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Wood Cooler Stand with Lid and Shelf

A slatted wood housing that dresses up a plastic cooler, with a mitered hinged lid and a drop-in shelf below.

Cut list

Part	Qty	T × W × L	Material	✓
Legs	4	1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 35"	Pine	☐
Front/back frame rails	6	1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 24"	Pine	☐
Back panel boards	5	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 10 3/4"	Pine	☐
Front panel boards	4	3/4" × 5 1/2" × 10 3/4"	Pine	☐
Front panel, lower	2	1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 10 3/4"	Pine	☐
Side/shelf slats	14	1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 13 1/2"	Pine	☐
Side panel boards	4	3/4" × 5 1/2" × 8 3/4"	Pine	☐
Side panel, lower	2	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 8 3/4"	Pine	☐
Top frame, ends Both ends mitered 45°, not parallel, long-point measurement.	2	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 28"	Pine	☐
Top frame, sides Both ends mitered 45°, not parallel, long-point measurement.	2	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17 1/2"	Pine	☐
Lid frame, ends Both ends beveled 45°, not parallel, long-point measurement.	2	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 27"	Pine	☐
Lid frame, sides Both ends beveled 45°, not parallel, long-point measurement.	2	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16"	Pine	☐
Lid top panel	4	3/4" × 5 1/2" × 14 1/2"	Pine	☐
Lid top panel, edge	1	3/4" × 2 1/2" × 14 1/2"	Pine	☐
Lid inner frame, ends	2	3/4" × 1 1/2" × 13"	Pine	☐
Lid inner frame, sides	2	3/4" × 1 1/2" × 25 1/2"	Pine	☐
Shelf supports Arched shape cut from these.	2	3/4" × 5 1/2" × 5 1/2"	Pine	☐
Shelf	1	3/4" × 5 1/2" × 15"	Pine	☐

Item	Qty	✓
Plastic cooler Measure yours before cutting — sizes vary by brand, and this plan is built around one specific footprint.	1 each	☐
Pine, 2x2, 8 ft	4 each	☐
Pine, 1x3, 8 ft	3 each	☐
Pine, 1x6, 8 ft	2 each	☐
Pine, 2x4, 8 ft	2 each	☐
Pine, 1x2, 8 ft	1 each	☐
Plywood scrap Small front-panel infill piece.	1 each	☐
Hinges	1 set	☐
Caster wheels Optional.	4 set	☐
Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4"	1 box	☐
Wood glue	4 oz	☐

Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.

1. Build the two main frames
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Pine, 2x2, 8 ft
Build the front and back frames from the legs and frame rails.
2. Panel the back frame
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Pine, 1x3, 8 ft
Add the back panel boards to the back frame — a small gap between them is fine and will vary depending on your actual board widths.
3. Panel the front frame
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Pine, 1x6, 8 ft
Add the wider front panel boards to the front frame. Tip: you can drill 3/4" pocket holes facing the 2x2 legs now, to make attaching the lower front piece in the next step easier.
4. Add the lower front piece
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Pine, 2x2, 8 ft
Attach the lower 2x2 front piece using the pocket holes from the previous step, or countersunk screws.
5. Connect the frames and add slats
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Pine, 2x4, 8 ft
Connect the front and back frames with the 2x4 side rails, spacing the shelf slats roughly 1-1/4" apart as you go.
6. Fill in the side panels
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Pine, 1x6, 8 ft
Add the side panel boards to close in both sides of the housing.