Upcycle Styrofoam Into Hard Plastic Jewelry
5 Materials
3 Days
Easy
Did you know you could recycle hard plastic shapes from styrofoam? Well when I saw how easy it is to dissolve foam into a gooey paste I had to give it a try. So this project is part fun science and part silly upcycled craft project.
First, I used some scrap cardboard and my glue gun to make a mold.
Then I "melted" a foam takeout box in some pure Acetone.
The acetone turns the foam into a sticky glob that can be shaped with molds. It was a little tricky to get the mixture into the mold I had made but after a little work and a couple of day to dry out. The foam turns into a hard plastic that can be sanded and painted.
Once the foam has hardened the cardboard can be removed. It does take a little time to get all of the cardboard off. I soaked my shape in warm water and used a knife and a toothbrush to scrape and scrub off all the paper.
Once that was done it looked like this.
I wanted to add some color so I painted it to look like this.
You can see the whole process in the video below.
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For more upcycling inspiration please visit. www.upcycledesignlab.com
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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1 comment
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WOW! Amazing share! Possibilities are endless. Great looking bangle! Wonder how it would work in silicone molds?!
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