Anywhere to get 4'x8' sheets of cardboard locally?

[Vannautical engineer]

I saw on the Humble Road youtube channel that he gets 4'x8' sheets of cardboard to make mockups and templates. Does anyone know of any big box stores that stock large cardboard sheets this big? I haven't seen any. The closest I can find are large sheets of corrugated plastic, which really isn't what I'm looking for.

It would be really helpful as I'm almost to the point in my build where I will need to cut a lot of oddly shaped plywood panels, and I'd like to make templates before I commit to cutting up expensive sheets of plywood. Tearing down cardboard boxes and taping/gluing them together is a possibility, but I'd rather just get big sheets of cardboard.

Alternatively, anyone know of a way to get large appliance sized cardboard boxes from stores for cheap/free? Those might work.

 

[bullfrog]

You can buy it online but it costs almost as much as Masonite/hardboard. You might try a recycle place or small appliance store as the smaller ones probably don’t have enough to make worth to recycle. Also maybe a glass supplier might have some.

 

[maki2]

You can get them from box supply companies in the bigger cities that have manufacturing businesses. Not going to find them in small towns unless for some reason they where being used to protect sheets of specialty plywood with hardwood veneers on them. Or possibly even protecting shhet goods of plastic pNels. You would likely have more luck with finding flat cardboard sheets in pallet sizes. Those are not to unusual to find where there are warehouse stores that receive a lot of goods.

 

[Sofisintown]

Alternatively, anyone know of a way to get large appliance sized cardboard boxes from stores for cheap/free? Those might work.

Home Depot has large size moving boxes. You can use them for templates and they are cheap.

 

[user 423]

Home Depot has large size moving boxes. You can use them for templates and they are cheap.

U-Haul also has large boxes.

 

[gsfish]

I've had luck getting large boxes at a auto body shop nearby and a surfboard shop. Large sheets might be found at commercial sign businesses where they are used to protect plastic signs and sheet plastic.

Guy

 

[MrNoodly]

Tape smaller pieces together.

 

[highdesertranger]

^This. Highdesertranger

 

[JDub]

Maybe appliance stores, those boxes they ship things like refrigerators in may not be the exactly you're looking for but they probably flatten out to a pretty size...

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I saw on the Humble Road youtube channel that he gets 4'x8' sheets of cardboard to make mockups and templates . . .
Alternatively, anyone know of a way to get large appliance sized cardboard boxes from stores for cheap/free? Those might work.

How many templates are going to be 4' X 8'?

I used large cardboard boxes that auto body parts came in and smaller ones that paper towels came in.  Businesses pay to have that stuff disposed of so they are usually glad for you to take some - ask.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Businesses pay to have that stuff disposed "

Not around here. Cradboard = Money. It's all recycled. Average price 75 bucks a ton. You can see the recyclers driving around everywhere.

Highdesertranger

 

[tradesman]

Lumber yards have them when they get a unit of sheet goods (plywood, mdd, door skin etc). The cardboard covers the 4x8 sheet goods during transport. I've gotten them for free by asking politely.

 

[GntlStone]

I've gotten large sheets from Costco and BJs/Sams Club. Theyre about 4x4 foot. Theyre used on pallets to seperate layers. There's also a thinner version that might be helpful for other templating.

 

[ckelly78z]

I use blue painters tape to cut small pieces at a time, and then tape them together. My latest project was building a carpet covered wooden casting deck for my 12' Jon fishing boat with a tri-hull, so many curves, and cuts, but worked well !

I think the biggest piece I used was 3'x3'.

 

[Uncle Todo]

I've bought large moving boxes at Home Depot before for template material.
Break them down flat and it's a good sized piece, big enough for what I've needed anyway.

 

[GntlStone]

If foam core boards would work you can usually get decent size sheets, about 20x30 inches, at the Dollar Tree for $1. You can cut and tape or cut and hot glue them together. They benefit from rigid structure vs cardboard. Not free, but inexpensive for mockups.

 

[desert_sailing]

Id been thinking of making cardboard protypes to make sure my 2nd build goes better than the first.

i was unable to find large boxes and had to " stitch" some together. It eas clear right away that the packing and duct tape was not going to work at all. Fortunately i have a large roll of foil tape and it is perfect... very sticky and keeps the shape and not flop around.
I think making protypes is the best way to plan a build layout. I now have a better idea of costs and can minimize return trips for this or that.