It's no surprise that wooden boxes are almost always one of the most popular designs among budding carpenters. Simple but elegant, with an elementary structure but easily customizable, wooden boxes can both be a decorative object and have a practical function. If you're new to building wooden boxes, start by making one with a hinged or sliding lid before moving on to more advanced building techniques.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Make a Wooden Box with a Hinged Lid
Step 1. Choose the type of wood you want to use
You can use the one recovered from previous projects, planks made from dismantled pallets, or you can also buy and cut new wood. Think about what your box will be used for.
For example, if you have decided to build a jewelry box, you may want to consider using thin pieces of cedar, oak or ash. Using thinly cut wood will make it easier for you to make a small box. Store thick planks and boards to make large boxes. By doing this you will also avoid having to trim the material too much
Step 2. Prepare the equipment
Keep all basic utensils close at hand. If you must use electrical equipment, make sure you have access to a power outlet. The minimum equipment you will need includes a ruler, hammer, nails, wood glue or putty and, of course, the wooden planks.
If you use power tools, be careful and always wear protective eyewear
Step 3. Measure and mark the boards
First of all, you will need to decide what the size of your box will be. More specifically, you will need to determine what the length, width and height of the new box will be; next, you will need to mark the measurements on the wooden boards using a ruler and a pencil.
If you are building a box for a specific purpose or to hold a certain object, measure the object first to make sure the box, when finished, is spacious enough
Step 4. Cut the planks, if they are not already the right size
Use a hand or circular saw to cut them to the measurements you decided earlier. Remember that you will need four boards for the walls, one for the base and one for the lid.
Power tools can make your job easier, but they aren't necessary. You can easily build a box using just a screwdriver, a carpenter's square, a hand saw and a hammer
Step 5. Mount the walls by gluing the edges together
Lay the sides on top of each other at the right angle, using glue to secure them. At this point, your box should be a rectangle with no base or lid. Then apply nails, wood screws or wooden dowels to ensure fastening.
- You may need to use a vise to hold the glued edges together as you drive the nails or thread the screws into the boards.
- If you use pegs, make a hole through the side of one of the two pieces until you enter the side of the other. Then use a pin to attach the two boards to each other at right angles. After fixing the joint, cut the protruding part of the plug to the level of the sides of the boards.
Step 6. Secure the walls to the base
Make sure the side walls are resting firmly on the base or are tight around it, depending on your design. Use glue to connect the mating sides. Then fix it using nails, screws or pins.
Let the box dry completely before sealing or using it
Step 7. Fit the hinged lid onto the box
Place the lid on the box so that it and the walls are aligned, then take your measurements and mark on the wood where you want to apply the hinges. Place the hinge with the bulge of the pin to the outside of the back of the box and fasten it with screws or nails to the side boards and then to the lid.
- When positioning the hinges, it is important to line up perfectly with the lid and sides of the box. Otherwise, the lid will not open or close properly.
- It would help to have the lid clamped to the walls with a vise as you take measurements and install the hinges.
Step 8. Fill in the nail holes
Use wood putty and a putty knife to fill in the holes left by the nails. Allow time for the grout to dry completely before sanding the area with sandpaper.
Filling and sanding the nail holes will give your project a professional look. Feel free to skip this step if you are not interested in the aesthetics of the box
Method 2 of 2: Make a Wooden Box with a Sliding Lid
Step 1. Choose the type of wood you want to use
You can use reclaimed wood from previous projects, planks made from dismantled pallets, or you can also buy and cut new wood. Think about what your box will be used for.
For example, if you have decided to build a jewelry box, you might consider using thin pieces of cedar, oak or ash. Using thinly cut wood will make it easier for you to make a small box. Store thick planks and boards to make large boxes. By doing this you will also avoid having to trim the material too much
Step 2. Prepare the equipment
Keep all basic utensils close at hand. If you must use electrical equipment, make sure you have access to a power outlet. The minimum equipment you will need includes a ruler, hammer, nails, wood glue or putty and, of course, the wooden planks.
If you use power tools, be careful and always wear protective eyewear
Step 3. Measure and mark the boards
First of all, you will need to decide what the size of your box will be. More specifically, you will need to determine what the length, width and height of the new box will be; subsequently, you will have to mark the measurements on the wooden boards using a ruler and a pencil.
If you are building a box for a specific purpose or to hold a certain object, measure the object first to make sure the box, when finished, is spacious enough
Step 4. Cut the planks, if they are not already the right size
Use a hand or circular saw to cut them to the measurements you decided earlier. Remember that you will need four boards for the walls, one for the base and one for the lid.
Power tools can make your job easier, but they aren't necessary. You can easily build a box using just a screwdriver, a carpenter's square, a hand saw and a hammer
Step 5. Make grooves along the side walls
Use a table saw or router with a guide to carve a straight, horizontal groove inside the box, near the top of the walls. The groove should be approximately 3mm deep so the lid can slide comfortably into place. Make sure you make equal grooves along 3 walls of the box.
Step 6. Cut the front of your box
First, take one of the sides where you have already cut the groove and measure the distance between the top, where the lid will be, and the bottom of the groove you created; then cut the fourth side of the walls horizontally, at this exact height from the top.
At this point, holding the walls together with pliers or clamps, you should be able to test the lid sliding inside the grooves and over the front
Step 7. Glue the side boards in place
Make sure the grooves are positioned towards the inside of the box and secure the side walls at the right angle, applying glue at the contact points to ensure greater durability of the fixing. After doing this, your box should be a rectangle with no base or lid. Then apply nails, wood screws or wooden dowels to ensure fastening.
- You may need to use a vise to hold the glued edges together as you drive the nails or thread the screws into the boards.
- If you use pegs, make a hole through the side of one of the two pieces, until it enters the side of the other. Then use a pin to attach the two boards to each other at right angles. After fixing the joint, cut the protruding part of the plug to the level of the sides of the boards.
Step 8. Secure the walls to the base
Make sure the side walls are resting snugly on the base or tight around it, depending on your design. Use glue to connect the mating sides. Then fix it using nails, screws or pins.
Let the box dry completely before sealing or using it
Step 9. Cut out the cover protrusion
If you want your lid to be level with the walls of the box, you should use a saw to create a protrusion along all sides of the lid except the front. Then slide the piece into the grooves and over the face.
For example, if you have cut side grooves 3mm high from the top of the box and 3mm deep, you should trim the top edges of the lid 3mm down and in
Step 10. Fill in the nail holes
Use wood putty and a putty knife to fill in the holes left by the nails. Allow time for the grout to dry completely before smoothing the area with sandpaper.
