickness ive used, you can put around 5-7 kilos..
If you need it to take more weight, you can make them thicker.
8 years ago on Introduction
the shelf looks unstable for practical use, but for deco purpose it looks cool.
10 years ago on Introduction
ccc
10 years ago on Introduction
I see a winner here! thanks so much for sharing your re/upcycling project and do have a splendorous day!
sunshiine
10 years ago on Introduction
that is so nifty
10 years ago on Introduction
wonderful, you make great use of your materials
10 years ago on Step 3
Just Paper? Just Amazing!! I like your shelves a lot!
10 years ago on Step 6
Great idea! I tried to make paper "bricks" but i think they were too thick so they didn't dry properly. Also, i live in the Northland (Pennsylvania), and we don't have the sun's intensity that i think is needed. Did you think about using some kind of binder for the shelves... such as flour? Thanks again!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
If you use any kind of organic binder, it can catch fungus when its drying.
And about your bricks, you could low-heat oven dry them! But make sure there is some kind of weight on the bricks, they will warp.
10 years ago on Introduction
That is so quirky and cool, also a well prepared instructable with excellent step-by-steps.