Wondering how to make your iPad stand up against simple everyday objects? There are plenty of good, versatile iPad stands on the market, but they’ll cost you cash—sometimes quite a lot. But if you’re up for a fun creative project, you can make your own iPad stand without breaking the bank.
If you use an iPad without a stand, you may find that your arms get tired at certain times, or you experience situations where you need to do other things with your hands, such as cooking or holding a hungry baby, while you Read on device. Making an iPad stand can make your life easier and allow you to use your iPad in whole new ways – as a viewing screen, a sidecar backup display, or an art canvas.
Below we suggest some easy, affordable ways to make your own iPad stand without breaking the bank by using materials you might be able to find about the house.
How to Make an iPad Stand-Up From Household Items
Disclaimer: Please make sure any iPad stand you make is structurally sound before trying it on your iPad, we are not responsible for any accidents. Children should consult an adult before using any sharp objects.
01. How to Make an iPad Stand from Cardboard
How long it will take: 5 minutes
What you’ll need: Packing cardboard, scissors, and markers (optional).
Despite courier companies’ claims that they’re making the transition to sustainability, we’re still overwhelmed by the rising tide of cardboard packaging that inevitably ends up in the trash, recycling bins, or bulging cupboards you can’t face cleaning out. The upside is that we’re equipped with plenty of raw materials to exercise our minds on: kids use cardboard box rockets to fly to other planets, flaps become pirate dueling machetes, and cardboard scraps are used for DIY projects, like this one.
This is probably the easiest and cheapest method on this list—it took me about five minutes from finding the materials to create a fully functional iPad stand.
- If you have a marker handy, you can outline the marks to make cutting easier and more accurate.
- In the example pictured, I cut two V shapes on either side of the cardboard, then folded the center over to use as a hinge. It should be a simple case of standing it up and inserting the iPad into the slot.
- With enough time and more tools, you can create more complex and dynamic cardboard stands. There are plenty of examples on the internet of people using drills, saws, and glue guns to make covers and brackets that are almost as good as the real thing.
- Due to the fragility of the cardboard, this should be seen as a temporary solution – be careful not to place it in any heat as the cardboard may lose its integrity and become limp like lettuce (lettuce will be like a rabbit-eat bad material).
02. Make a LEGO iPad stand
How long it will take: 30 minutes
What you’ll need: LEGO (other brands maybe?
There are 40 billion LEGOs and 5 billion people in the world, so there are <> bricks per person – they seem to proliferate in houses with the occasional table, psyllids, dry rot, etc., so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting to some. This method is a fun way to spend an afternoon and you can get the whole family involved. Why not make it a game?
- Start your structure with a simple foundation. I used a combination of brick types, trying to keep it as symmetrical as possible.
- Form two back pillars – adding cross links will make the whole thing more stable.
- Create gaps for the iPad. I’ve found that “double stud” blocks are perfect for the job, but back them up with stronger blocks up front.
- Add flatter blocks to give structural strength – the more the merrier.
- You may wish to add your own specific flourishes. With LEGO, there are no limits to creativity, so enjoy yourself. Some newer kits have hinges, so you can try creating your own folding iPad case.
- You may wish to glue the final structure together for added strength and longevity to the stand. Always check with your parent/child first.
- Don’t forget to leave an obligatory LEGO brick on the floor to find later and to help you practice jumping, dirty dancing.
03. Make an iPad stand out of sticks
How long it will take: 10 minutes
What you’ll need: Lollipop sticks (I used eleven), scissors, electrical tape (or other sticky material like elastic or wood glue)
You can buy lollipop sticks at most art stores to save yourself from brain freeze and have an iPad stand that smells like bubblegum. In this example, I used electrical tape to hold the sticks together because it’s cheap and readily available, but there are many alternatives such as wood glue, duct tape, or elastic.
If you’re really smart and have a sharp scalpel, you might be able to cut slots in each stick and insert them together, like slab furniture. When I tried doing this, the sticks fell apart, but you might have more luck if you soak them first.
- Glue two bundles of sticks together—one bundle of at least four sticks and one bundle of at least two.
- Create an A-frame and slide it between the two bundles. Tape it all together – the more tape there is, the more likely it will hold.
- Add feet by gluing two long sticks to the bottom of the two mounds, spreading out backward.
- Split a stick in half, then glue the two pieces to the front of the smaller stack to form two prongs to hold the iPad in place.
- This will create a smaller frame, suitable for iPhone or smaller iPad models. You can adapt this method to create larger frames for larger models.
04. 3D printing iPad stand
How long it will take: 30 minutes (depending on your ability)
What you need: 3D printer, templates (downloaded), or 3D software (to create your own)
The future is here, and it’s multi-dimensional — and if you already own a 3D printer, chances are you’re surrounded by plastic totems of your printing career. 3D printing allows you to design and produce your own items, and it has recently become more affordable.
I created this model in Blender, which is a free download, but you can use other 3D software as well. There are also plenty of sites where you can download free templates, such as Thingyverse or Printable.
- Open a new Blender file and create basic shapes. The main support is a cylinder cut in half with a ring cut added and one face extruded up to create the back.
- I cut out the struts from the bottom of the bracket using a boolean modifier and a cylinder.
- The arm is a simple cube with rounded ends.
- Make sure all your models are sturdy and free of any thin unsupported struts.
- Once you have the look you want to achieve, try cleaning up your mesh to make it diverse, removing any overlapping inner cavities. A boolean modifier can be used to do this. Some 3D printing software will try to clean up the mesh, but it’s best to export the mesh as cleanly as possible.
- Export as stl file.
- Send to a 3D printer.
05. Make an iPad stand with a pen or pencil
How long it will take: 10 minutes
What you will need: Pen or pencil, electrical tape (or other attachment material such as elastic)
In 1945 a pen cost about $188, but now they’re tenpence – just go to any meeting and people will throw them at you. You probably have some lying around that you can use to make an iPad stand.
- From the base by bundling three pens into a triangle.
- Create a pyramid shape by gluing three pens together at the top.
- Join the two structures together at the bottom to create a pyramid shape.
- Your structure may have created a natural shelf, but if not, add one last pen for the iPad to rest on.
06. Origami iPad Stand
How long it will take: 5 minutes
What you need: paper, scissors.
Origami is an ancient and precise art that requires logical thinking and the ability to consider complex geometric and spatial patterns in the folding of the page. I followed a tutorial from Simple Steps on YouTube to create this paper iPad stand. It’s easy to follow and doesn’t take long at all.
- Cut the A4 page into squares, each side equal to 210mm (shorter side of A4).
- Follow online tutorials or find books that describe the required folding steps.
- It’s a simple shape, so you can use thicker cardstock as a sturdier stand.
- More complex shapes are possible, but take longer and require more skill and concentration.
07. Get creative
What you’ll need: Household items, eg. Cardboard packaging tubes, egg cartons, string.
As I write this, I’m walking around the apartment, noticing anything that might be useful for making an iPad stand. My first epiphany was that I needed a really good spring cleaning, but my second epiphany was how much stuff was around me that could be diverted to that purpose. In fact, it ruined the whole weekend when I was wandering around town with the iPad standing in front of me, the mind-altering object. Here’s a list of household items that can be used as iPad stands:
- Mini Bean Bags.
- An egg carton.
- Pens – These love pens are such a clean, easy solution, I couldn’t leave them out.
- Cardboard Tubes – Toilet paper is avoided for hygiene reasons. Thick filler tubes are best, although they take some practice to cut.
- string. A good knitter will be able to assemble some sort of cozy papaya to snuggle up to an iPad. This is useful for hanging on cabinets.
- Coat hanger. If you still have any old metal coat hangers lying around, you can bend and twist them into a stand that can lie flat or hang from hooks.
- Either a music stand or an instrument stand can be repurposed to hold an iPad.
- Old credit cards can be bent and cut to form the basic feet of the stand.
- Book
- Assorted stationery – bulldog clips, folders, paper clips.
