How to Cover a Box with Fabric

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 25, 2019 Tested

Covering a box with fabric is a great way to make a boring or unsightly box a decorative piece that you love. Simply cover the inside and outside of the box with pretty fabric for something you can leave out anywhere in your home or office. If you have a box with a lid, try covering both the bottom and the lid with fabric to coordinate your look.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Covering a Box without a Lid

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1
Cut 2 rectangular pieces of fabric that are slightly larger than the bottom of the box. Lay the fabric on a table with the back side up. Place the box on top of it and trace around the bottom. Use a ruler to add an extra 1 inch (2.5 cm) on each side of the fabric. Cut the rectangle out of the fabric. ^{[1]
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- Cut another piece the same way.
2
Measure the sides of the box. Use a ruler to find the height of the box. Multiply the number times 2 and add 1 inch (2.5 cm). Measure the length of both the long side and the short side of the box. Multiply each number by 2 and add them together, plus 2 inches (5.1 cm). ^{[2]
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- For instance, if the height of the box is 5 inches (13 cm), multiply it by 2 to get 10 inches (25 cm) plus 1 inch (2.5 cm), equal to 11 inches (28 cm), and cut the fabric to that height.
- If the sides measure 8 inches (20 cm) and 4 inches (10 cm) in length, multiply each by 2 to get 16 inches (41 cm) and 8 inches (20 cm). Add them together plus 2 inches (5.1 cm) to get 26 inches (66 cm), and cut the fabric to that length.
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3
Mark and cut a long piece of fabric based on your measurements. Use the 2 totals from your measurements for the height and length of the fabric. Measure it out and cut it with fabric scissors. Along the long edge of the fabric, measure up to the height of the box and mark it along the length of the fabric with a ruler. ^{[3]
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- Make sure to mark it on the wrong side of the fabric with a pen or pencil.
4
Glue 1 of the large rectangles on the inside of the box. Spray adhesive in the box. ^{[4]
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Research source} Once it's just tacky, not sticky, lay the fabric inside the box, centering it as well as you can. It will come slightly up the sides of the box. As it does, fold the extra fabric at the corners over and glue them into place, too. ^{[5]
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- You can also use plain school glue, or if that doesn't work well, watered down school glue (equal parts glue and water). Mod Podge is also a good option. ^{[6]
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5
Cover the bottom of the box with the other the rectangular piece. Flip the box over. Add glue to the bottom of the box. Once it's just tacky, center the rectangle on the bottom of the box and smooth it out with your fingers. Add glue to the sides of the box at the bottom and fold the fabric over it; the fabric should hang over 1 inch (2.5 cm) or so on all sides. ^{[7]
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- Fold the corners over and glue them in place so they're flat.
6
Line up the long strip of fabric. Wrap the long piece of fabric around the sides of the box. Line up a short edge so that 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the fabric goes over one side to the next. Also, the fabric should overhang the bottom about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Line up the mark you made on the fabric with the top of the box. ^{[8]
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- You'll fold the fabric over into the box in a minute; you want it to just reach the bottom with no overhang.
7
Glue the long piece in place. Start with the one end that overhangs. Add glue and press that piece into place. Add glue to the adjacent side and then smooth the fabric over it. Continue all the way around, just working on the outer sides first. Paint or spray glue on each side 1 at a time and smooth down the fabric over it before moving on to the next side. ^{[9]
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- If you want, you can lay the fabric flat on the table and move the box instead.
- Make sure you're pulling the fabric taut around the corners.
- When you reach the first edge that you glued down hanging over one side, fold the piece you have leftover to make a smooth line. Fold it just enough that it reaches the corner of the box, then glue it into place.
8
Fold the fabric into the inside of the box and glue it into place. Add glue to one inner side. Wrap the fabric over the top and smooth it along the side. Do the same on the side across from the one you just did. Fold the corner fabric under the remaining 2 sides of the fabric and glue them into place, too. ^{[10]
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- You may want to practice your folding before you start gluing.
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9
Glue the overhang at the bottom into place. Flip the box over. Add glue along 1 edge on the bottom and press the fabric into place. Do the same on the opposite side. Fold the corners into the fabric at either end and glue them down. Glue and fold the edges down on the last 2 edges. ^{[11]
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- If you want, you can glue a decorative ribbon along the top that folds over the top edge.