How to build simple wooden boxes?

[Kemcg3]

Hi,

I am wanting to DIY some simple wooden boxes, organisers, bins etc.

The largest box being (W500mm x  D150 mm x H400mm).

They need to be sturdy, but will  be storing light weight objects, so the timber only needs to be about 5mm in thickness.

I have basic skills/tools, & need to be able to cut the wood easily with a handsaw.

I am confused as to which woods (mdf, plywood etc) would be suitable for this project. Any advice appreciated, Thank you.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Kemcg3,

You could certainly use MDF or plywood for your project, but at 5mm thick, you’ll likely run into issues when trying to fix the panels together. It’s quite difficult to drive a fixing through the face of one side into the 5mm edge of another, as there’s very little material for the screw or nail to grip. Most screws would be too large for that thickness, and even the smallest ones would require careful pre-drilling to avoid splitting the timber.

You could use thin pin nails, but you’d definitely need to add PVA glue to strengthen the joins. Be very careful when driving the nails, as they can easily punch through the sides of the panels at that thickness.

It would be much easier if you could increase the thickness of your material to at least 9mm. In that case, I’d recommend using 9mm MDF Panel Standard 900 x 600mm sheets and Zenith 4G x 20mm Zinc Plated Hinge-Long Thread Countersunk Head Timber Screws. Applying PVA glue to the joins will help make the boxes nice and sturdy.

If you do want to stick with 5mm panels, I’d suggest cutting small timber blocks from 32 x 32mm 2.4m DAR Tasmanian Oak Select to use as internal corner supports. These corner blocks will give you a larger surface area to glue and screw into, making assembly much easier and resulting in a stronger, neater finish. 

Let me tag @r23on to see if they have any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Kemcg3]

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Hi Mitchell,

Thank you for the info, it’s very helpful.

I am open to using thicker timber, however my main concern is being able to cut the wood easily & with precision using a hand saw. (Stanley 380mm 8 TPI Tradecut Saw)

I am basically looking for the cheapest and easiest wood to work with, to be honest, and had read that a handsaw wasn’t optimal for cutting mdf or plywood, so I was having difficulty finding a suitable alternative.
 FYI; most of the boxes I intend to make will be much smaller internal storage to fit within the larger box, and will be housing lightweight art/craft or cosmetic items.

I also should mention that my intention was as you advised, to use internal corner supports in the construction of the boxes, as well as PVA glue.

In addition to assisting with timber choice, could you  also advise as to whether there are screws available for this purpose that don’t require pre -drilling? Or recommendations for suitable nails please? 
Thanks again Mitchell.

K. 

[EricL]

Hello @Kemcg3 

I propose looking at the following:

• CUSTOMwood 2400 x 1200 x 9mm Raw Standard MDF E0 - It's perfect for art and project boxes as they can be customized and cut into almost any shape or form. But in order for it to maintain its integrity when handled daily it must be primed and painted to prevent the surface from absorbing water.
   
• Ecoply 2400 x 1200mm 9mm Plywood Pine Structural CD Grade - It has the same qualities as MDF but has a more robust surface and can withstand exposure to moisture. But I still recommend painting the surface to give it an extra level of protection. Both of these timber panels can be cut with a standard handsaw.
   
• Porta 30x18mm 2.7m DAR Rectangle Pre-Primed FJ Pine For the corner supports.
   
• I suggest investing in a few tools to make the box assembly process easier. I propose looking at getting a set of Craftright 300mm 2 Piece Quick Action Clamp to hold timber pieces together (it's like having a third hand). I recommend getting an Ozito PXC 18V Cordless Drill Driver Kit PXDDK-250C. Trust me when I say that this tool will go beyond this project you are about to undertake. The only other item to invest in is a Ryobi 40 Piece Specialty Metric Drill And Drive Set. This will cover you for all standard drilling and screwing situations.

Now that you have the proper tools, you'll be able to drill pilot holes which will prevent the timber from splitting. I understand that you are not keen on pre-drilling, but this will save you a lot of heartache and prevent your timber materials from splitting apart. I suggest using Zenith 8G x 25mm Gold Countersunk Rib Head Chipboard Screws - 100 Pack to anchor all the timber pieces together. This is on the condition that you'll be using the suggested timber pieces. Most importantly don't forget to use the PVA glue as suggested by Mitch.

My best advice is to measure and mark with a pencil every piece you are about to cut. Assemble the box in your mind and how the pieces will go together. Once you have built the first one, the following sets can be adjusted in shape and size, you'll pretty soon have all the custom boxes you'll need. I've placed an image below as a general guide.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric