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A porch package box only works if it's actually big enough to matter, and this one is built frame-first specifically so the size scales: two identical 2x2 panel frames (skinned in cedar fence picket, gapped slightly for seasonal wood movement) joined by end frames, standing on a bottom frame that gets measured and cut to fit the ASSEMBLED box's actual interior rather than to a fixed spec — because pocket-hole frames never come out to the exact theoretical dimension, and a bottom panel cut to the plan number instead of the real opening will either bind or leave a gap.
Pocket holes join every 2x2-to-2x2 frame joint, always oriented so the hole ends up on an inside or bottom face where it'll never show. The cedar picket skin goes on AFTER each frame is built and gapped evenly — leave a hair of space between boards, since cedar moves with humidity and pickets installed dead tight will buckle by the first humid summer. Keep the pickets off the 2x2 legs themselves; the skin covers the panel field, not the corner posts.
The lid is the one place this build asks for a real material upgrade: exterior-rated 3/4" plywood, with the top face treated with a waterproofing sealant — packages sit exposed to whatever the sky does that day, and a lid that isn't actually sealed defeats the entire purpose of the box. Hinge it at the back with heavy-duty exterior hardware, and consider splitting the lid into two pieces if a single 32" x 59" panel is more than you want to lift one-handed while holding a package in the other.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x2, 8 ft (douglas fir furring strips)10ft stock uses material more efficiently if you can source it. | 10 each |
| Exterior-rated 3/4" plywood, top waterproofedThe lid. A sealed top face is what actually keeps packages dry. | 1 each |
| Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared | 10 each |
| 1x2, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2" | 75 each |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2"Builds and installs the bottom frame. | 30 each |
| Brad nails or staples, 1-1/4" | 60 each |
| Exterior wood glue | 4 oz |
| Exterior heavy-duty hinges | 2 each |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Legs2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 27 3/4" |
| Front/back horizontal frame2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 55" |
| Side horizontal frame2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Front/back trim2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 21" |
| Cedar skin boardsCedar fence picketGap evenly for wood movement — don't install tight. | 30 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 24" |
| Bottom frame, long1x2Measure the assembled box and cut to fit — treat 54" as a starting estimate, not a fixed number. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 54" |
| Bottom frame, cross pieces2x2Measure and cut to fit the actual interior. | 9 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 26" |
| LidExterior-rated 3/4" plywoodCan be split into two panels for a lighter, easier-to-lift lid. | 1 | 3/4" × 32" × 59" |
Buy 23 boards at 8 ft.
10 boards
1 board
2 boards
10 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Build two identical 2x2 frames using 1-1/2" pocket holes and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws, orienting every hole so it ends up on an inside or bottom face where it won't show.
Attach the cedar fence picket boards to the inside of each frame with 1-1/4" brad nails and wood glue, spacing them evenly with a slight gap between boards to allow for seasonal wood movement. Keep the pickets off the 2x2 legs themselves — they cover the panel field, not the corner posts.
Attach the two skinned panels together with 2x2 end pieces, using 1-1/2" pocket holes and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws, again hiding the holes to the inside.
Attach cedar fence pickets to the inside of the two end panels the same way — 1-1/4" brad nails and wood glue.
Measure the actual interior dimensions of your assembled box and adjust the bottom frame cut lengths to match — pocket-hole frames rarely come out to the exact plan dimension, and the bottom needs to match reality, not the drawing.
Build the bottom frame with glue and 2" self-tapping screws, then set it inside the box and screw it to all four sides.
Install the plywood lid with heavy-duty exterior hinges at the back. For a lighter, easier one-handed lift while you're holding a package, split the lid into two hinged pieces instead of one full panel.
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