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This cube skips the usual approach of building a solid plywood box and upholstering directly over it. Instead it's a simple slat frame — open on top with narrow gaps between the top slats — covered in thick cardboard (or thin plywood, if you have offcuts) for a smooth upholstery surface, then wrapped in batting and a sewn slipcover with a foam cushion set into the top. The open-slat top isn't a shortcut; it's there on purpose, so a spilled drink drains through instead of soaking a solid top and staying wet against the fabric.
Build the two side frames first and get them square, because everything about how well the slipcover fits later depends on the box being a true cube, not a rough approximation of one. This is a good first upholstery project — the sewing is a fabric box with a zipper or overlap closure, not a fitted slipcover pattern.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x3 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 2x2 board, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Thick cardboard or 1/4" plywoodSkins the sides so the batting and fabric have a smooth surface, not open slats, to lay over. | 10 sq ft |
| Batting | 1 yard |
| Decorator fabric | 1 yard |
| Foam, 15" x 17" x 2" | 1 each |
| Wood screws, 2" | 24 each |
| Staples, 1/2" | 100 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Side frame rails1x3Two per side frame, top and bottom. | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Legs2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 16" |
| Front/back connecting rails1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15" |
| Top slats1x3Spaced with gaps so the top isn't fully solid. | 3 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
Buy 3 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
2 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 frames from the legs and side frame rails — a rail at the top and bottom of each pair of legs, screwed and glued square.
Connect the two side frames with the four front/back connecting rails to form a cube. Check every face is square — this cube is the shape the slipcover gets sewn to fit, so a lean here becomes a wrinkle later.
Screw the three top slats across the top opening with even gaps between them, instead of a solid top — this lets a spill drain through instead of pooling under the cushion.
Cut thick cardboard (or 1/4" plywood, if you have offcuts) to cover the four side faces and staple it to the frame. This gives the batting and fabric a smooth surface to lay over instead of showing the gaps between the frame's rails and legs.
Wrap the whole cube in batting and staple it down snug on the inside/underside, smoothing out wrinkles at the corners. Batting softens every edge and corner before the fabric goes on, which is what makes the finished piece read as upholstered furniture rather than a covered box.
Sew a fabric slipcover sized to the finished cube, with a closure (zipper or a simple overlap) on the bottom so it can come off for washing. Set the foam cushion on top of the slats, under the slipcover's top panel, so the seat has real give.
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