How to Build a Sandboxt

Tag : Socket Wrench

By Handyman Chris
For backyard play equipment a sandbox is a good place to start!Children can have hours of fun in a sandbox using theirimaginations, building castles, towns or cities. The plans for thissandbox are very simple. The box itself can be built in a morning(except perhaps hauling in all the sand!) and is very inexpensive.The size of this one is good and the depth is quite adequate fordigging. The bottom is left completely open which will insure anywater drains out, and offers you the opportunity to dig out evenmore under the sandbox to allow even deeper digging (for the reallydeep excavating children!). I think the sand in the center of mineis about 2 ft deep and the kids almost never hit dirt! Also since Idug out the area, I was able to place the sandbox in the hole, thismade the sides only about 6 inches above grade to allow for easyentry for the little ones.
The approximate cost of this project is $60 for the materials(excluding the cover). The sand... well if you buy it by the bag itis about $100. If you have a pickup (or a friend with one) and buya ton of sand, it costs about $8 for a ton. (In fact where I gotit, they will give it to you for free if it is for a sandbox!) Aton of sand is about what you need for a sandbox of this size.
A cover for the sandbox is probably a necessity since cats willalmost surely find your wonderful new litter box. I have used avariety of covers for mine. The important thing is it needs to belight enough for the kids to lift, and simple enough for them tore-close, or like I have done, you will have to sift out what thecats leave behind. (Not fun!) Unfortunately, I have yet to uncoverthe optimal sandbox cover. I tried a tarp with snaps, but it didn'tlast, the snaps which should have been stainless steel, weren't...!The tarp ripped anyway. I was amazed to see the cats wiggling theirway in and out of the smallest gaps left unsnapped, and the kidsrarely covered it right on their own.
So, I built folding doors. These got quite complicated, they arebifolds and to make them light I used pressure treated latticepanels inside the frames. Well the supposedly brass hinges,weren't, and they rusted away. The new ones cost a fortune (theyare solid brass) and the screws that hold them keep stripping outand I have used progressively longer screws. And the lattice took abeating. You see the kids walked on it, and it isn't that strong.Now, my panels are a combination of chicken wire and lattice and Iam glad the kids are growing up and the sandbox is about to bereturned to lawn because those doors are about shot. Still thedoors DID last about 10 years.
I am going to take the easy way out and tell you to buy stainlesssteel snaps and a good tarp and wish you luck. (I've seen them soldthis way) If you think you can handle the bifold door idea, you areon your own.
Tools required: Saw (circular saw is best, a hand saw will work just fine, there isnot a lot of cutting) Drill: With the following drill bits: 1/4" spade bit (long enough to drill 5 inches) 1/8" drill bit to predrill screw holes 3/4" spade bit for countersink holes Combination square Hammer Screw Driver 1/2 socket wrench
This sandbox is built using 2x12's
All wood should be pressure treated unless otherwise noted
All Hardware should be galvanized unless otherwise noted
The sandbox is 6 ft. by 6 ft. Two 12 ft long 2x12's can bepurchased and each cut in half to provide the boards for the sides.Or buy four 8-ft boards and cut them to 6 ft long. The sides arejoined at the corners with a corner post. Which is bolted to eachof the boards at the corner.
For the corner post use a 2x4 cut 1 ft long and attach the sides tothe corner post with 1/4 inch carriage bolts. The 2x12s can benailed together first with 16-penny nails first to hold it alltogether before adding the corner posts. The sides should besecured with 6 carriage bolts per corner. The length of the boltsspecified ensures they will no protrude through the wood. This willkeep them from catching anybody in the back.
Nail the four side boards together. Then holding corner posts inplace, drill the holes for the carriage bolts. First drill the*" countersink holes * inch deep in the corner post, thendrill the * inch diameter holes all the way through the post andthe side boards starting inside the center of the countersink hole.
Install the bolts from the outside, that is through the side boardsgoing in to the post. You will probably have to hammer themthrough. Install the washer and nut and tighten down firmly with asocket wrench.
OPTIONAL: The size can be made smaller (or bigger!) if you wish,just reduce the dimensions accordingly.
Description of how to build the corner seats:
The seats can be made from pressure treated 1/2 in plywood orbetter, from 1x4's.
Plywood: Cut a 1-ft wide strip off the plywood on the 4-ft lengthof the plywood. Cut it into 4 triangles with 1-ft sides.
Attach these to the corners using 1-1/4 in exterior wood screws
Or
1x4's: Cut four corner pieces. These will be triangles made bycutting the board in two 450 angles. Attach these to the cornerswith four 1 1/2 in exterior wood screws. (Predrilling the holes inthe 1x4 material will prevent the small boards from splitting. Andcut four pieces 1ft 6 inches and secure these next to the cornerpieces with 4 screws each. Trim the boards to fit flush with thesides.
Bill of Materials 2 2x12's 12 feet long. Sides 1 2x4 8 feet long Corner Posts 1 4x8 sheet of pressure treated plywood or half sheet 4x4 ifavailable seats (Optional if making seats with plywood) 1 1x4 8 feet long seats (Optional if making seats with 1x4's)

Hardware: 12 1/4x5" carriage bolts, nuts and washers 12 1/4x3" carriage bolts, nuts and washers 32 1-1/2"exterior wood screws 16-penny twist nails
Sand:
1 yard of sand (27 ft 3 )