Most people own a cell phone nowadays and a great way to protect it is by using a phone case. But since cell phones come in different shapes and sizes, it can be hard to find one that fits your phone and style. No need to worry, in this article you will learn how to make your own phone case. It’s much easier than you think!
There are several ways how to make your own phone case from scratch. You can do it either with hot glue or with some silicone and cornstarch. Learn the step-by-step guide in this article:
How to Make Your Own Phone Case With a Hot Glue
A quick and easy way to make your own custom phone case is by using hot glue. You can find all the materials you need at home. If you’re looking to create a smooth phone case, this isn’t the one for you and you might want to check this product out instead. But if you want to be creative without spending a fortune, then follow the steps below:
Step 1: Gather All the Materials Needed
You will need:
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Parchment paper (Don’t use wax paper as the glue will stick on the paper)
- Tape (any kind would do)
- Permanent marker
- Pen or colored pencil
- Nail polish or acrylic paint (Use this to design your case)
Step 2: Choosing Your Design
If you choose to use a template pattern, you will need to print the pattern so you can tape it at the back of the phone. Most people choose swirls or mandala patterns. You can find one that you like on the internet.
If you want to create your own design, you can do a free-hand or trace it. If you choose to do so, you need to do the following:
- Pull out a sheet of paper and trace your phone.
- Using the permanent marker, draw a pattern. Don’t forget the sides.
- Cut out the pattern, making sure you follow the outline.
- Tape the final output to the back of your phone.
Step 3: Wrap Your Phone With Parchment Paper
To do this, cut a sheet of parchment paper that is double the size of your phone. Put your phone on top of the paper, making sure that the screen is facing you. Cover the edges of your phone with the paper. Make sure that it is tight and secure it with tape. The tape should be on the front of the phone. You also need to wrap the top and bottom edges and secure them with tape as well.
Step 4: Mark the Ports & Speakers
Using a pen or colored pen, mark off ports, camera, buttons, and anything else important. These marks will be your guideline so that the hot glue won’t cover them. Make sure that the color of the pen you use is visible.
Step 5: Start Gluing Your Case
First, you need to fill in the edges. Be sure to fill it nice and thick as this will support your case. Avoid all the buttons. After doing this, fill in the back. Follow the pattern you have or do it freestyle. Make sure that that you connect all the lines to the sides of the phone and each other. Then, outline the front. You can either draw a thin line right next to the side edge or you can make tiny dots. This will ensure your case stays on your phone.
Step 6: Peel the Case & the Parchment Paper
After the glue has hardened, you can remove it off your phone. Next, remove the parchment paper from the phone. You can now test out the case on the phone. Check if there’s any glue covering the button, ports, camera, etc. If there is, you can cut it away with a craft blade.
Step 7: Paint the Case
Paint it with your desired color. You can use nail polish or acrylic paint, whatever’s available. Let it dry.
And that’s how you make your own phone case that is cheap and easy!
How to Make Your Own Silicone Phone Case
Photo by StockSnap via Pixabay
Don’t want to mess with hot glue? This option is for you. Creating a phone case from silicone helps make your case waterproof. This protects the back casing of your phone. (Please note that this doesn’t make your entire phone waterproof.)
Get crafty and follow the steps provided to make your own case.
Step 1: Prepare the Materials
What you’ll need:
- 10 tablespoons of cornstarch (100 grams)
- 5 tablespoons of clear silicone (50 grams)
- 5 to 10 drops of liquid dye (depending on how intense the color you want to achieve)
- Rolling pin
- Craft blade
- Nail polish or acrylic paint
- Sandpaper
- Plastic gloves
- Plastic wrap or parchment paper or wax paper (whichever is available)
- Glass bowl
- Pain spatula
If you’re looking for alternatives, you can also use liquid watercolor, food coloring, or acrylic paint. If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a glass, spray paint, or wine bottle.
Step 2: Protect Yourself & Your Work Area
Put on plastic gloves to prevent contact with the silicone. Protect your workplace by covering it with plastic wrap, parchment paper, or wax paper. If none of these materials is available, you can work on top of a marble counter or a glass sheet. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area because silicone can have a strong smell. Remember, the silicone used here is not the same as the hot glue.
Step 3: Mix Cornstarch & Clear Silicone
Pour cornstarch and clear silicone into a glass bowl. There is no exact measurement needed. All you need to do is make sure that there is more cornstarch than silicone. Sample measurement can be 5 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of silicone.
Step 4: Add Some Color
This is an optional step but if you want your own case to stand out, consider adding color. Put in a few drops of liquid dye (see step 1 for other alternatives). Not adding color will make your phone case look white.
Step 5: Knead the Mixture to Create a Dough
To make the silicone into a dough, you need to knead everything together. It will take you about 20 minutes to achieve the dough you need. Don’t worry if you can’t pick up the cornstarch, this is normal. Also, the dough may look powdery at first, this means that you should keep kneading.
Step 6: Flatten the Dough
Roll the dough to create a flat sheet. Make sure to roll the sheet until it is a little larger than the dough. The thickness should be about 1/8 inch or 0.32 centimeter.
Step 7: Wrap Your Phone With the Flattened Dough
Place your phone on top of the sheet making sure that the screen is facing upwards. You also should have equal amounts of dough sticking out on each side. Next, slide a paint spatula under the dough, then lift it and fold it over the sides of the phone. Smooth out any creases or wrinkles and try to make it neat as possible.
Step 8: Make Your Custom Design
This step is optional. First, you need to flip your phone over and dust it with cornstarch. Then, you can use stamps to indent designs into the case. You can also use cardboard cutouts to create your own design. Once done, lift the stamp away.
If you want a quilted design, give the silicone about 10 to 20 minutes to harden. Next, dust it with cornstarch and use a craft blade to make criss-cross lines in a diamond quilted pattern.
Step 9: Let the Silicone Dry
The length of drying will depend on the type of silicone and weather conditions. Some silicone will take 2 hours while some may take up to 24 hours. Be patient. Once it is dry and solid (make sure you can’t dent it), pull the case off your phone. If it’s dusty inside, wipe it with a damp cloth.
Step 10: Trim the Excess Silicone
Use the markings from the phone’s screen and case as a guide for cutting. You also need to cut out little indents from the camera, ports, buttons, etc. Use a sharp craft blade for this. Don’t forget to cut out a space for the speakers.
Step 11: Smooth Out & Paint the Case
Use sandpaper to make sure that your case is smooth. If you want, you can apply more raw silicone on top of it and smooth it out using an object with a sharp, flat surface.
You can paint the marked areas with acrylic paint or even nail polish. Be creative and use colors that you want for your case. You can create more shapes out of silicone, let them dry, and color them with nail polish. Glue them on the case with a drop of clear silicone.
How to Make Your Own Phone Case Using Online Tools
For whatever type of phone, there are websites where you can get tools to make your phone case. Many websites offer this kind of service, such as Printful. You can have your customized phone in three easy steps.
Step 1: Pick Your Phone Case
There are several custom iPhone cases and Samsung cases available online. Pick the one you need.
Step 2: Add Your Design
You can use their built-in design tools or upload a custom graphic photo of your choice.
Don’t know what design to use? Here are some ideas:
- Use a photo of your loved one or your favorite memory.
- Add your name or your favorite quote.
- Add a monogram to your case using your favorite colors.
- Create a custom collage.
- Put a picture of your pet.
These are some ideas that can help you decide which design to use.
Step 3: Submit Your Order
Wait for your case, put it on your phone, and voila! You have your customized case.
Some options on how to make your phone case may look tedious but do you know that you can earn money from it? That’s right. Create DIY custom iPhone and Android cases and turn them into your next business venture.
Some websites offer drop shipping for custom cases you create online. You can use Shopify as your eCommerce platform and Printful as your drop shipper. It’s an easy way to earn money without shedding out a lot.
