How to Make a Boy's Wooden Toy Box

Boys need a place to store their toy robots and model trains. A toy box will hold their toys and keep them from becoming a tripping hazard. A wooden toy box can be built to match the decor of the boy's bedroom. There is no special skills required to build a wooden tool box. The boy can help with parts of the project. A boy's wooden toy box can be built in less than a day.

Things You'll Need

• 3/4" x 2' x 4' hardwood plywood
• 3/8" x 2' x 2' plywood
• 1" x 3" x 24" hardwood
• Circular saw
• Router with dado blade
• Wood glue
• Drill
• Drill bits
• 1 5/8" screws
• 2 hinges
• Support brackets
• Wood putty
• Sandpaper
• Varnish or paint
• 2 handles

Instructions

Cutting the Wood

1. Cut the 3/4" x 2' x 4' hardwood plywood in half with a circular saw to form two squares.

2. Cut each of these squares in half to produce four rectangles. Three of the rectangles will be the front, back and top of the toy box. Cut the fourth rectangle in half to create the left and right sides of the box.

3. Cut the 3/8" x 2' x 2' plywood panel to 23 ½” by 12 ¾”. This is the bottom of the box.

4. Cut dado slots along the bottom edges of the front, back and side panels. Create the slots by setting the blade and the fence on the router to 3/8”.

Assembling the Toy Box

1. Run a bead of wood glue in the dado slots on the side panels and fit the bottom panel into the slots. Pre-drill four holes at each corner of the box and screw in 1 5/8” screws to hold the box together.

2. Attach the piece of hardwood to the top of the box by positioning it along the back edge on top of the box. Pre-drill holes along the edges and screw in 1 5/8” screws until the piece of wood is secure.

3. Lay the top piece of hardwood plywood on the top of the box and line it up with the piece of hardwood. Place two hinges on the wood and position them so they are an equal distance from the sides of the box. Mark the screw holes with a pencil. Remove the hinges and pre-drill holes at the pencil marks. Attach the hinges with screws.

4. Attach a support bracket to the inside lid of the box. This will prevent the boys fingers from getting crushed when the lid closes.

5. Fill the screw holes with wood putty and sand the box to remove marks and blemishes. Varnish or paint the box and let it dry. Screw handles on the sides of the box.

Tips & Warnings

• Let the boy decorate his toy box with paint and stickers.

• Always wear eye protection when using the saw, router and drill.

References

• Wayne of the Woods: How To Build a Wooden Toy Box
• Ron Hanzelton's House Calls: How to Design and Build a Toy Chest
• AZ Woodman: How to Build a Toy Box