How to Make Your Own Sand Box With PVC Pipe & a Fan

Create a sand box in your back yard.

Help your children dig away the afternoon by creating a simple and inexpensive sand box. With some materials found around your house and at the hardware store, you can quickly make a sand box that allows your children to explore their creativity while playing outside. Recycle a dysfunctional box fan to create a fast and easy frame for a sand box that is ideal for small outdoor spaces.

Things You'll Need

• Box fan
• Screwdriver
• Saw
• Sandpaper
• Measuring tape
• PVC pipe
• 4 PVC elbow joints
• PVC cement
• Construction adhesive
• Play sand

Instructions

1. Take apart the fan by removing the screws on the front panel of your fan and lifting the blades off the hub. Unscrew and remove the motor assembly. Use an inexpensive new fan if you don't have an old broken one.

2. Remove the interior stability rods. Depending on the fan's model, you may have to use a saw to remove the plastic rods holding the motor assembly in the center of the fan's box. If so, sand the sawed edges inside the box to ensure no sharp edges remain. Discard all the fan's pieces except the frame.

3. Measure your fan's dimensions using a measuring tape.

4. Cut four pieces of the PVC pipe with a circular saw to the dimensions of your fan. Make a square shape with the pipe by connecting the pieces with elbow joints. Swab the outside of one end of the first piece and inside of one end of an elbow joint with PVC cement. Slide the elbow joint onto the pipe. Swab the other end of the elbow joint with PVC cement, then add the cement to one end of the second piece of pipe. Slide the pipe into the joint. Continue this process until all four pieces of pipe are connected by elbow joints in a square shape.

5. Place the box fan frame on the ground. Spread construction adhesive along the top edge. Place your PVC square on top of the box fan, and allow the adhesive to dry for at least two hours. Adding PVC pipe to the top of the box fan frame provides a deeper sand box as well as a rounded top edge that will help prevent injury if a child trips on the sand box. If desired, create a second PVC pipe square and glue to the top of the existing square to add another 2 inches of depth to the sand box.

6. Fill the sand box with play sand. It will take about two to three bags to fill the sand box.

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, create a cover for your sandbox by saving the front panel of the fan. Use heavy-duty clear plastic or a piece of a tarp to cover the panel. Measure the panel, add 4 inches to the width and height, then cut the plastic to the new measurements. Lay the plastic out flat. Center the panel on the plastic. There should be two inches of plastic on each side. Fold the extra plastic over the panel and secure along each edge with PVC cement. Turn the new cover over and place on top of the sandbox. Lay a brick on top to keep the wind from blowing away the cover.

References

• PVC Workshop: How to Cut and Glue PVC Pipe
• Fix It Club: Fan Repair

Resources

• Haleh Rambod: Sandplay Therapy