How to Make a Cardboard Laptop Stand
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Introduction: How to Make a Cardboard Laptop Stand
In this instructable I will show you how to make a sturdy laptop stand out of cardboard.
Why pay over 30pounds/$60 for a flimsy plastic laptop stand, when you can make a stronger and more environmentally friendly stand for free ?!
When I thought of this idea I was skeptical and didn't think the cardboard would be able to support the heavy laptop, but after a bit of brainstorming and some strength tests i thought it was possible and decided to give it a go.
When I had finished making it I tentatively lowered my laptop onto the stand, half expecting it to crumble and my laptop slide off the desk. Fortunately the process was uneventful and my laptop was perfectly happy sitting on top of its swanky new stand.
Even though the initial test was a success i didn't want to publish an ible that would fall apart in a few days and drop peoples laptops, so i decided to go the distance and do an endurance test. Now its just under two weeks since the first test and everyday i have put the laptop on the stand in the morning and left it there all day and then taken it off in the evening.
Results:
Perfect, The stand is like new, nothing bent, frayed or crumpled, its been really good having the screen elevated, much more ergonomic than usual.
Step 1: Get Cardboard
If you dont have any:
- Ask freinds
- Ask in shops
- Look behind shops
- Ask at supermarkets
- Ask Parents
- Go to recycling center
- Ask anywhere that sells things, they will have some
Step 2: Cut Shapes
- You will need a knife; X-acto, Scalpel, Box cutter.
- -- It is much easer if your knife is sharp
- A metal ruler is also handy, you get nice clean cuts.
- -- Any ruler will do though
- Cutting mat
- -- If you are doing this inside this will save your floor/desk
1 : BASE
1 : BACK
2 : SUPPORT
6 : STAND's
On the stand section you need to cut a 0.6cm wide 6cm tall slit for the support near the back.
This stand is designed for a 13' MacBook but will accomodate laptops up to 15'
It probbaly wont hold those laptops that are like portable desktops...
Step 3: Check It All Fits
Using some pins put all the peices toether and check you have the right sizes.
Dressmakers pins are perfect.
Step 4: Glue !
Now you have all the shapes cut and they all fit together we can assemble the stand.
I used a hot glue gun for my stand but PVA or superglue would work just as well.
Before gluing i would reccomend tracing out where you want the stands to be, this makes it easier and you are less likley to get it wrong.
Glue the support bar to the base first. Then glue the stand sections to the base and support, then add the back and front.
The laptop will be resting on the front pannel so use plenty of glue to make sure its strong. Infact use lots of glue all over.
Remember, Spare the glue Spoil the stand ! hahaha
Let the glue dry for a bit before you test the stand.
Step 5: Finished !
Now get your laptop, and enjoy ergonomic bliss !
I am really pleased with this laptop stand, its very strong and suits my needs perfectly.
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Finalist in the
Gorilla Glue Cardboard Contest
Participated in the
Converse Back to School in Style Contest
9 People Made This Project!
- Rafthi made it!
- AlanH20 made it!
- AmalMathew made it!
- JoeP193 made it!
- JuniorI1 made it!
- KhurstenS made it!
- RafikiP made it!
- MartSerra made it!
- InsaneSanity made it!
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102 Comments
5 years ago
I am really looking forward to making this. I think I might store things in the slots. This is going to be great
6 years ago
Thx so much for the awesome idea!!
6 years ago on Introduction
Thank you so much, it made a whole world of difference. It just goes to show that a little thing done can change peoples lives.
10 years ago on Introduction
Harman/kardon Sound Sticks.... ROCK ON!!!
11 years ago on Introduction
I've probably got a laptop that could crumple this one, but it's very big and very old. Don't know if you've ever heard of or seen a Gateway m675 with a 17 inch screen. If you have and had the misfortune of carrying, you'll know it's almost 9 pounds of portable computing power. [Specifications say 8.8 pounds, but we all know it feels heavier]
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I have one that might crumple it: old HP from about 2001 or so, came with windows 2000, and is about 1.5 inches thick. it was a low end model...
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
i saw a brand new laptop at a store with a 20 inch screen and it weighed over 20 pounds i think it had 16 gigs of ram and 2 terabytes of storage.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
oh, and I have one that will definitely crumple it, though you probably don't need a stand for it: huge desktop.
11 years ago on Introduction
I'm thinking of doing one of those and maybe adding two coolers on the back wall to remove the hot air from the laptop's base [i have one of those "cooler tables", but it seems to not work at all... so i have to use my ventilator to cool off this thing].
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
make sure to have the fans blowing air out of the box and away from the laptop, and add vents *not too much* to have a nice airflow, and also have negative air pressure insider the box. what this does is the negative air pressure actually causes a drop in temperature, and the airflow blows air through the bottom surface of the laptop.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
no. all computers I've seen had the fan blowing from the bottom to the side or back. additionally, making a negative pressure in the box puts strain on the computer's fan.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Yes you are right... the strain however is negligible..
10 years ago on Introduction
Thanks :] my laptops overheat all the time to the point of shutting down. My mom has these cookie cooling racks that I resorted to using before I found this. Works great, the fans don't even run unless its updating. I'm going to try to build one that folds down, without glue, so that you can store it easier. Thanks again :]
10 years ago on Step 5
i made one for my 10 inch laptop.
i ad a mouse pad and a drawer.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
awesome!!!!!!!!!!
11 years ago on Introduction
I used the same basic design as you, except that I don't have any glue so I had to use a kind of joint to hold the two pieces of cardboard together. I guess an advantage to my design is that I can take it apart easily.
I plan on making the middle section, between the two cross pieces, a semicircular cut on each of them for airflow through the middle section. Right now I can only imagine how hot the center boxes will be once my computer starts doing some serious number crunching
11 years ago on Step 2
Old newspaper=free cutting mat :D
11 years ago on Step 5
this is great!!! even though i haven't tried it yet i think its going to be awesome thanks!!! :-]
11 years ago on Introduction
I'm going to make one with the newToshibaI got for my Birthday[Yay].
11 years ago on Introduction
just finished mine works good