i was curious to find out how strong papier mache can be so i decided to try out a few tests on objects i have made and i was very surprised. i had made a bowl that used some cardboard for an armature. however the main structure is made up of 8 layers of laminates externally and 6 layers internally. the inside is hollow apart from a few cardboard wedges just to mantain shape. i placed the bowl on the floor and stood on top of it not really knowing quite what to expect! i was amazed that it supported my weight easily even though i weigh 14 stone! it is a point worth remembering that the victorians actually used papier mache to make furniture and a process was developed around this time that involved pressing laminates of paper together at high temperatures which resulted in papier mache that was equally as strong as wood! did anyone see the edition of "Tomorrow`s World" on BBC1 a few months ago where they made a sheet of cardboard which was so strong a truck was able to drive across it?! when i eventually find the time i`d like to conduct a few more tests to determine the load bearing capabilities of papier mache which may be of interest to anyone thinking of constructing something on a large scale or an outdoor project like Andre`s paper castle.