DIY paper tube mandala wall art

How to Make a Toilet Paper Roll Mandala Wall Art

Easy and inexpensive toilet paper roll mandala

In this post, you will learn how to make a gorgeous and cheap toilet paper roll mandala wall art.

“I don’t throw that out. It’s going to be good for something.” Can you relate? I keep a lot of stuff that my spouse considers trash like toilet paper rolls. If you are a big Pinterest fan like me, you probably have seen toilet paper roll crafts. There are a bunch of crafts for kids, but also some awesome wall decor crafts.

Now I have a big bag of toilet paper rolls. I decided it’s time to make something with them. Mandalas are gorgeous. I like to color them, draw them, look at them, make them.

You may also like my ther craft, the leaf mandala papercraft.

What is a mandala?

The mandala is a Hindu and Buddhist symbol, they always have a concentric (circular) nature. The figure represents the universe and symbolizes the notion of life is never-ending.

Mandalas are very popular in home decoration. You can find a lot of tapestries, throw pillows, rugs, canvas art, etc. Almost every bohemian styled room incorporates mandala accents.

This was my first toilet paper roll project, but certainly not the last. I was a special education teacher. We painted toilet paper rolls with my class, but I haven’t made anything for my home. Toilet paper rolls are versatile and free. I liked working with the rolls because they are easy to shape. It’s almost like working with wire.

How to make a toilet paper roll mandala

Tools and supplies for the mandala art:

  • toilet paper rolls
  • scissor
  • plier
  • ruler
  • pencil
  • glue gun
  • glue gun stick
  • stapler
  • the tube from one gift paper wrap roll.

TIP! Make sure you have collected enough paper rolls before you start working on your craft. You will need 20-25 toilet paper rolls for this craft. Before getting to work, check that the rolls have the same color and thickness. If you always use the same toilet paper brand, this won’t be a problem.

I used eight different shapes for my mandala. In the photo below, I used the pieces from the first column. Choose the parts as you desire and create your unique wall decor. The names of the shapes come from my imagination so that you won’t find them anywhere else.

Paper tube shapes for wall art

Cut up the toilet paper rolls

Press the toilet paper roll and make 1,5 cm marks on both sides. Cut 1,5 cm wide strips. When you have a lot of paper rings, you can start making the pieces. I used a total of 121 pieces, and five long strips cut from the gift wrapping paper roll.

To create my design you will need: one ring, 14 shells, eight teardrops, eight fish, 34 pairs of leaves, eight mounds, 12 petals, 12 spikes, 12 tendrils, and 12 buds.

TIP! To make a beautiful sharp look, use your plier and press every pointy part. I used pencils, my fingers, and the end of the brush to roll the end of the paper, and to make the curvy parts.

You can also draw the piece on a paper and use it as a template to make them identical. This way, you can achieve a perfectly symmetrical look. My free template sheet is available in the resource library.

Paper tube shapes for DIY wall art

How to shape the toilet paper rolls

How to assembly the toilet paper roll mandala:

Let’s get to the fun part. Gluing it all together is way faster than creating the elements. Be careful not to burn yourself with the glue gun, while holding and pressing the parts.

1. Glue the shells to the ring one by one. I glued them at the bottom and the sides between them for maximum strength.

2. Arrange the teardrops around the swirls. Glue the bottoms and sides.

3. Place one pair of leaves in every teardrop and glue them down.

4. Glue fish where the teardrops meet on the outside.

5. Take one long strip and glue around them.

Paper tube mandala DIY wall decor

5. Grab your leaves and arrange them around the mandala and glue them down.

6. Glue together two long strips and wrap around again. Glue the strip to every piece.

7. Clip together with the stapler, the mounds endings.

DIY paper tube mandala wall art

8. Arrange it around in line with the teardrops. First, glue down the parts you clipped, then all of the bottoms.

9. Glue together another two long strips and wrap around. Attach the mounds every hump.

10. Stick the petals and buds in one big circle. Glue them down to the base. I arranged them in line with the teardrops in the middle.

DIY paper tube mandala wall decor

11. Glue the tendrils and spikes together.

12. Put one tendril and spike combo in every petal. Glue down the tips and the side of the swirls too.

Voila! A beautiful mandala wall decor.

Paper tube mandala DIY wall decor
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Tips and tricks:

  • If you want it to be colored, paint the toilet paper rolls before cutting them up and making the shapes. You can use acrylic paint or spray paint.
  • Take a closer look at your paper rolls before starting the project. Choose a better quality roll. In the roll, if the layers are peeling, the shapes will turn out ugly. I also had to glue them here and there, but that’s normal.
  • Use the teardrops as a reference when gluing the outer layers. This way, you can achieve a more symmetrical look.
  • If you put too much glue, you will have flying filaments all over the place.

You can create amazing mandala crafts by creating beautiful stencils. I have an article on how to easily create a stencil. You can apply the mandala design to your walls, paper, clothes, wood, tiles, and more.

Final thoughts about the toilet paper roll mandala wall art:

This craft is easy and inexpensive. I’m delighted how the mandala turned out.

One of the cons of this craft is that it is time-consuming. You will spend a couple of hours making the pieces, but I think it will totally worth it. However, be prepared that your fingers will hurt after all the shaping, pressing, and cutting. I do recommend making them in batches.

You still have toilet paper rolls? I’ve found a collection of awesome toilet paper roll wall art by Architecture Art Design. Check it out here.

Did you like this craft? Would you like a step by step tutorial on how to make the shapes? What’s your favorite paper roll craft?

Related articles with toilet paper rolls

DIY paper tube mandala wall art

30 thoughts on “How to Make a Toilet Paper Roll Mandala Wall Art”

  1. This is amazing. I have asked my friends to save their rolls for me so I can get started on this project quickly. Than you.

  2. Hey Viola, I didn’t notice the comments (sorry again). Thanks for sending an email. The templates are in the library!

  3. Paper tubes usually differ a lot in quality, color and size too. I like to use the same brand within a craft. Try to select and group them by size and make one shape within one group.

  4. The template is available in the Resource Library. To get access, you have to sign-up for the newsletter (you will get the password by email). Click on the toilet paper mandala in the library, and your download will appear. I’ll try my best to make a video this weekend or the following days. 🙂

  5. Bonjour, c’est un très joli projet qui me donne envie de me lancer. J’ai commencé à garder les rouleaux de papier toilette.
    Merci beaucoup.

  6. Isabell Schreiner

    Das Mandala ist toll. Leider komme ich trotz Passwort nicht in die Bibliothek, um die Vorlage herunterzuladen… Was mache ich falsch? Könntest du mir die Vorlage per E-Mail schicken? Ich würde das Mandala gerne nachbasteln…

  7. I love the look of this! I have all my TP rolls saved and am ready to create. How large is this mandala? I want to hang it above my bed but want to make sure it is the right size. Thank you!

  8. I’m so happy you like it! 🙂 Mine has a 35 cm (14 inches) diameter. You can make it larger by adding more shapes. I have another post, with toilet paper roll snowflakes, where I used other shapes too. You can check that out for more find inspiration.

  9. The toilet paper roll I used for this craft has a diameter of 4.5 cm (1.77 inches). Yours may differ, some tubes are slightly larger or smaller. You don’t have to be anxious! Arrange all the pieces to see the result and make adjustments before adding any glue. 🙂

  10. What is the Ring you mentioned at the beginning? Someone else asked earlier, but I didn’t see an answer to that question. Is it a wreath ring?
    Thanks.

  11. The ‘ring’ is that one full toilet paper roll circle that you don’t need to cut or shape. It’s the mandala’s center. You don’t need a wreath ring, just the toilet paper rolls and hot glue for this craft. Sorry, if it wasn’t clear. It was the first post I had published on the blog, and I didn’t know how to express myself.

  12. It looks amazing, hope to make one of my own. I have a passion for mandalas. Thanks for all the advice and tips, so glad I found your site on pinterest.

  13. hector javie cayeros ramirez

    Hola, soy de tepic nayarit mexico, me encanto el trabajo….estoy haciendo trabajos con carton corrugado, como le hago para conseguir la plantilla…..espero respuesta,,,saludos…

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