Canvas Re-inforced Cardboard Storage Box

This is a cheap, easy to make and attractive solution to storing all the things that (like me) you cannot bring yourself to throw away.

I chose a standard sized (33cm x 46cm) cardboard stock box for this project as it allowed me to use all the available space on an over the door shelf. I ended up making 4 boxes which utilised all the shelf space.

I got the idea for this from my partner, who said she had made sculptures using the wet glue canvas and even some pieces of furniture. This stuff may have a lot of potential!

Also a big thank you to my son,Jordan, for taking the pictures.

Materials:

Cardboard Box

Medium weight canvas sheet

PVA adhesive

Tools:

Pasting brush or wide paint brush

bowl or plastic container

stirrer

Scissors

Pencil/Marker pen

Step 1: Mark Out the Canvas

I used a tarp outside to lay a piece of the canvas on and roughly cut the canvas to the correct size and set a box on top of the centre of the sheet.

I folded up each 'side' of the canvas sheet to the box and marked the edges of the box with a pencil line. I also marked 'tabs' on each marked edge so that the canvas 'sides' can wrap around the cardboard box to give extra strength and rigidity.

My canvas sheet was large enough to wrap each 'side over the top of the box for about 10 cms, again this gives strength to the finished box..

Step 2: Cut Out the Canvas

These pictures show the shape of the cut canvas. Note the triangular tabs on each 'side' of the canvas. At this stage I used the canvas shape as a template to make 3 more canvas box coverings by laying a template on top of new canvas sheet and cutting out the outline of the original shape. .

Step 3: Prepare the Box

I poured some PVA glue onto all the outside surfaces of the box and brushed it in to make a tacky surface to receive the canvas.

Step 4: Make Up Glue Solution and Clad Box in Canvas

Take a quantity of PVA glue and add water (it needs to be brush-able and spreadable but not too runny). Stick each 'side' of canvas to its appropriate side of the box and soak with the glue solution with a wide brush..

Step 5: Set to Dry and Finish

The glue solution took about 24 hours to fully dry. Once dry, you can paint or decorate how you wish. I went for a very plain finish. Final picture shows most of my untidy, 'don't know where this goes' stuff neatly hidden away.

Thanks for reading.