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A kid-height play table with two drop-in plastic tubs — one sand, one water — on a slatted storage shelf base. Buy the tubs first; the table is built around them.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top frame sides | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 43 1/4" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Top frame divider Splits the top into the two tub bays — position it to YOUR tubs' rim sizes. | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 15" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Top frame ends | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 16 1/2" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Shelf frame sides | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 43 1/4" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Shelf frame ends | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Legs | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 24" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Shelf slats | 12 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic tubs BUY THESE FIRST and size the frame openings to their rims. The cut list assumes the source's tubs. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 8 ft Legs, shelf frame, and shelf slats. | 5 each | ☐ |
| 1x6, 12 ft Top frame. Have the store cut it to 4 ft and 8 ft for transport — plan the crosscuts so all the pieces still come out. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping | 30 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping | 50 each | ☐ |
| Exterior wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Drill Bit Set, Speed Square, Tape Measure. Materials: Plastic tubs, 1x6, 12 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping, Exterior wood glue
Assemble the 1x6 top frame — sides, ends, and the center divider that creates the two tub bays. Exterior glue at every joint and the 2" screws, pilot-drilled.
Before driving a single screw, set your actual tubs in the dry-fit frame: rims should catch on the frame all around, bodies should hang free. Move the divider until both tubs fit. The tubs are the spec; the cut list is the suggestion.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Drill Bit Set. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping, Exterior wood glue
Build the 1x3 shelf frame to the same outer footprint as the top frame — same construction, lighter stock. This one carries buckets and shovels, not sand and water; it doesn't need the 1x6 beef.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Drill Bit Set. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/4", self-tapping, Exterior wood glue
Flip the TOP frame face-down on a flat surface and screw a leg into each corner with the 1-1/4" screws and glue. Then slide the shelf frame down over the legs to its height and screw it to all four.
Do this on a genuinely flat surface — a table this small shows every millimeter of leg mismatch as a wobble, and toddlers lean on everything.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander.
Screw the twelve shelf slats across the shelf frame with the 1-1/4" screws, even gaps — the gaps drain rain and shed sand instead of collecting both.
Sand everything and round over every edge and corner a kid can find (they will find all of them). Drop in the tubs: sand one side, water the other, chaos both. The tubs lift out for dumping — which is the entire maintenance plan.