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A weatherproof post-mounted box with a windowed door — half a sheet of exterior plywood, built to survive outdoors with books or canned goods inside.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelf and bottom | 2 | 3/4" × 13" × 17" | Exterior plywood | ☐ |
| Back | 1 | 3/4" × 17" × 18 3/4" | Exterior plywood | ☐ |
| Sides Cut the slant roof profile down to 18-7/8" at the low edge — see step 1. | 2 | 3/4" × 13 3/4" × 20" | Exterior plywood | ☐ |
| Roof Drawn at 17-1/2" but cut bigger — more overhang, more weather coverage. | 1 | 3/4" × 18 1/2" × 20" | Exterior plywood | ☐ |
| Top strips | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 17" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Front trim, sides | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 20 1/8" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Front trim, horizontal | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15 1/2" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Door stiles | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 19 3/4" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Door rails | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 13 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior plywood, 3/4", 48" x 48" (CDX or AC) Half a sheet does the whole carcass and roof. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x2, 8 ft Front trim and top strips — 12 board feet total. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 8 ft The door frame. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 4x4 post, 6 ft 5 ft buried 2 ft in the ground; or a 3-footer set in a heavy planter with 2 ft of topsoil. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Acrylic glass, 15" x 16-1/4" The door window. Acrylic, not glass — this is a public box. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Exterior hinges | 2 each | ☐ |
| Exterior clasp Holds the door snug against the weatherstripping. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Exterior handle | 1 each | ☐ |
| Weatherstripping tape Top and sides of the door opening — never the bottom; the bottom is the drain. | 5 linear ft | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping | 40 each | ☐ |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 20 each | ☐ |
| Exterior wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
| Exterior wood filler Fill the plywood edge voids or they'll wick water under the paint. | 4 oz | ☐ |
| Exterior paint | 1 quart | ☐ |
| Spar urethane The flexible exterior clear coat over everything — furniture poly cracks outdoors. |
Tools: Circular Saw, Jigsaw, Pencil, Speed Square, Tape Measure. Materials: Exterior plywood, 3/4", 48" x 48" (CDX or AC)
Rip the half-sheet into two strips — one 17" wide, one 20" wide — then crosscut the parts and LABEL each one: bottom, shelf, back, two sides, roof.
For the sides, mark the low edge at 18-7/8" and cut the triangle off the top to create the slanted roof profile. The two sides must match — cut one, and use it to mark the other.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Exterior plywood, 3/4", 48" x 48" (CDX or AC), Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping, Exterior wood glue
Screw and glue the bottom to the back with the 2" screws. Exterior glue on every joint in this build — the fasteners hold it together, the glue keeps water out of the joints.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square. Materials: Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping, Exterior wood glue
Attach the sides to the bottom and back with 2" screws, slanted profile running down toward the front. The box takes shape here — check it sits flat and square before the glue sets.
| 1 quart |
| ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 1x2, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping
Screw the 1x2 strips across the top of the opening front and back. They close the gap between the sides at the roofline and give the roof panel something to fasten to along its edges.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Exterior plywood, 3/4", 48" x 48" (CDX or AC), Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4", Exterior wood glue
Glue and screw the roof panel down through into the sides and top strips with the 1-1/4" pocket screws (used here as short wood screws). The overhang goes to the front and sides — it's the box's umbrella; make it even.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: Exterior plywood, 3/4", 48" x 48" (CDX or AC), Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping
Install the interior shelf at whatever height suits the mission: taller bays for cookbooks and picture books, shorter for cans and boxes. It doesn't have to be centered — an asymmetric split is usually more useful.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x2, 8 ft, Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4", Exterior wood glue
Frame the front opening with 1x2s — best built as a pocket-holed frame first, then attached to the box with glue and trim screws. This frame is what the door closes against and what the weatherstripping later seals to, so keep it flat and flush.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Drill Bit Set, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft, Acrylic glass, 15" x 16-1/4", Exterior hinges, Exterior clasp, Exterior handle, Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4"
Pocket-hole the 1x3 door frame together, then screw the acrylic panel to its back — drill the acrylic slightly oversize so the screws don't crack it when the wood moves.
Hang the door on the exterior hinges, add the handle and the clasp. The clasp isn't decoration: it's what pulls the door tight against the weatherstripping in a storm.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 4x4 post, 6 ft, Weatherstripping tape, Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping, Exterior wood filler, Exterior paint, Spar urethane
Fill every plywood edge void with exterior filler, sand, paint, and topcoat everything with two coats of spar urethane — the finish is what decides whether this box lasts three years or fifteen.
After finishing, run weatherstripping tape along the TOP and SIDES of the door opening only. Leave the bottom open on purpose: any water that gets in must be able to leave.
Mount on the 4x4 — 5 ft post buried 2 ft, or 3 ft post set in a planter under 2 ft of soil — and screw the box down through its bottom into the post. Stock it, and watch the neighborhood find it.