How to Nail Crates Together
Nailing wooden crates may seem like an easy task, but actually there are a few simple technical problems that need to be addressed, such as how to deal with the fact that your nails will be longer than the combined thicknesses of two crate boards. However, with a little ingenuity and planning this and other problems can be easily solved.
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Things You'll Need
- 7 pine boards, 1 by 4
- Hammer
- Crosscut hand saw
- Nail brads
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Carpenter's square
- #6 casing nails with bright finish
Instructions
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1
Design the project. There are a lot of possibilities for pieces of furniture that can be built with wooden crates. One option is to build two layers of crates with each row containing three crates. All crates are arranged vertically and attached to side with back braces. All the bracing may not be necessary if you crates are heavy duty, but if you have crates with thin boards, then every brace will be required for structural strength.
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2
Stand three crates together, so that each crate is taller than it is wide and push the three crates together so that their vertical sides touch.
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3
Measure the distance across the tops of the three crates. Make sure the measurement goes to the outside edge on both sides.
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4
Cut two pine boards to this length using the hand saw. Use the carpenter's square to make sure both ends are square.
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5
Set the two boards on top of the row of three crates. One board should be halfway between the front and back and one board should be even with the back edge of the crates.
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6
Choose a length of nail brad that is not longer than the combined thicknesses of the pine boards and the crates and nail the crates to the pine boards. The best way to do this is to turn everything upside down with the crates being on top of the pine boards. After you have checked the alignment of the pine boards drive the brads through the thinner boards of the crates and into the pine. Then turn the unit back over.
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7
Set the next row of crates on top of the pine boards and drive some brads through the crate into the pine. You might have to cut a another brace that fits between the top and bottom of the crate.
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8
Cut two more pine boards to go across the top of the second row of crates. Line these boards so they are directly above the first pair of pine boards. Be certain that the board at the rear is even with the back of the crate. Use the same sized brads to do the nailing.
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9
Cut two boards to run from the floor to the top set of horizontal pine boards. Make sure both ends are square and the measurement is exact so the board runs all the way to the top edge of each horizontal pine board.
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10
Nail the pine boards together with the #6 casing nails. Use three nails at each juncture.
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11
Hold a pine board against the back of the structure at a 45 degree angle to the floor. Mark the cut on each end of the board so that the pencil line runs vertically and is even with the outside of the structure.
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12
Cut the board and nail it to the back of the structure. Use brads to nail the pine board to the crates and the casing nails to nail pine to pine.
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Tips & Warnings
Crates vary widely in the type of lumber used. It is possible that you might have crates that do not need any pine bracing.
A good idea idea is to use a manufactured crate as these items will probably have more strength than ones you acquire for free, but that situation is variable.
You can make your own crates if you like.
Don't sit on the finished structure.
