How to bend craft sticks

Here's how to make a nice arch shape with a craft stick.

First, soak the craft sticks you want to bend in hot tap water for 30 minutes.

Then, gently bend the sticks around something round that has the same shape arch you want your stick to have. In this case, we used a 14.5 oz can, but we could have used a larger can for a flatter arch, or a cola can for a rounder arch.

Bend slowly, pressing the wood around the can. If you go too fast the wood will break.

Then use rubber bands to hold the craft stick in place.

Let the craft stick dry completely - ours took about 3 hours.

The tunnel project uses this technique.

Back to the Big Learning Craft Stick page

Cutting
Gluing
Painting
Bending
Panels
Stacks
Extending
Perpendicular joint
Spring-loaded joint