Cardboard Stool

My second instructable, originating from a series of cardboard furniture pieces i am designing for my flat.

Here is my design for a cardboard stool, made from 22 interlocking trapezoidal hollow forms, and capped with 3 layers of cardboard to form a seat.

I used 3mm corrugated cardboard to make the forms and then glued them together with pva.

The stool is sturdy enough for me to comfortably stand on (and i weigh around 80kg). In this design the central load bearing axis is comprised of 66 layers of 3mm board - pretty sturdy. The photos show its condition after about 5 months of use, which explains the slight wear.

I've included some schematics so you can get a better idea of how the piece works, if people are interested i'll consider adding a step by step guide.

You can check out some of my other cardboard pieces here

Comments

[nrinocencio1]

Great job! This project is fantastic and it is sad that the template is not available for download. Include step-by-step guide please!

[JoseS315]

Contém umaInclude step-by-step guide please!!

[MBogacz]

Same here!

[abzucharr]

Include step-by-step guide please!!

[ethan_hair7]

I've got tons of cardboard and I need a place to sit. Plz include step-by-step instructions.

[AlinesCardboard]

So cool! Really sturdy, I am sure!

[Cnc2692]

Great design. I would love step by step instructions. My son is into building things from cardboard.

[RollingCompass]

Very cool. It's stylish and still cheap, additionally, it works. Please make a step for step guide! =)

[honeysugar]

heyy... i loved your design , now i am keen on making this one myself.. could u please give me the measurements of the height and the hexagon !! it would really help me .

[Pixievk]

i love it, im in the poor house and need a chair haha lucky me i have an abundance of good cardboard!

[wolfmage356]

You said if people are interested you will consider adding a step by step guide. Well I am definitely interested in this. I would love to know how to do this. I am broke and have access to free cardboard. Furniture that looks good and is inexpensive is great. :)

[marcellahella]

this look too cool!

[videre]

This looks great! Did you consider to use a single piece of folded cardboard for the base? And if you considered it, why did you choose not to?

[terrapol]

I decided to omit a base because this build was the very first protoype of this design, and having an exposed base is a great way of demonstrating the way the shapes interlock. Of course its the least durable option, especially when you leave pencils and pens lying around the floor :)

For the next iteration im thinking about ease of construction/assembly, some form of base could work interestingly as a jig to orientate the pieces correctly for quicker assembly

I also think the next iteration will try to be glueless and incorporate a cardboard cusion for the seat

thanks for your comment

[videre]

Oh, i didn't mean a base like that. It look like you're using 22 separate pieces to form two cones of 11 pieces each, which you then slide into each other, is that correct? What I propose is that you use 1 single piece of cardboard folded to get the entire shape. You would only have to use glue in one single place, where the ends of the piece meet each other. Would you mind posting the dimensions of the stool?

[terrapol]

thats an interesting concept, i hadn't thought of that, thanks!

one slight issue i envisage with such a solution is that the central axis (which bears all the weight) will be weakened - by at least 30% (there will be less folds which comprise it). Also, the piece may be a little too large for d.i.y manufacture - i imagine most people who might make this piece would use cardboard offcuts and leftovers from packaging/boxes etc, so minimising each individual component's net size is an important factor.

Still, its a fascinating addition, i'll definitely consider working through this idea going forward.

Thanks once again

[veryken]

Very impressive! Proportionally it looks great. Side views are also clean, almost commercial. The axial cylindrical void hints at a pole or tube form.

How did you arrive at the shape of each folded piece to make it all fit so well?

[bertus52x11]

nice!

[noahw]

Ok, it's official, your cardboard and paper furniture and structural creations are awesome!

Please consider making them full step by step Instructables and enter them into some of our contests.

Audrey and I are the workshop editors for Instructables and would really love to see more of your stuff. Thanks for posting these projects.

[terrapol]

thanks a lot for the feedback, i've got loads more designs in bamboo, scaffolding and cardboard, both old and new which i'd like to share as soon as i can get round to it