Why Cardboard Is Your Secret Weapon When Designing A DIY Range Hood

Aside from packaging, cardboard is widely used in DIY projects, crafts, or, in some cases, as a building or structural material. It can be acquired for a reasonable price — or even for free – and is easily cut and shaped for a variety of tasks. A very functional and easy-to-do application of cardboard in your home is making a new look for an old range hood. It's a fun and rewarding project that can revitalize a kitchen by updating it to a more contemporary and aesthetically beautiful look.

A range hood is essential because it helps maintain good air quality, cleanliness, and safety in a kitchen. By helping remove smoke, oil, smells, and extra heat, it stops contaminants from accumulating that can become a fire risk. Furthermore, a range hood can also raise a kitchen's resale value by improving its aesthetic appeal. With the ability to fully personalize everything, including style, materials, and size, a DIY range hood is a fantastic way to create a one-of-a-kind and customized kitchen solution. Using cardboard as the design and prototyping material makes it easier to do and becomes a more affordable option than purchasing a prefabricated piece. Before embarking on a DIY range hood project, it's important to consider the need, budget, and investment of time and effort to ensure that the direction taken aligns with the goal. But, in the end, there are considerable savings to be had compared to hiring professionals.

The process of designing a DIY range hood begins by determining the design, size, and fit. When using cardboard, this can be done with pre-cut pieces in the general shape of the intended design fitted one-by-one to the hood to check and trim the pieces to proper size. This is called cardboard prototyping; it's a fast and affordable way to test and validate design concepts and make adjustments as needed without wasting the actual material to be used. Once all the cardboard templates are finished, the outline of each part can then be traced directly to medium-density fibreboard or any other material to be used. 

The advantage of using cardboard to design a DIY range hood compared to simply sketching on paper is evident in the limitations of a flat drawing versus a 3D model. A drawing cannot truly capture the tactile, three-dimensional visualization that a cardboard prototype provides, making it easier to assess if the design concept works or if it meets expectations. Changes needed, be it for size, shape, or aesthetics, can also be easily made on cardboard, which then facilitates a quicker transition to the final production version.

Because of its ease of use and accessibility, cardboard is an ideal design and prototype material. It's low-cost, easy to source, and its durability and light weight enable it to be used for a variety of applications. Cardboard is not difficult to handle, allowing both novice and seasoned DIY practitioners to experiment with their design preferences. Additionally, because of its ability to be folded, cut, layered, or combined with other materials, there are numerous possibilities in the style and forms of the mockups.

Often made from recycled paper fibers, cardboard has a recycling rate frequently exceeding 90%, meaning a significant amount of cardboard can be recycled into new goods. This then makes it a more environmentally friendly choice than other DIY materials. Using — and reusing — cardboard for DIY projects such as range hoods lowers waste and makes a project more approachable in the long run because of its many advantages in terms of cost, user-friendliness, and ecological sustainability. If you have any cardboard left after this project, try using the extra to make a stylish decorative side table or for better kitchen utensil organization.