Do-It-Yourself Sandbox

sandbox
It's a fact - kids love sandboxes. Learn how to build an easy one for your backyard.
iStockphoto.com/Thinkstock

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Materials:

  • (2) 12-foot 2x29 lumber wood 
  • (1) 5-foot 2x6 
  • (28) 3-inch deck screws
  • 54 cubic feet of builder's or mason's sand (or 3/4 cubic foot per square foot of sandbox area)

(*Note: Use pressure-treated wood, but if you're nervous about toxicity problems, you could use untreated lumber — just don't expect it to last forever.)

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Instructions:

  1. Level the ground and remove obstructions.
  2. Saw four 72" 2x29s (if your lumber is 1/8" short, don't worry about it). Screw the frame together, using four 3" screws per corner to make a sandbox that's 73½" square on the outside. Countersink the screws so that they get a good "purchase" on the wood.
  3. Saw two 2x6s to 28½" for the angle braces, with 45-degree miters on both ends.
  4. Hold the braces in position and screw them using three screws per joint.
  5. Fill the box relatively full of sand.

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