Q&A for How to Fold a Paper Box

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  • Question
    How do you make the top?
    Community Answer
    Simply follow the same steps as above, but make the box roughly 1" bigger in every direction. This top will fit right over the bottom you made earlier.
  • Question
    How can I make a bigger box?
    Community Answer
    Use a bigger, square-shaped sheet of paper. If the sheet is a rectangle, fold it diagonally from the top corner to the opposite edge, trim off the excess along the bottom, then follow the article. A sheet of poster paper may work, but keep in mind that the larger the paper is, the more difficult it will be to work with.
  • Question
    Are there certain measurements for square paper?
    Community Answer
    No, but the size of the paper determines the size of the box, so you should have bigger paper for a bigger box and smaller paper for a smaller box.
  • Question
    How do I determine what size paper I need for my box?
    Community Answer
    You can pick any size of paper you want! Make sure that it is a square, or it would not work out.
  • Question
    I did everything right. Why am I getting this strange rectangle? I know my paper was a square.
    Community Answer
    Be sure that when on step 3, you fold the side in all the way, that might be the problem.
  • Question
    How can I make a lid for my box?
    Community Answer
    Simply follow the same steps as above, but make the box roughly 1" bigger in every direction and a lot shallower (as it is going to serve as a lid, not be another box). This top will fit right over the bottom you made earlier.
  • Question
    Why did my box end up a rectangular shape?
    Community Answer
    Maybe because you used the wrong size and shape of the origami paper. If you use rectangular shape of origami paper then you will get a rectangular box.
  • Question
    How can I make it smaller?
    Community Answer
    You can use a smaller piece of paper. The size of your box will depend on the size of the square you begin with.
  • Question
    How do I make the box close?
    Community Answer
    You can make another box that is made of a 1'' bigger square paper to use as a lid.
  • Question
    Can you color it with nail polish?
    Community Answer
    Nail polish may be too heavy and warp your box. Try colored pencils or markers instead.
  • Question
    Can I do it with regular paper?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you just have to make a square out of the paper. Put the paper horizontally and fold down the top left corner so the left edge of the paper matches up with the bottom edge. Cut off the long rectangle to the right of this triangle, unfold, and you have a square.
  • Question
    The box was perfect, but it became a rectangle. I am 100 percent sure my paper was square. Why is this happening ?
    Community Answer
    Be sure that when on step three, you fold the side in all the way. That might be the problem.
  • Question
    I followed the instructions, but when I finished the last side, it was not a box. What could I have done wrong?
    Community Answer
    Perhaps you created a fold that faced the wrong way. Try to retrace your steps to see if you can figure out where you went wrong.
  • Question
    How do I make it smaller?
    Community Answer
    Instead of using the normal measurements, make everything one inch smaller. If you're using a normal piece of paper, take a ruler, make a square, and cut it out. Just make sure the measurements are equal on all sides and then follow the instructions in the article.
  • Question
    What size paper should I use?
    Community Answer
    Any size is fine according to the directions, but it should be square.
  • Question
    How do I keep the crease from coming apart?
    Community Answer
    Use your fingernail to crease.
  • Question
    Should I use glue to stick it down?
    Community Answer
    You can, but it is not absolutely necessary. It should stay together without glue if it is done correctly.
  • Question
    Is this a good project for school?
    Community Answer
    Yes, because you could make them for holding school supplies, sticky notes, or just hand them out to your friends. If you have a party at school, you can make those for holding things too. They also make great gift boxes!
  • Question
    How do I make the middle stay in?
    Community Answer
    Tape or glue it.
  • Question
    Why did my box turn into a rectangle?
    Community Answer
    Your box may have turned into a rectangle because of the shape of the paper you used. This could also be because you didn't follow step 3 correctly.
  • Question
    Is it possible to make a lid that actually stays on and doesn't come off?
    Community Answer
    Try taping only one side down. That way the box has a flap to open but still stays closed.
  • Question
    Why didn't my box stay together? It fell apart after I made it.
    Community Answer
    You may need to use tape or glue.
  • Question
    The two flaps don't want to close. How do I make them close?
    Community Answer
    You can dab some glue to make them stay down, but not too much or the box will get soggy. You can use tape, too.
  • Question
    Can I use anything other than paper?
    Community Answer
    Paper will be the best material for this activity, but you can definitely experiment with different kinds of paper (different thickness, patterns, etc.).
  • Question
    How do I keep the sides in place?
    Community Answer
    Make sure the triangle shapes are big enough to hold the flaps; if that doesn't work, you could try some glue, preferably a glue stick or paste rather than liquid glue.
  • Question
    How can I make the walls of the box smaller?
    Community Answer
    Use a smaller piece of square paper to start with.
  • Question
    Can I do this without it being a square paper?
    Lavender_babylon
    Community Answer
    No, but if you have rectangular paper you can always just cut it into a square. That should work fine.
  • Question
    Can I make this box using a post-it note?
    Community Answer
    It might be hard to do, because post-it notes are so small. They are not very durable paper, so your best bet would be to use a different type of paper in order to make this box.
  • Question
    How do I make a lid with the same size of paper?
    Community Answer
    Trim off 1" from the 2 sides that are next to each other, so then one of the sheets will be a lid and the other a box.
  • Question
    Compared to the original piece of paper, what size will the box come out?
    Karmen Lindenman
    Community Answer
    The size of your box will depend on the size of the square you begin with. So a small peice of paper means a small box. A large piece of paper will make a larger box.
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