How To Make a Paper Boat that Holds Weight

Paper boats are fun and simple toys you can make and play with on a lazy day. They are simple to fold into shape so even little kids can make one that will float on water. But since they are made of paper, they won’t last long and sink after a while so here’s how you can make a paper boat that will float longer even while bearing a bit of weight.

  • Cut a sheet of thick paper to the size you want. The sheet must be rectangular in shape with the length being about 1.5 times longer than the width. You need not be so accurate with the measurements but simply note the proportion to ensure that the folds will turn out just right. You can also choose to use thin paper but in which case, layer 4 sheets and glue them together. Wait until it is completely dries before proceeding to fold the boat.
  • Hold the paper vertically to begin folding. Take the top edge and fold it down half way so it meets the bottom. Next, take the upper left corner and fold it towards the center, forming a dog ear. Do the same with the right corner while making sure that both folds meet perfectly at the center and are aligned. You should have a left over flap below this. Fold this flap over the formed triangle and flip it over to do the same at the back. Fold the flaps’ corners over each other so you are left with a perfect triangle shape.
  • Pull open the triangle’s bottom. Tug at the center of both sides until it folds into a square. Hold it so you have one corner pointing up but the opening should be below. After you have done so, take one bottom corner and fold it up so it meets the corner pointing up. Flip it over and repeat the same so you once again end up with a triangle. Pull this open once more to a square.
  • Hold it the same way as above, with the opening below. With both your hands holding the paper close to the corner facing up, pull it open as far as it will go. You should end up with a typical boat shape with an upright triangle inside. To straighten it out, put the boat over a flat surface then take each side and push it down flat outwards so your boat has a square floor.
  • Cut a thick card, preferably one that is water-proof, to the exact size of the boat’s square floor. As a final touch, stick this under the boat that should help keep it afloat longer. Make sure that the boat will float even with this added floor before gluing it permanently in place.

You can experiment with different types of paper for this but avoid the use of newspapers as they are quite absorbent. This is not a quality you would want your boat to have whether you plan on simply watching it float across the lake or plan on joining a friendly contest on which boat can hold the most weight with family and friends.


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