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A deck box that reads as modern furniture: cedar picket paneling over two 2x4 frames, a slat floor on cleats, and a hinged lid that seats two.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frame boards | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 15 3/4" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Front and back paneling | 9 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 35 3/4" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| End paneling and floor slats | 10 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 15 3/4" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Floor cleats Measure and cut to fit your box. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 34 3/4" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Lid supports | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Short floor slats | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 12 3/4" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared (Cedar) All the paneling, floor, and lid. 1x6 boards substitute directly for a smoother look. | 7 each | ☐ |
| 2x4, 8 ft The two side frames. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x2, 8 ft Floor cleats and short floor slats. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 8 ft Lid supports. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Exterior hinges Small hinges at the back of the lid. | 2 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive Frame joints only. | 8 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, star drive All the paneling. Staples or brads in matching lengths substitute. | 80 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Screw three 2x4s into a U per side with the 2-1/2" screws, two per joint. These two frames are the entire structure — everything else is skin.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, star drive
Attach the end pickets to the frames with the 1-1/4" screws, two per end, holding the FIRST picket 3/4" up from the frame bottom. That reveal puts cedar, not framing lumber, at deck level, and floats the box visually. Keep it consistent — it's the kind of detail that's invisible done right and glaring done unevenly.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, star drive
Attach the long pickets to the frames, matching the end paneling's heights so the courses wrap the corners level.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x2, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, star drive
Screw the 1x2 cleats to the inside faces with the shorter screws — measure your actual box for length. They carry the floor, and everything stored in the bench.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, 1x2, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, star drive
Set the floor slats on the cleats and fasten with 1-1/4" screws, nails, or staples. Leave small gaps — anything that drips in needs a way out the bottom.
Tools: Tape Measure. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft
Lay the two 1x3 supports across the frame tops, held to the back, small gap at the front. They LOOK like box parts; they are lid parts. Screwing them to the box here is this build's one classic mistake — the lid would never open.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Jigsaw, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, 1x3, 8 ft, Exterior hinges, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, star drive
Lay the lid pickets over the supports and screw pickets to SUPPORTS ONLY — the lid becomes one panel you can lift straight off. Hinge it to the box at the back with the exterior hinges.
Jigsaw a shallow finger notch in the front lid edge for lifting. Sand the whole top well (it's seating), and either let the cedar silver or oil it annually. Cushions live longer in a bin inside — a picket box sheds weather, it doesn't seal it out.