How to make a number 5 door hanging from a cardboard box

In many ways making a number five from a corrugated cardboard box is very simple. It’s the decorating that was time-consuming. But you can use this basic model to make either a pinata or a door hanging to celebrate any birthday.

 

1. chop up your cardboard box. I took off the sides and bottom. With corrugated card you have to think about the grain and how you will use it.

 

2. Cut two large number 5’s from the largest pieces of card.

 

3. Cut the remaining card into strips across the grain, so that it will bend to your will. My pieces were about 4 inches wide.

 

4. Stick the side pieces between the top and bottom numbers along the inner and outer edges, which creates your 3D-look number. If you have cut the card correctly, the card will bend at each corner, or curve. And there are a lot in the number 5!

 

5. If this is a pinata- you should fill the shape before you seal it. Make sure the whole shape is secure.

 

Then cover in layers and layers and layers of paper mache. I would suggest you use something other than tissue paper for this as it took me about 102 layers before I could stop seeing the yellow tape I used to hold my structure together through the wet layers of tissue paper.

In fact, I gave up altogether and:

6. Smother the shape with very hot glue and stick with pinched squares of tissue paper- I used three different kinds.

 

7. Add a hanging ribbon on the back and leave on your door. Unless you plan on bashing it into submission and scattering sweets across your lawn, then you need a good stick.