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A planked toy box with built-up corner legs, sized around an off-the-shelf project panel so the bottom needs zero fitting. The lid support is the one part you must not skip.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leg fronts | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16 1/4" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Leg sides | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 16 1/4" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Side planks | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 33" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| End planks | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 13" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Bottom boards | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 33" | 1x8 | ☐ |
| Top trim | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 36" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Lid Used as purchased — no cutting. | 1 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 36" | Edge-glued project panel | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1x4, 8 ft From each board cut two 33" and two 13" pieces — the side and end planking. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 1x2, 6 ft Leg halves and top trim. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 6 ft The other half of each leg. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x8, 6 ft Box bottom boards. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Edge-glued project panel, 36" x 15-1/4" The lid. Sold off the shelf at big-box stores — this exact size is the reason the box is dimensioned the way it is. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Hinges, 3" | 2 each | ☐ |
| Toy box lid support The slow-close, any-position kind. Not optional on a box a child will open — this is a finger-safety part. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Felt pads or bumpers Soften the lid close. | 4 each | ☐ |
| Self-tapping wood screws, #8 x 1-1/2" to 2" Attaching the bottom. Anything from 1-1/2" to 2" works — trim, cabinet, or construction screws. | 20 each | ☐ |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga | 200 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 8 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Speed Square. Materials: 1x2, 6 ft, 1x3, 6 ft, Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga, Wood glue
Glue and nail each 1x3 leg piece to a 1x2 leg piece with the outside edges flush, a brad about every 6". The L-profile is what makes flat stock read as a corner post.
Build all four, then stand them together and check they're the same height — a proud leg now is a rocking box later.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Speed Square. Materials: 1x4, 8 ft, Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga, Wood glue
Glue and nail a 33" plank across the tops of two legs, top and outside edges flush. Orientation matters: the wider 1x3 leg face goes on the FRONT of the box, the 1x2 face on the ends. Get one leg backwards and the planking won't land flush at that corner.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: 1x4, 8 ft, Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga, Wood glue
Add the remaining long planks below the first, working downward. Run glue along the long seam between planks as well as on the legs — those glued edges are what turn four separate boards into one stiff panel.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: 1x4, 8 ft, Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga, Wood glue
Attach the 13" end planks the same way, starting at the top and working down, glue in every seam, brads into the legs. You now have the full box shell, open top and bottom.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x8, 6 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, #8 x 1-1/2" to 2", Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga, Wood glue
Measure both diagonals across the box bottom. If they don't match, push the long corners toward each other until they do — the box is only square when the numbers are.
Screw the 1x8 bottom boards on with the self-tapping screws. Then, for strength, also glue and nail through the outside of the legs into the edges of the bottom boards. The bottom carries the toys; the extra fasteners keep it from ever sagging out.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: 1x2, 6 ft, Brad nails, 1-1/4", 18 ga, Wood glue
Glue and nail the 36" 1x2 across the top back edge. It finishes the rim and gives the hinges solid wood to bite into instead of plank end grain.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Edge-glued project panel, 36" x 15-1/4", Hinges, 3", Toy box lid support, Felt pads or bumpers
Attach the project-panel lid with the two 3" hinges into the top trim.
Now the part that matters: install the toy box lid support so the lid physically cannot slam. Test it by letting go of the lid at every height — it should stay put or drift down slowly. Stick felt pads or bumpers on the rim to quiet the close.
Sand every edge and corner round before you call it done. The finish is your call; if you paint, use a low-VOC paint and let it cure fully before toys go in.