Thread: cardboard how to?

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I love making things out of cardboard and ducttape but need advice on a few things.

1. when I paint over the tape you still can tell that I have used ducttape. Is there something that i can apply over the tape to cover the work area?

2. is there a way to waterproof my project, so that the cardboard can stay outdoors?

3. Anyone else like to make things out of cardboard.

First: that cake is to DIE for ~ killer job!
I also like using cardboard, and have encountered the same problem. Anyone out there able to help us?
ps - did I mention I love the cake?

a nice coat of paper mache should do the trick...
now as for water proofing, varnish or verathane or whatever you use...high gloss?? use some modge podge.
Raise it on plastic if you think it's going to be exposed to the ground too much or stick it on that old shower curtain you used as a drop sheet...

and yeah, that is a dynmate cake...take a bow..

been using cardboard for YEARS...very versitile and you can get away with LOTS...

paper mache, Brilliant! Thanks!

From the above replies, assuming paper mache' is waterproof? If not, how do you make it waterproof? Wanted to use some paper mache' for my scarecrow heads and was wondering how they survived outdoors...
TIA

I don't think it's waterproof, HalloweenMom. You'd use paper mache to cover seams made by joining pieces, to build up areas, etc. You'd still have to add a few coats of sealant to waterproof.

I have a link to a cool site with paper mache projects. Be right back.

Back!
Halloween Heads Page One

Paper mache is just flour and water. There are fancier ways to do it, but that's the basics.

Working here at the newspaper, we get these large sections of flat cardboard that comes on pallets. I like to take these and lay around 4 of these on the floor and paint a scene on it. Take the 4 sections and ducttape the edges together and screw the edges to a wooden frame. The whole thing goes outdoors.

The problem I was having, if there is any rain, the cardboard is a goner. So I am thinking of taking a piece home and painting something on it, then put a coat of poly(urethene)?? on it and leave it outside for a few days, see how well it holds up.

Modge podge isn't that a glue such as decoupaging?

Love cardboard!

I use the brown paper packing tape instead of duct tape to avoid the paint application problems, but paper maché does the trick also. I use wood glue (waterproof) and tie off whatever form I'm trying to make with twine until dry, and/or use the paper tape.

I also use texture to hide seams and such - sand, mortar mix, etc... it works for stone finishes very well.

Waterproofing is in the paint I use - acrylics or latex dries as a polymer (a thin plastic skin). I seal the edges with caulking and paint with acrylics or latex, and unless you dipped the object into water or left it outside during a thunderstorm, the stuff holds up.

I have some columns for my graveyard that are built that way, and they were outside during a couple of rains and show NO damage or collapsing. I didn't even finish the inside hollows, but they did quite well.

Gothic Princess.......just wanted to say that the cake is really fantastic. What a great idea!

Muf

GothicPrincess that is awesome!!! I would love to make a cake stand like that, obviously with deeper edges and only 3 tiers. Pray tell, how did you achieve it?