How to Build a Waste Basket
Building a waste basket is an easy project for even young children to complete. Your finished waste basket can be placed in a bathroom, bedroom, under a work desk, or, in a large version, even used at the front door to hold umbrellas and canes. Build a waste basket and recycle scrap paper into a functional household item.
Instructions
1
Assemble a large amount of scrap paper. You will need plenty of paper to build your waste basket. You can use various scrap paper pieces including old magazines, newspaper, gift wrap and even previously used notebook and printer paper.
2
Construct a frame for your waste basket from the wire coat hangers. Cut three pieces from the coat hangers. Each piece should be one inch longer than the previous piece; this allows the waste basket to taper. Pieces measuring 15 inches, 16 inches and 14 inches are ideal in size for a small waste basket.
3
Arrange these three pieces into circles. Use the pliers to bend the pieces of wire into circular shapes. For each, twist the ends of the wire around one another so the wire will hold the circular shape. Overlap approximately one inch at each end of a wire.
4
Cut five more pieces of wire coat hanger. Make these pieces all the same length of approximately one foot. Start with the smallest wire ring and wrap all five straight pieces around the ring. Place the straight pieces an equal distance apart around the ring and wrap one inch of each straight piece around the small ring.
5
Position all straight pieces to point in one direction, then slide the middle-sized wire ring to the middle point of the straight wire pieces. Make a single loop in each straight piece to wrap around the middle ring. Sit the largest ring on top and wrap the other ends of the straight pieces around the largest ring; you should now have the basic frame of the waste basket.
6
Apply scrap paper pieces to the frame, draping long strips of newspaper or other scrap paper between the wires of the frame. Cover all sides and the bottom, leaving the top open. Apply liquid starch or your own paper mache paste to the strips of paper by using a paintbrush. Apply about ten layers of paper, and then allow the piece to dry overnight.
7
Paint the waste basket inside and out with acrylic paint and allow the paint to dry for a couple of hours before you begin to use the waste basket.
