How to Build a Tower of Cards






With the right technique and enough patience, you can build a 3, 4, or even a 5 story card tower with just one deck of cards. Here's how to explore your inner architect in the comfort of your own living room.

Steps   

  1. Get out a deck of cards. It should be a relatively new deck. (Old, flimsy cards will not fare well, but neither will a totally brand new deck; see "Tips" below). An interesting design usually adds a nice touch as well.
  2. Pick 2 cards from the deck. Place them so that they are about 2 inches (5 cm) apart from each other at the base, and lean them together into an upside-down "V." The "/\" should balance independently when placed down on the surface.
  3. Construct another "/\" besides the first "/\" Place about a centimeter of space between them.
  4. Place a card horizontally on top of the two points.
  5. Construct another "/\" on top of the card laid horizontally. Now you have a second story.
  6. Add another "/\" next to the two existing points and repeat the process. Make the base three points wide and you will have the potential of going three stories tall, make your base four points wide for going four stories tall, and so on.


Tips   

  • Standard sized poker cards work best.
  • If you need help with spacing your cards correctly, try building your base on a Lego baseplate.
  • If your cards slip a lot against other cards, it could be that your cards are too new or unused. New cards have very thin edges that do not stick well. Try wearing down the card edges a tad.
  • Refrain from breathing hard when constructing your card tower.
  • If you have a friend who is willing to help you build your card tower, that's great. As you try to build higher card towers, it's helpful to have someone brace the points that are already constructed on the row that you are on.
  • If your hands get shaky, try squeezing a stress-ball.
  • Index cards work better than playing cards: They are not smooth and polished.
  • You can browse the web for more ways. This is the most well known way, but there is a way to make a card house and design it any way you want.


Warnings   

  • Don't worry if you aren't successful the first few times. Be patient. You need the most steady hands possible at all times in the construction of a card tower.


Things You'll Need   

  • A deck or two of cards
  • A somewhat sticky surface or carpet
  • Time and patience