How to Build a Wooden Bread Box

Make a homemade breadbox.

A breadbox is a simple wooden box with a door that allows you to store bread in a cool, dry place and keep it completely covered to keep bread fresher for longer. If you want the authentic feeling of having a classic wooden breadbox, you can build one yourself with only wood and a few simple tools. You can adjust the size of the box if you are familiar with woodworking to make a larger or smaller box that suits your needs.

Things You'll Need

• 12 inch x 15-inch wood, ¼ inch thick, 2 pieces
• Wood glue
• 12 x 9 ¾ inch wood, ¼ inch thick, 2 pieces
• 12 x 18 inch wood, ¾ inch thick, 2 pieces
• 2 arm hinges
• Screwdriver
• Short screws
• Screw-in knob

Instructions

1. Lay one of the 12 inch x 15 inch pieces of wood flat on a table in front of you so it is 12 inches vertically and 15 inches horizontally.

2. Apply a thin line of wood glue along the vertical, side edges of the wood along the right and left.

3. Stand the 12 x 9 ¾ inch pieces of wood up against the edges of the flat piece of wood to which you applied glue. The 12-inch edges should be aligned with the glued edges and the 9-¾ inch sides sticking upwards to make a standing up U shape.

4. Put one of the 12 inch x 18 inch pieces of wood flat on the table and lay the U shape down on top of it so you have three walls on top of the wood. The three-sided piece of wood should be centered on the bottom piece of wood.

5. Pick the three-sided piece up and apply glue along the bottom edge. Press the wood down onto the bottom piece of wood.

6. Apply glue along the top edges of the wood and place the second piece of 12 x 18 inch piece of wood on top. Press the wood down into the glue and let all the wood dry for several hours.

7. Position the box with the long opening facing you. While looking at it like this attach a hinge arm on the inside of both vertical side pieces of wood. Use a screwdriver and short screws to attach the hinges where you want them to be placed.

8. Position the second 12 x 18 inch piece of wood in between the hinge arms inside the opening of the box. Secure the loose ends of the hinge arms along the edges of the front piece of wood.

9. Screw a knob along the lower edge of the hinged door to allow you to open the door easily. The knob should be centered on the lower edge of the door.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for attractive, solid woods like maple so the breadbox will look nice.

• Do not let bread go moldy in a breadbox. If moldy bread touches wood, it is very difficult to get the mold out of natural wood.

References

• Lee's Wood Projects: How to Make a Wooden Bread Box
• Amateur Woodworker: Bread Box