Box Car Tutorial {Part 1 – simple car}

Thanks for your interest in our box vehicles and for your patience while waiting for this tutorial, I hope it helps. Part 2 – larger truck – is here.

Supplies:

-a box (I have used nappy/diaper boxes but any box will work. The size and shape will impact the overall look of the car, or how much trimming you need to do to get a shape that you are happy with)

-tape (I have used packing tape and double sided tape)

-scissors or craft knife

-coloured cardboard for decorating the car (I have used 2 pieces of orange cardboard to cover the nappy/diaper box with very little to spare so you may wish to have extra available, plus pieces of other colours for details)

Optional supplies:

-thick cardboard pieces to add details (such as a windshield) or for reinforcement

-ruler

-pen or sharpie for adding details

-circular objects to trace around and/or stencils for adding details such as wheels and windows

-string or ribbon to add straps or handles

1. Unfold the flaps of the box and choose the design you want for your car. The title photo of this tutorial shows some potential designs:

-Post van: back flap vertical, front flap horizontal and side flaps trimmed

-Delivery van, ambulance: back flap vertical, front flap horizontal, side flaps trimmed and extra cardboard added for a windshield

-Police car: back flap removed, front flap horizontal and side flaps trimmed and shaped with curves

I chose to give this car both a bonnet and boot, so trimmed both the back and front flaps to each be 6cm (just under 2.5 inches). This was about half the length of the flaps. I then trimmed the side pieces, cutting 6cm off each end and cutting diagonally inward to 11cm (just under 4.5 inches). I’ve given these measurements as a guide, vary them according to the size and shape of your box and the design you wish to have.

At this point, if you know you wish to remove the bottom of the box (see step 6) it is a good time to do it.

2. Tape the back and front flaps to the sides of the box to keep them in place. I also used the halves of the flaps which I had removed to reinforce the sides of the box at the fold.

3. Cover the sides of the box. I like to cover the sides first, with some overhang. I use packing tape which will be inside or underneath the box or will be covered in the next step.

4. Cover the back and front of the box. I like to cut the cardboard to size and use double sided tape to give a clean edge, however packing tape would be fine here too. I allow overhang under the box and under the back and front flaps.

5. Decorate the box. I cut cardboard to make windows, wheels, lights, a back bumper bar and stripes for interest, using double sided tape to attach them, then drew a grille with a sharpie. The complexity is completely up to you. You could add a steering wheel, wing mirrors, doors, a racing stripe or flame, and so on. Since taking these photos, the little man suggested this could be a taxi so we have added a semicircular sign on the top of each side saying, ‘Taxi’. The title photo of this tutorial gives you some inspiration for turning your car into types of cars and vans.

6. If your box car is for stuffed animal friends or if you are keen to push your little one around, you could leave the bottom of the box intact. If your child is older and will run around in the box, cut out the bottom of the box for them to stand in. I leave mine like this and the little man holds the box itself but you could add either handles or straps by making holes in the sides and attaching string or ribbon.

Enjoy!

Please let me know if there is anything that could be clearer or if you have other questions. Click the photos below to see other designs in our box vehicle fleet.

xo