How to Make a Balsa Wood Tower Stronger

Evaluate your existing tower and determine where you can add additional support beams across two main legs of the tower. Adding new support beams is the simplest and most effective way to strengthen an existing tower. You can create "X" beams with existing support beams, or add additional beams near the top and bottom of the structure. Remember that many short support beams are better than a few long ones.

Measure the lengths of the new support beams you want to add to the existing structure. Measure beams that will fit across the tops of the main legs of the tower, not inside of the frame. If you already have some support beams glued this way, measure for two short beams that will create an "X" with the existing beam.

Cut pieces of wood to fit each spot for a new support beam. Be sure of your measurement before beginning to cut, because even gently crushing the wood's fibers will severely impact its strength.

Glue the support beams in place, using the smallest amount of glue possible and holding them firmly in place as the glue dries without crushing the wood's fibers. Make sure the beams are as symmetrical and consistent as possible. These beams will spread the weight of the load across the whole structure, and prevent one weak spot from taking too much and breaking.

Add a layer of balsa wood to the outside of each of the main legs, creating a laminate of the wood. Apply a thin layer of glue along the outside or inside of the leg, depending on the location of existing beams, and firmly glue the additional wood layer to the leg. This will help increase the critical load of the main legs.