How to Make a Coroplast Box

Store-bought pet enclosures can be a fine investment for some animals, such as birds, but they are less satisfactory for creatures like guinea pigs, which can bruise or break their feet on them. Furthermore, obtaining a manufactured cage that's of sufficient size for such a pet can be incredibly expensive. A Coroplast box, in contrast, offers a smooth, easy-to-clean container that can be much larger and more versatile for a fraction of the cost.

Things You'll Need

  • 5-by-3-foot Coroplast sheet
  • Dry erase marker
  • Ruler or tape measure
  • Utility knife
  • Self-adhesive hook-and-loop straps
  • Rubbing alcohol
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay the Coroplast sheet on a flat surface padded with newspaper. Measure 6 inches from each corner in each direction and make a mark with the dry erase marker. Connect one mark with the mark on the side opposite it with a dotted line. Repeat this until each mark is connected with its sister.

    • 2

      Create the side walls. On each dotted line, cut through only the top layer of plastic with the utility knife. Don't cut through the bottom layer.

    • 3

      Create flaps. On each of the 3-foot sides, make 6-inch cuts through the bottom layer of plastic, following the dotted lines.

    • 4

      Flip over the Coroplast. Gently bend the plastic up along the lines you've scored. Do this for both the side walls and the flaps.

    • 5

      Clean the inside surface of the flaps and the outside surface of the short side walls with rubbing alcohol and dry.

    • 6

      Remove one side of the backing from the self-adhesive, hook-and-loop straps. Apply it to flaps, 1/4 inch from any side, pressing firmly. Remove the backing from the other side of the hook-and-loop strap. Holding the two shorter side walls perpendicular to the ground and with the flaps straight out, raise the two longer sidewalls until they're perpendicular to the ground. In that position, bend a flap until it's touching the outer surface of one of the side walls. Press firmly until the adhesive has set. Repeat this process for each flap.