Large cardboard mold tubes can be repurposed into a toddler table and chair set.
Large cardboard tubes, used to mold cement into pillars, are readily available at home improvement stores. These sturdy molds can be turned into a clever table and chairs set for your toddler. With a few cuts and some decoration, you can make a set in an weekend. Try recycling an oil-cloth table cloth into the seat cushions for washability. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Cut the cardboard tube into a 16-inch length for the table top and two 18-inch lengths for the chairs. You will not need to rest of the tube for this project.
2. Draw the cut lines for the chairs with a pencil. Measure one of the chair tubes from the ground up 10 inches and mark that spot. This is the front of the chair. Draw a line straight back to the midway point between the front and back of the chair on either side of the 10-inch mark and then curve upward gently upward to the center of the chair back. Repeat with the second chair.
3. Cut out the chair shapes with a serrated knife.
4. Paint the inside and outside of the chairs and the outside of the table base with two coats of a glossy paint. Glossy paint is easiest to clean.
5. Cover the two pieces of 12-inch foam with fabric. The easiest way to do this is to spread the fabric on your work surface and set the foam piece in the center on end. Pull the edges of the fabric up and hand stitch the bottom edges securely. Because the only part that will show is the very top, neatness isn't essential except for making sure that the fabric is smooth when you turn the foam piece right side up. Repeat with the second piece of foam. Insert the foam pieces into the chairs so that their smooth ends are facing up.
6. Use the pizza pan as a template to cut four cardboard circles, each 16 inches in diameter. Use white glue to secure the cardboard circles to each other in a stack. This is the table top. Paint the table top to match the table. Press open binding tape and use hot glue to attach this around the edge of the table top.
7. Use hot glue to attach the table top to the table base. Secure it further with white duct tape.
Tags: cardboard circles, cardboard circles each, circles each, foam piece, glue attach