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How to Build Your Own Plexiglass Easel

Children revel in art activities. Providing children with opportunities to create art work meets many developmental needs: personal expression, practice in large and small motor control, color recognition and following directions. A plexiglass easel can be set up indoors or outdoors, furnishing children with regular chances to explore the craft of easel painting. A plexiglass easel can be made with a minimum of materials. Access to a table saw will facilitate the construction process.

Things You'll Need

1 2-foot length of 2-by 4-inch board
3 1-by-3-inch boards 8 feet long
Measuring tape
Pencil
Carpenter's square
3-inch Phillips-head screws
Electric drill with Phillips head screw bit
Construction adhesive
Caulking gun
Nail gun with 1 1/2-inch brads or finishing nails, or a hammer and brads or nails
3-by-3-foot piece of Plexiglass
Paint for easel
Variety of washable paints
1-inch paint brush

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the 2-by-4-inch board into two 1-foot-long sections with the table saw. Mark the center on each board with a pencil.
- 2
  Cut two 3 1/2-foot lengths and two 3-foot lengths from the 1-by-3-inch boards.
- 3
  To make the frame, nail one 3-foot 1-inch-by-3-inch board at each end to the inside ends of the two 3 1/2-foot-long boards. Nail the remaining 3-foot board exactly 3 feet below the inner edge of the first 3-foot board. Check for square corners by setting the carpenter's square in each of the four inside corners of the frame.
- 4
  To make the moldings for the Plexiglass, cut two lengths of 1-by-3-inch board to 3 feet long. Cut two more lengths of 1-by-3-inch board to 34 1/2-inches long.
- 5
  Make the easel molding by trimming the 3-foot and 34 1/2-inch-long boards to 3/4 inches wide on the table saw. Run each remaining board through the table saw one more time, ending with four 3-foot-long and 3/4-inch square pieces of molding, and four 34 1/2-inch-long and 3/4-inch square pieces of molding.
- 6
  Apply a narrow bead of construction adhesive around the entire inner edge on one side of the frame. Nail with a nail gun or hammer one 3-foot-long piece of molding to the top inner frame edge. Nail the other 3-foot-long piece of molding in place at the bottom inner frame edge. Nail the 34 1/2-inch-long molding pieces along the frame sides. Lay the easel frame down.
- 7
  Run a small bead of construction adhesive along the inner edge of the molding. Set the 3-by-3-foot piece of Plexiglass on the molding, pressing along the perimeter firmly so that the Plexiglass makes contact with the construction adhesive at all points along the frame.
- 8
  Spread a small bead of construction adhesive along the upper-side perimeter of the Plexiglass. Place the remaining molding pieces along the outer edges of the Plexiglass in the same order as for the underside: 3-foot lengths at the top and bottom, 34 1/2-inch lengths along the sides. Anchor the molding to the wooden frame by carefully nailing through wood only; do not nick the Plexiglass. Allow construction adhesive to set up for two hours.
- 9
  Attach the easel feet by screwing the bottom of each 3 1/2-foot frame board to the middle of a 1-foot-long and 2-by-4-inch board with two 3-inch screws. The 2-by-4-inch boards should be placed perpendicular to the Plexiglass, providing a stable base for standing the easel upright.
- 10
  Paint the wood portions of the Plexiglass easel. Allow it to dry. Provide the young artist with a variety of acrylic paints, a 1-inch brush and a lot of time to create.

Coloring