Cheap Cardboard Boxes
Here are some cheap cardboard boxes you can try, but the main reason for my article here is how to use cheap cardboard boxes or in fact any cheap cardboard in your scrapbooking projects and layouts.
Here below you will see some links if you want to purchase cheap cardboard boxes online. Simply click on the picture to find out more.
These boxes at the bottom are ideal for crafters. They can be decorated in any way you like and used to store and organise your art supplies.
Scrapbooking enthusiasts should learn to take advantage of cardboard, as it is so versatile and inexpensive. There are so many different things that cardboard can be used for, and besides the fact that you can use cheap cardboard boxes, there is also a huge variety of cardboard available today for all your paper craft and scrapbooking needs.
You could buy it flat and plain to glossy, metallic, or even corrugated. Goodness you could even recycle your old cereal boxes.
What is the Difference Between Cardboard and Paper?
Paper and cardboard are essentially the same thing, it’s just that cardboard is heavier than paper.
In most countries the most commonly used term for the weight of paper is gsm which stands for grams per square meter. For instance photo copy paper will be about 80 gsm and a thick piece of cardboard will be anything from 250 gsm upwards. If cardboard weighs more than 500 gsm, then it’s will be measured out by thickness and not by weight.
As scrapbooking lovers, we mostly choose cardstock because of it’s suitable feel, color and texture. Cardboard is heavier and stiffer than paper, and this makes it useful for framing, mounting, backing and the construction of our layouts.
Don’t forget you can also re-use all sorts of cardboard packaging for your paper craft projects. How often do we throw away our old boxes, or corrugated cardboard packaging and toilet paper rolls. These recycled items are very versatile and of course come absolutely free.
All machine made cardboards and papers have a grain. This is the direction in which the fibres lie.
During the manufacturing process, all the fibres of the pulp settle in the same direction as the machine belt. In handmade cardboard and paper, the fibres all lie randomly.
When working with cardboard, you must establish the way the grain runs, as this will impact how the sheet behaves when it is folded, torn or rolled.
If you make a fold against the grain, it will be a messy rough fold, as the grain will resist the crease. If you want a smoother and sharper fold rather try and fold along the grain.
When you tear your cardboard, a much neater tear can be achieved along the grain than against the grain. When rolling cardboard don’t roll against the grain or it will buckle.
To find the grain the best way is to fold the sheet in half one way and then feel how springy it is. Turn the sheet 90 degrees and try folding again and feel the difference in the flexibility. If it bends easily and neatly, that is the direction of the grain and if it is difficult to bend, then you are folding against the grain.
Remember when buying cardboard, cheap cardboard boxes or even paper for your scrapbooking projects, try to make sure they are acid and lignin free, or you could damage your precious photographs over time.
How To Use Cardboard On your Scrapbooking Layouts
- Make frames for your photographs.
- Mat your photographs with cardboard.
- Use corrugated cardboard to mat your photo’s onto.
- Mat your embellishments onto cardboard.
- Use cardboard to give your page a vintage feel.
- Cut out lettering in thick cardboard and use as a heading.
- Use for the cover on a mini booklet.
- Use cardboard to make a tag book.
- Make scrapbook tags out of cardboard.
- Cut shapes out of cardboard, colour them in and decorate your layout.
- Use cardboard as a lifter for objects on your page instead of foam squares – it’s cheaper.
- Use small cheap cardboard boxes to put your memories in. You can decorate and make memory boxes.
- Decorate the boxes with scrapbooking rub ons.
Please feel free to comment below if you have any more ideas on how to use cardboard.
Interesting post! I am impressed with how we can use cardboard boxes. Most of the time we don’t know the importance of some old things but with them we can make exciting things from them. I like your innovation on how cardboard boxes are useful even more than paper.
Than you for sharing
Thanks Julienne. Just found another use for cheap cardboard boxes this weekend. My daughter has to do a project on the solar system, so we cut up an old box for her to mount her styrofoam ball planets onto.
I am forwarding this to my wife because it clearly gives direction.
Thanks for the informative post on How to use cheap cardboard boxes and the various ways of use. I got new insights from your post and you explained in detail where to get them with links to amazon. Very helpful. When I checked on Amazon… are they the cheapest?
Wishing you much success!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Padedayo.
Hey Michel,
Thanks for a good read on Cardboard boxes and how you can use them for a creative project. As we tend to shop online more nowadays, I always face the question of what to do of the boxes that came along? Your blog answered my question.
Good tips on how to fold carboard, against the grain and along the grain. You advised to buy acid and lignin free carboard, cardboard boxes and paper, but can you please explain how to identify them?
Thanks.
Thanks for stopping by Shubhangi.
All paper and cardboard normally has acid in it unless it has been especially made for Scrapbooking purposes, in which case the label will say acid free.
Hope this helps.