How to Make a Paper Boat

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Paper boat folding is a fun, easy-to-do activity that doesn’t require a lot of materials. The great thing is that you only need a piece of printing paper to complete a work! Fold the paper into neat folds and shape it to resemble a boat, and you’ll have a beautiful paper boat in no time!

Table of Contents

Make the first folds

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Fold a 22×28 cm sheet of paper in half. Place the paper vertically and fold it from left to right so that the corners of the paper coincide. You can use regular printing paper, colored craft paper, or origami paper. This is called “hotdog” folding. Remember to smooth the folds. ^{[1] X Research Source}

For sharp creases, use your fingers to press down 3-4 times.

Unfold the paper, turn it horizontally, and fold it in half again. Your sheet of paper will now be horizontal. After adjusting the position, fold the paper from left to right. This “hamburger” fold will create a new crease in the center of the paper. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You should now have 2 even folds in the center of the paper (horizontal and vertical).

Flip the paper so that the open edge is facing you. Next, fold the top corners to the center of the paper, leaving a space 2.5 – 5 cm from the bottom edge of the paper. Make sure the fold coincides with the middle fold. Sew along the fold to hold the folds. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Use the fold you just created to align the folds from the corners down.

Fold the bottom edge of the paper up to touch both sides of the paper. Fold the bottom piece of paper up so that it is close to the bottom of the 2 folded triangles. Flip the paper over and fold the same on the other side. This will form a paper hat. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

These two fold lines should be in line with each other.

Tip : When folding the back side, compare it with the fold line of the front to align.

Fold the bottom two corners inward. On one side of the paper, grab the protruding corners of the rectangle and fold over the triangle. Wrap this piece of paper over the edge of the triangle and draw it down. Next, fold the bottom piece of paper up so that it covers the side of the triangle and is facing you. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

The piece of paper closest to you will be folded in front of the back piece, not over it; otherwise, you won’t be able to fold the back piece of paper.

Take it one step further: Try the wikiHow Origami Beginners Course! Learn popular origami styles and challenge your skills with more complex shapes.

Make the final folds

Turn triangles into squares. Grab the triangle, rotate it 45 degrees, then use your fingers to open the bottom of the triangle. Gently pull the two folds away from each other until it turns into a square. Make sure the lower corners of the triangle are stacked and form the bottom corner of the rhombus. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Run the paper along the edges to keep the square shape.

Fold the bottom piece of paper up. Rotate the paper so that the bottom top of the diamond can be folded up. Fold one corner up to coincide with the top corner. Flip the paper over and fold it in the same way as the front. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

The lower top of the rhombus is the part with many folds.

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Turn the triangle into a square again. Just like last time, you pick up the triangle, rotate it 45 degrees diagonally, then open the bottom of the new triangle. Trim along the edges of the paper to keep the square shape. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

The lower corners will overlap and become the bottom vertex of the square.

Pull out the 2 triangles on either side of the rhombus. Starting at the top of the rhombus, gently pull the sides apart so that the slit running down the center of the rhombus opens up like a flower. Fold the crease below to make the boat stronger. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You may need to pull up the inner triangle as you pull out the sides of the bow. Try to keep the triangle in the rhombus upright, as this will be the “mast” of the boat.

Release the paper boat. Fill the small tub with water and place the boat on the water. If it starts to sink, you need to straighten the boat so it doesn’t sink. ^{[10] X Research Source}

You can use clear tape to secure the corners and stick it on the bottom of the boat to keep it from getting wet.

Tip : Waterproof the boat! Use stencils bought at a craft store to make the boat more durable, or fill one side of the paper with wax color. You can also try folding the boat with foil.

Advice

Note that the thicker the paper, the harder it is to fold.
If you want to float your boat on wide water like a lake, you can attach a rope to one end of the boat. Grab the other end of the rope so your boat doesn’t drift away!
Try to line up the edges of the paper. A balanced boat is less likely to capsize.
If you make a tiny boat, don’t let it float on wide water. It’s easy to slip away!
Make sure to tighten the folds. Use a ruler to make tight folds.
Are you ready for a new challenge? Next time try folding the paper tank!

Warning

Remember that the boat must not have any holes, because even a small hole can break.

Steps

Make the first folds

Make the final folds

Advice

Warning

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