Using Corrugated Cardboard
General hints about using corrugated cardboard.
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Corrugated cardboard gets its strength from the wavy piece of cardboard that is sandwiched in the middle
of the sheet. When this is crushed the corrugated cardboard looses its strength. If you wish for the
corrugated cardboard to maintain its strength is very important not to kneel or step on it.
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Protect the corrugated cardboard when working in your driveway or garage. Sweep the floor before laying
it down because trash and dirt can poke into the corrugated cardboard thus reducing its strength.
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Wood glue works well for gluing sheets of corrugated cardboard together. Mix wood glue at a ratio of 2
parts glue to 1 parts water for a mixture that is easier to spread with a brush. The paper covering or
corrugated cardboard absorbs the moisture from the glue and can dry it out before you place your pieces
together. When gluing corrugated cardboard, cover the entire area with a piece of wood and weigh it
down for 30 minutes or until it is dry. The weight serves two purposes. Keeping it from warping and
increases the glue bond. You can also use Hot Glue to attach pieces together.
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To increase strength, glue two pieces of corrugated cardboard together with the center ribs perpendicular
to each other. Make sure to get a good coat of glue over the entire surface and completely cover the
pieces and weight it down.
Cutting
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Extra caution should be used when using any type of exposed blade tool to cut corrugated cardboard.
Team Managers whose teams have a need to cut a lot of corrugated cardboard may want to invest in a
utility knife with a locking retractable blade.
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A serrated bread knife also works will for cutting corrugated cardboard. Use it in a sawing motion with
the corrugated cardboard laying over the edge of a table or other work surface. While safer than using a
utility knife, the cut line is not as clean.
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A jigsaw blade with a fine tooth works also great for cutting corrugated cardboard. You can use a jigsaw
to cut through many layers at once.
Folding and shaping
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When constructing things you may find that you need to fold corrugated cardboard. When possible, try to
make the fold line follow the corrugated cardboard cells. Score a line part way through the cardboard and
fold on the score
Painting
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Painting corrugated cardboard causes the paper on the top to shrink, which creates warping. Before
painting either mount the cardboard to a frame before painting or weigh it down until the paint has dried.
Attaching to wood
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Staples - Staples tend to rip thru cardboard. Add a duct tape boarder before stapling to prevent the staples
from pulling through. It is sometimes hard to get paint to adhere to the duct tape.
Tape - Another method is to tape the corrugated cardboard to the wooden frame by taping over the edge
of the corrugated cardboard of a wooden frame. This is quicker but not as secure as stapling. Duct tape
tends to release from wood at the worst possible times.
Screws and Washers - Short screws inserted through fender washers can also be used to attach corrugated
cardboard to a backdrop. This method also makes removing or adjusting the cardboard easier if necessary.