Cardboard Furniture

My partner and I decided for our class project we would make a cardboard table. This is no ordinary table however. This table is more of an abstract, artistic piece rather than a table used in every day life. We decided to make an artistic table because it would be displayed in our Burgin Art Center.

First, we drew pictures and made measurements for our table. We then measured a scaled down model as our prototype. Our prototype is a two-layered table top with  legs going in all directions. The diagonal legs give the object an abstract and more interesting look.

After our protoype, we began working on the big model. The table is multi-layered and thick like a real table. The legs are made out of cardboard tubes like toilet paper roll material.

We glued each layer of cardboard by using a lot of wood glue and a roller.

After our table top was completed, we proceeded to the legs. Our legs were big and thick cardboard tubes. We knew the most challenging process with the legs would be to make them all the same final height. The cuts had to be precise. To help us find out where the cut lines would be, we made a tool.

This wooden tool would help us roughly measure where our cuts would be.

We had three angles for our cuts: 0, 25, and 30 degrees.

Three legs were 0 degrees. They served as our main support.

We wanted two other angles so the table wouldn't look boring or plain.

After measuring with our tool, we cut the legs with a high power saw.

When all our cuts were finished, we decided where each leg would be on the table.

We cut holes out of the bottom of the table and glued in the legs with wood glue.

Our finishing touches were done with a palm sander. We smoothed out the sides of our table to make a clean finish.

Our final product will be displayed in our school's Center of the Arts Building