Making a Bathtub for Your Miniature Bathroom

A bathtub is the centrepiece of any miniature bathroom. The good news is that you can make a beautiful one from simple materials — a bit of cardboard, some glue and a coat of white paint. Add tiny claw feet and wire taps and it looks like it belongs in a real home.

Step by Step

Step 1 — Shape the Tub from Cardboard

Cut a piece of cardboard and shape it into an oval tub form. You can also start with a small container — the bottom half of a plastic egg or a small box — and build around it. If working purely from cardboard, cut a flat oval base and strips for the sides, then glue them together to form the basin shape. The tub should be deep enough that a tiny mouse could sit in it comfortably.

Step 2 — Smooth the Edges

Cover the outside and inside of the tub with thin paper and glue. This smooths out the rough cardboard edges and gives you a clean surface for painting. Apply two or three layers if needed, letting each one dry before adding the next. Pay special attention to the rim — a smooth, rounded rim makes the bathtub look polished and professional.

Step 3 — Add Feet

Claw-foot bathtubs have a wonderful old-fashioned charm. Make four small feet from rolled-up bits of paper, small beads or tiny pieces of clay. Glue them to the bottom corners of the tub. Make sure the tub sits level and stable on its feet. The feet do not need to be perfectly identical — a tiny bit of character in each one adds to the handmade charm.

Step 4 — Create Taps from Wire

Cut two short pieces of thin wire and bend them into tap shapes — a small curve at the top works well. You can add tiny beads to the ends as handles. Glue the taps to one end of the bathtub rim. For a spout, bend a slightly longer piece of wire into a downward curve. These small details make the bathtub look remarkably realistic.

Step 5 — Paint White

Give the entire bathtub two coats of white paint, letting the first coat dry completely before applying the second. White is classic, but you could also paint the outside a soft colour — duck-egg blue or pale pink — while keeping the inside white. Once the paint is dry, your bathtub is ready to install in your miniature bathroom.