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How to Build a Unique Child's Toy Box

Children like to play with toys, and most children remember their toys even until they grow old. Many children consider toy boxes to be treasure chests. You can bring joy to your child by building a toy box yourself. A toy box can be built from readily available plywood, and it can look like any other box, but finishing the box by adding your personal design and building it yourself are what makes it truly unique in the eyes and heart of your child.

Things You'll Need

Tape measure
Pencil
3/4-inch plywood
Wood saw
Nails
Hammer
Hinges
Safety hinge
Screwdriver
Wood putty
Sandpaper
Enamel paint (oil-based)
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a rectangular piece of plywood with the following dimensions: 16 inches wide by 24 inches long. Label this piece "Wood A." Cut another rectangular piece of plywood with the following dimensions: 17.5 inches wide by 24 inches long. Label it "Wood B." Use a wood saw to cut all the pieces.
- 2
  Cut two pieces of plywood measuring 16 inches on all sides, and label these pieces "Wood C" and "Wood D." Saw two rectangular pieces of plywood measuring 16.75 inches wide by 24 inches long, and label them "Wood E" and "Wood F."
- 3
  Hold Wood A with its length parallel to the horizon, and lay the wood on the ground. Label the right end along its length as "North," the left end as "South," the side directly in front of you as "East" and the side opposite the east as "West."
- 4
  Stand Wood C and Wood D upright on the floor two feet apart, aligned parallel to each other with the help of an assistant. Lay Wood A flat on top of Wood C and Wood D, so that each end of Wood A measuring 16 inches sits on the top edge of Wood C and Wood D. Align each 16-inch end of Wood A with the top edge of Wood C and D. Nail Wood A onto Wood C and D.
- 5
  Turn Wood A upside down, so that Wood C and Wood D are on top of Wood A. At this point, you should have two square pieces of wood standing upright at each end of Wood A and facing each other.
- 6
  Stand Wood E upright, and align the 24-inch edge of Wood E side by side with the 24-inch edge of Wood A along the west side of Wood A. Press Wood E against the ends of Wood C and Wood D, and then align each 16.75-inch end of Wood E with the 16.75-inch end of Wood C and Wood D.
- 7
  Nail Wood E onto the edges of Wood A, Wood C and Wood D. Attach Wood F onto the east side of Wood A, following the same procedures as when you attached Wood E. At this point, the pieces of wood should resemble a shoe box without its cover.
- 8
  Attach two hinges onto the box by screwing one side of each hinge from inside the box along the top end of Wood F. Position each hinge horizontally so that the outer end of each hinge is 3 inches from the north and south end of Wood F. Screw another hinge in between the two attached hinges following the same procedures.
- 9
  Stand Wood B upright on top of Wood F with the 24-inch edge of wood B sitting on the top edge of Wood F. Align the north and south end of Wood B with the north and south end of Wood F. Press the upper side of each hinge against Wood B, then screw the upper side of each hinge onto Wood B. Mount a safety hinge on the southeast corner of the box, using screws that came with the hinge.
- 10
  File all rough edges of the box with a wood file, and fill all gaps and cracks with wood putty. Sand the entire box to smooth its surface and edges, using medium-grit sandpaper at the start, then fine-grit sandpaper when finishing.
- 11
  Paint the box with your own unique design, using oil-based enamel applied with a paint brush. Print the name of your child on a piece of long bond paper, and then trace the outline of the name onto the exterior surface of Wood E. Paint the name with the color you wish, using an oil-based enamel. Allow the paint to dry.

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