Pringles Tube Postbox

I am so excited to share my latest upcycling project with you! This tutorial will show you how to make a UK postbox out of an empty Pringles tube. It can be used as a money box, a worry box, a message box or just for somewhere to keep your ideas in.

UPDATE: Check out my US mailbox here, also created from an empty Pringles Tube!

To make one, you will need:

• An empty Pringles tube with lid (wiped clean)
• Cereal box card
• Acrylic paints
• Soft paintbrushes
• Super glue / hot glue gun
• Craft knife
• Ruler
• Template (see below)
• Post-it notes
• Acylic gloss varnish

Watch my video tutorial to see how I made it, or scroll down for more detailed instructions.

After cleaning the Pringles tube out, cover it with a thick layer of red acrylic paint. It will need several layers to cover the print on the tube. Try to avoid painting the top (silver) rim as the lid will peel this off.

Once covered and dry, stick several Post-It notes around the tube so that the sticky edges are 50mm up from the base. Then paint the base part with two layers of black acrylic paint and leave to dry.

For the lid, cut two 10mm strips of cereal box card, approximately 300mm long. Using super glue or a hot glue gun, stick one strip to the outside of the lid (making sure that the plain side is showing through inside), then trim to size.

Stick the second strip around the first strip (making sure that the plain side is on the outside), then trim to size. I used a bit of masking tape just to hold it in place whilst it dried, but you could also use a peg.

Draw around the top of the lid twice onto cereal box card and cut out. Cut one of the circles slightly smaller than the other (by about 1mm) to give a bit more dimension.

Using super glue or a hot glue gun, stick the larger circle to the top of the lid (making sure that the plain side is showing through inside), then stick the other (smaller) circle on top (making sure that the plain side is on the outside).

Cover the lid with two thick layers of red acrylic paint and leave to dry.

Next, cut a hold in the tube (40mm wide x 12mm) approximately 35mm down from the top.

Then, cut a piece the same size (40mm x 12mm) out of cereal box card and curve the top edge slightly to make this shape:

Cover with two layers of red paint and glue it at a slight angle to the top of the hole.

Next, cut out three frames. You will need one measuring 45mm x 17mm to surround the hole, one measuring 25mm x 37mm to surround the information board, and one measuring 10mm x 12mm to surround the day plate. Each frame needs to be approximately 2mm thick. Paint all of these with two layers of red paint.

Using the template below, print out a copy of the information board approximately 24mm x 36mm and glue it to the back of the frame. Cut out a 9mm x 10mm piece of white paper and write whichever day you want to have on it with black pen (I used SAT for Saturday). Glue this to the back of the smallest frame, then glue each of the frames in place.

Finally, apply a thin layer of acyrilic gloss varnish to the finished postbox, inlcluding the lid, and leave to dry before putting the lid on.

Now to make some miniature letters and cards...!