How to build a toy box at home

To get a toy box that matches your interior design, build it yourself. This elegant piece of furniture works both as an entrance bench and as a children’s toy holder. With soft-close zippers for safety and dividers for organization, it’s the right solution for kids to reduce toy clutter in the home.

A DIY toy box is the perfect solution for taming clutter in a child’s room. Follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how to make a toy box.

Required materials:

• Birch plywood (see cutting list, below)
• Pine project boards (see cutting list below)
• Birch perimeter strip
• Iron
• Metal roll
• Wooden file
• Kreg Pocket Mask Kit
• Drill
• Wood glue
• Kreg corner clamps
• Kreg screws
• Kreg wooden caps
• Wooden padding
• Putty knife
• Sandpaper, sanded, if desired
• Primer, paint, varnish, brushes
• Template (provided in step 8)
• Band
• Water-based or polyacrylic sealant
• Student
• Butt hinges (2)
• Toy Box Lid Hinges (2)

Material cutting size list:

Capacity: Birch plywood 18 x 30-9/16 x 3/4 inches (1)

They: birch plywood 18 x 15-9/16 x 3/4 inches (1)

Put the bottom at: 18 x 46-1/8 x 3/4 inch birch plywood (1)

Witnesses: birch plywood 18 x 14-1/2 x 3/4 inches (2)

Separator: birch plywood 17-1/4 x 14-1/2 x 3/4 inches (1)

Raft: birch plywood 17-1/4 x 14 x 3/4 inches (1)

Wave: Birch plywood 14-1/2 x 44-1/2 x 3/4 inches (1)

Internal clamp: Birch plywood 16-1/2 x 1-1/2 x 1 inch (1)

Front panel: 14-1/2 x 29-3/4 x 3/4 inch bent pins with margins (1)

Legs: 3-1/2 x 14 x 3/4 inch Clear Pine Project Boards (2)

Put in order: 2-1/2 x 38-1/2 x 3/4 inch Clear Pine Project Boards (2)

Step 1: Apply perimeter tape

Apply edging to all edges of the wood that do not surround another piece of wood and are visible. To apply edge tape, cut the tape a little longer than the edge of the piece. Preheat an iron. Place the strip centered on the edge and press it into the wood. Use a metal roller to press the tape onto the wood. Reapply heat to any strips that do not stick. Hold a file almost perpendicular to the tape and remove any excess.

Step 2: Assemble the box

Start assembling the main box by attaching the ends and divider to the bottom. Using a Kreg pocket hole punch, punch three pocket holes along the bottom edges of the two ends and the spacer. Drill three holes along the top edge of the divider and the end that will go on the side of the shelf. Run a drop of wood glue along all the edges that will be attached to the other pieces. Use corner clips to hold the end pieces at the bottom and screw them together.

Step 3: Attach the shelf

Use the pocket holes drilled in the top ends of the divider and end piece to attach the fixed top piece.

Drill pocket holes in the bottom of the shelf along both long sides. Run a drop of wood glue along all the edges of the wood that will be attached to the other pieces. Screw the shelf into the bottom 14 inches, making sure it is flush with the front of the bottom.

When installing the shelf, we recommend using a corner clip where the shelf meets the end. Place a piece of wood under the shelf to keep it at the desired height.

Step 4: Install the back panel

Drill two or three pocket holes on the back of the back piece along both short ends. Place a drop of wood glue along all four edges and slide the back panel behind the box. Secure with screws along the pocket holes. Drill holes and insert screws into the back 14-3/8 inches from the end of the shelf. These will be attached to the divider.

Step 5: Fill the holes

Fill any holes that appear using wooden dowels. Apply some glue inside the hole and insert a plug. Once the glue is dry, sand off any caps that protrude beyond the board. Use wood filler to fill any gaps around the cap, let dry and sand.

Step 6: Attach the clip and paint

Screw the clip into the box along the divider, flush with the top edge, to provide additional support for the lid. Be careful not to screw in where the screws attach the separator to the top. Lightly sand, prime, and paint the box frame and large top piece; let it dry.

Step 7: Cut the handle

Using the free template below and a hacksaw, cut the curved handle on the top edge of the front panel and sand. Punch two or three holes along the short ends and bottom edge. Color the front the desired darkness and seal.

Step 8: Assemble the base

For the base, punch two pocket holes at each end of both pieces of paper and two or three along the top edges of the paper pieces. Insert each dowel about 2-1/2 inches from the front and back ends of the boards that will become the legs, then glue and screw together.

Step 9: Connect the base and front panel

Sand, stain and seal the assembled base. Center the base on the bottom of the box, glue it and screw it to the box using the pocket holes. Once the legs are attached, turn the build over and attach the front panel to the building box and screw it to the end, bottom and divider.

Step 10: Install the cover

Create countersunk spaces to fit the box lid head hinges. Use a hacksaw and chisel to cut two sections 2 inches long and 1/4 inch deep 2 inches from the ends at the top edge of the back panel. Screw one side of the hinges to the top edge of the recess, then screw the other side of each hinge to the lift cover.

Protect your little fingers with a lid that doesn’t snap shut. Buy toy box hinges depending on the weight of the lid. To install the toy box hinges, follow the instructions and template included in the hinge package.