How to Make a Paper Cube

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger

Paper cubes can make great additions to your art projects or decorations, and there are a few different ways you can make them. One easy approach is to cut out a template and glue it into the shape of a cube. However, you can also fold several pieces of origami paper together to form a 3D box shape.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cutting a Cube out of a Sheet of Paper

1
Draw an 8 in × 2 in (20.3 cm × 5.1 cm) rectangle on a sheet of paper. If you want to make a cube that’s 2 × 2 × 2 in (5.1 × 5.1 × 5.1 cm), use a pencil and a ruler to create a rectangle that’s 8 in (20 cm) long and 2 in (5.1 cm) tall. For a cube of this size, your paper should be at least 8 in × 6 in (20 cm × 15 cm).^{[1]
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- Construction paper is best for this project because it’s sturdy, but you can also use standard copy paper.
- If you want to make a cube that’s a different size, start with a rectangle with a length-to-width ratio of 4:1. For instance, if you want to make a cube that measures 4 × 4 × 4 in (10 × 10 × 10 cm), draw a 16 in × 4 in (41 cm × 10 cm) rectangle to start.
2
Divide the rectangle into 4 squares. Use your ruler to measure exactly 4 in (10 cm) across the long side of the rectangle, which should be the halfway point. Mark that spot, then, draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in half. You should see two rectangles that measure 4 in × 2 in (10.2 cm × 5.1 cm). Divide each of these rectangles in half again so you have 4 2 in × 2 in (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm) squares.^{[2]
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- If you chose to make a cube that’s a different size, adjust the measurements to divide the original rectangle into 4 even squares.
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3
Add a new square on top of the second box in the rectangle. Find the second vertical line in your rectangle, which is the left side of the second box. Use your ruler and pencil to extend that line upward by 2 in (5.1 cm). Do the same thing above the third vertical line, or the line that runs down the center of the rectangle. Then, connect the tops of the two new lines with a horizontal line. This will create a new 2 in × 2 in (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm) square just above your original rectangle.^{[3]
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- Try to keep your lines as straight as possible, or the sides of your cube may not connect.
4
Draw another square just below the third square in your rectangle. Find the center line of your original rectangle again, and extend this line downward so it reaches 2 in (5.1 cm) below the rectangle. Do the same to the line to its right, which is the fourth vertical line in your rectangle. Connect those lines at the bottom.^{[4]
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- You should now have a total of 6 boxes that measure 2 in × 2 in (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm).
5
Draw 7 parallelograms to create the flaps for your cube. Starting on the far left side of the far-left box, draw 2 lines that angle in toward each other at about 45°. The lines should be about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) long. Then, connect the angled lines with a straight vertical line to make your flap. You’ll also need flaps on either side of the top box, a flap on the bottom of the box just below that, one on the bottom of the very bottom box, and a flap on the top and bottom of the far-right box.^{[5]
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- The only box that won’t have a flap is the third box on your original rectangle. The very top and far-right boxes will have two flaps each, and the far-left, second-from-the-left, and bottom boxes will each have one flap.
- This will be 7 flaps total, and you’ll use them to glue your cube together.
6
Cut out the cube template. Using a pair of scissors, carefully cut along only the outside lines of your template, including the flaps. Don’t cut along the lines that divide the boxes from one another, or the lines between the flaps and the boxes.^{[6]
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- Your template should be 1 big piece when you’re finished.
- If you accidentally make the wrong cut, either tape the template back together or draw a new one.
7
Fold the template along the lines you drew. Start by folding each flap inward along the line that separates it from the box it’s connected to. Then, fold the template along the lines separating the squares. The four squares from your original rectangle will make the sides of the cube, and the top and bottom squares will become the top and bottom of your cube.^{[7]
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- All of your folds should be in the same direction. For instance, you might fold upward along all the lines.
- Be sure to press each fold tightly to make a crisp crease.
8
Add glue to each flap as you put the cube together. Place a small line of glue on one of the flaps, then hold the flap tightly against the corresponding side for several seconds. Continue doing this until you’ve glued down all of the flaps, then leave the cube alone for several minutes to give it time to dry.^{[8]
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- You can use tape to fasten the flaps, if you prefer.
Tip: Try making several cubes, then attach them all to a piece of string to make a fun geometric garland!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Folding an Origami Cube

1
Start with 6 sheets of 6 in × 6 in (15 cm × 15 cm) origami paper. If you want to make a larger or smaller cube, just use larger or smaller square sheets of paper. You can find origami paper at most craft stores or online.^{[9]
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- If you don’t have origami paper, you can use regular copy paper that’s been cut into squares instead.
Tip: You can use one color, several colors, or even patterned paper to create interesting designs!
2
Fold one sheet of paper in half and open it back up. Place one of the sheets of origami paper in front of you on a flat surface, then fold it upward. Line up the top and bottom edges carefully, then press down on the paper to make a fold. Crease the fold, then reopen the paper.^{[10]
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- Since the paper is square, it doesn’t matter whether you make this fold from side-to-side or top-to-bottom, but the crease will need to be arranged from top-to-bottom as you continue.
3
Crease the paper into fourths by bringing the edges to the crease you made. After you reopen the sheet of paper, the crease you made will be running down the center. Bring the bottom edge of the paper up to the center fold and crease the paper again. Repeat for the top edge of the paper.^{[11]
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- Do not unfold the paper after you make these folds.
4
Flip the paper over and bring the bottom left corner to the right edge. Position the paper so that the center opening is facing the table, but turn the paper so the fold is vertical. Grasp the bottom left corner of the paper and fold it up to the paper’s right edge. Make sure the bottom edge of the paper is aligned with the right edge, then press down to crease the fold.^{[12]
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- The new fold will create a triangular edge on the bottom of your paper.
5
Take the top right corner over to the left side of the paper. Next, repeat the same fold, except this time, you’ll fold the top right corner down to the left side of the paper. The folded sheet should now be shaped like a parallelogram.^{[13]
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6
Fold the top corner down and over to the right corner. Grasp the top corner of the parallelogram and fold it so the tip of the triangle is touching the very right corner of the shape. This move will fold the top triangle in half. Crease the folded edge tightly.^{[14]
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- It’s okay if the corners of the folded square pop back up.
7
Move the bottom corner up and to the left. Next, fold the bottom triangle in half just like you did with the top triangle. Bring the point of the triangle up to the left angle of the parallelogram and crease the fold tightly.^{[15]
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- Once you do this, you’ll end up with a small square shape.
8
Repeat all the above steps with the 5 other sheets of paper. Start by folding each sheet of paper in half. Then, continue making the folds until you end up with a small folded square.^{[16]
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- You should have 6 small squares when you’re finished.
9
Fit the pieces of folded paper together. Each of your squares will have 2 end flaps and a center fold. Slide the end flap of 1 piece of folded paper into the center fold of another piece. Then, slide the end flap of a third piece of paper into the other side of the center fold. As you continue adding the other pieces, you’ll see the shape of a cube starting to emerge. Continue until you’ve connected all of the end flaps from each piece of paper, and you’ll have a cube!^{[17]
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- You may need to bend the flaps to fit them into the center fold.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it necessary for the square to be 2 inches?

Community Answer

No. As long as you can make each square equal and it still fit son your paper, the size doesn't matter.
Question

After cutting what should we do?

Community Answer

You should fold the paper into a cube and then stick it all together to make a good cube.
Question

Can I make an origami cube without cutting?

Community Answer

Not this particular one. There are a couple of others in How to Make a Paper Cube.