How to Make a Cardboard Car

Co-authored by Natalie Kay Smith

Last Updated: April 12, 2024

Making a cardboard car is a fun activity. A large cardboard car, made from a moving box, can keep a toddler or small child entertained for hours. A small toy car is equally fun. To make either a large or a small cardboard car, you’ll need a pencil, box cutter, and some glue.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a Large Toy Car

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1
Find a rectangular cardboard box that you or a child can sit inside. Before you select a box to use, make sure the person you’re making the car for can fit inside it. If you’re making a car for a toddler or a small child, most large moving boxes will be sufficient.^{[1]
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- You can find large cardboard boxes for purchase at most home improvement stores.
- Try to hold onto any leftover cardboard boxes that you come across.
It’s best to use clear packing tape, but masking tape will also work. Use enough tape to cross the box’s bottom lengthwise 2 or 3 times.^{[2]
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3
Close the top of the box but leave out 1 of the short flaps. Fold 1 of the short flaps inside the box and leave the other 1 outside the box. Then, tape the 2 long flaps together to close the top of the box.^{[3]
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- The short flap that you leave outside of the box will be back of the car.
4
Measure and mark the long sides of the box into thirds. Use a yardstick to measure the length of your box and divide that length into thirds. Then, use a pencil to draw 3 equally-sized sections on each of the box’s 2 long sides.^{[4]
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- The middle section will be where you’ll put the car’s doors.
5
Use a box cutter to cut the sides of the box’s top to create a flap. Starting from the back of your box, cut 1 side of the box’s top to separate it from the box’s side. Stop cutting when you reach the front third of the box. Then, make the same cut on the other side of the box.^{[5]
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- By the end of this step, the back two-thirds the top should be separated from the sides of the box.
- Have an adult help you make the cuts with a box cutter.
Measure the height of the flap and mark its center with a horizontal line so you can get an even fold. Fold the top flap inward so that the inside crease is facing the inside of the box. Tape the 2 halves of the top flap together horizontally with packing tape.^{[6]
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Fold the back flap in half just like you did with the top half. Secure the 2 halves together by wrapping packing tape around them horizontally.^{[7]
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8
Paint the outside of the box if you want. You can either paint your car red, blue, black, or another color, or leave the exterior as is. Use acrylic paints and a paint brush or spray paint. Cover the box’s entire surface in an even coat of paint. Allow the coat of paint to dry, and add additional paint for a deeper color.^{[8]
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- Place the cardboard box on spread-out newspapers or a large sheet of cardboard so you don’t accidentally get paint on the floor.
- Give the paint an hour or so to dry before you move on to the next steps.
If you want to make a door that you can open and close, cut along the vertical line that is nearest to the back of the car, which you drew earlier, and the bottom of the box. If you want the door to swing open, don’t cut along the vertical line nearest to the front of the car.^{[9]
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You can either make windshields and windows for your car by cutting sections out of the cardboard or by drawing them on. To make the front and back windshields, measure 1–3 inches (2.5–7.6 cm) from the sides of the front and back flaps and then draw a rectangle. Make your windows by drawing squares in the 2 doors.^{[10]
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11
Put wheels on your car with hook-and-loop fasteners or glue. You can make the car’s wheels out of paper or plastic plates or cut circles out of another piece of cardboard. You can paint the wheels black before putting them on or leave them as is. Position the wheels so that they’re 6 inches (15 cm) from the car’s front and rear.^{[11]
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- To make rims, you can cover strips of cardboard with duct tape and then glue them onto the wheels.
12
Complete your car by adding lights, a license plate, and a grill. You can make your car as detailed or simple as you’d like. You can use paint, cardboard pieces, and other craft items to create the look you want.^{[12]
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- To make headlights, for example, you can cut small circles out of another piece of cardboard, paint them yellow, and then glue them onto the front of the car. Or you can use the bottom part of a paper cup.
- You can use small, rectangular cardboard strips covered in duct tape or ice pop sticks spray-painted silver to make a grill.
- Using different colored markers to add lights and other details is another option.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Creating a Cardboard Model Car

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1
Draw the 2 identical outlines of a car’s profile on 2 pieces of cardboard. Select the style of car you want to emulate. You can make your car as small or large as you’d like. If you don’t have a size in mind, try making a car 6–9 inches (15–23 cm) in length.^{[13]
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- A good rule of thumb is to make the car’s height 1/3 its length.
- Be sure to draw half circles where the 2 wheel wells should be.
2
Cut out the 2 outlines with a box cutter. Put the cardboard on a cutting board or other hard surface. Then, carefully cut the outlines out.^{[14]
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- If you don’t have a box cutter, you can also try using a strong pair of scissors.
Use a hot-glue gun to glue the 2 side pieces to a bottom piece. First, measure and cut out a rectangular piece of cardboard that is the same length of the sides you cut out and has a width about equal to the car’s height. Then, apply glue along the bottom of the 2 sides. Gently position the sides on the top of the rectangular piece and hold them in place until the glue dries.^{[15]
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Make a roof for your car with another piece of cardboard. Start by measuring the top of the car. Then, transfer these dimensions onto another piece of cardboard and cut it out with a box cutter. Line the tops of the side pieces with glue and gently press and hold the top segments in place.^{[16]
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- To accurately measure curved edges, use a string and then check the string’s length on a ruler.
- If the top of your car is curvy, you may need to use your fingers to bend the cardboard segment into shape.
Once the frame of the car is glued together, flip it over. Then, cut out small rectangular pieces where the bottom piece meets the wheel wells.^{[17]
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Place a bottle cap on a piece of cardboard and trace around it to make a circle and then cut the circle out. Repeat this 7 times to make 8 circular pieces. Glue 2 circular pieces to make 1 wheel.^{[18]
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Put a skewer through 2 of the wheels. Use your box cutter to punch a small hole through 1 of the wheels. Once, you’ve made a hole, fill it with glue and stick the skewer inside. Repeat this step with 1 other wheel.^{[19]
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- Cut the tip off the skewer before you put it into the wheel.
Cut a segment of a plastic straw that is equal to the width between the wheel wells on your car. Then, slide it onto 1 of skewers that’s attached to a wheel. Do the same with the other skewer.^{[20]
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Slide the other 2 wheels on the ends of the skewers to complete your axles. Use your box cutter to poke a hole in the 2 wheels that aren’t yet attached to a skewer. Then, fill the holes with glue and slide them onto the skewer. Cut any part of the skewer that sticks outside of the wheel.^{[21]
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- Leave 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) between this wheel and the plastic straw so that your wheels will be able to spin.
Measure the width of the wheel wells and length of the distance between them. Then, transfer these dimensions onto a piece of cardboard and cut out 2 identical rectangular pieces. Use your glue gun to glue 1 piece between each the front and the back wheel wells.^{[22]
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Line the center of each rectangular piece with glue. Then, press the axle into place and hold it down until the glue dries.^{[23]
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You can paint your car or draw designs on it. Add headlights, a license plate, windows, and windshields to make it look more realistic.^{[24]
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Question

Can I add storage to the back?

Community Answer

Yes! You might have to make the car a bit bigger. For the trunk, just cut out a little bit of the cardboard to make the door and make sure the bottom part is sturdy enough to hold items. I also recommend you use sticky tack or tape to make sure the trunk stays closed.

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How long would it usually take to make a cardboard car?

Community Answer

About 15 to 40 minutes (or longer), depending on the size of the car you want to make and your artistic experience.

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Can I use a bigger box?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. This just means that the car will be bigger and you would probably have to work a little bit harder.

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