How to Build a Crate
Sketch out your desired dimensions of the crate in advance., Buy your wooden planks., Cut your wood to the dimensions of your box, plus 1"., Sand the wood down on all sides., Alternatively, use a single piece of wood for the two ends.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Sketch out your desired dimensions of the crate in advance.
You need to know how big your crate is going to be in order to make the cuts perfectly.
You can make any size crate you want, so long as you ensure that the two ends are the same size, and your slats between the ends are the same length.
For this lesson, the crate will have the following dimensions (using 1/2" thick planks
-- yours may vary slightly).
Height: 9-1/2" Length: 16" Width: 12" -
Step 2: Buy your wooden planks.
They should be roughly 1/2" to 3/4" thick, depending on your preferences.
You'll want solid, untreated softwood, though the exact kind doesn't matter much
-- you could easily use scraps or wood from old pallets.
Pine and cedar are generally your best budget buys.
As for the lengths and widths, you should procure:
Six feet of 4-3/4"-wide planks for the ends.
Twenty feet of 2-1/4"-wide planks for the slats on the side and bottom.
You can adjust this width depending on how big you want the spaces on the side of the crate to be.
You can have lots of thinner slats or fewer wider ones. , Unless your hardware store will automatically cut your wood for you, it's time to get the saw going.
The best way to get perfect, even cuts is to make a rough cut in each piece first, leaving it 1/8" longer than it should be.
Then bunch 4 of these rough cuts pieces of wood together, holding the stack together with tape.
You can then cut all the pieces at the same time to get identical lengths.
The Ends (4-3/4"-width):
You want each board to be 12-1/2" long.
There should be
4.
The Slats (2-1/4"-width):' You want each slat to be 18" long.
There should be
13. , Make sure that all the planks are smooth on all sides.
Remember, these specifications are for a 16x12x9.5" crate.
After sanding, double-check all of your cuts to make sure you have the right amount of wood.
Four 12-1/2" x 4-3/4" planks for the ends.
Two of the pieces will be joined together to form each end.
Thirteen or more 18" x 2-1/4" planks for the slats on the side and bottom. , For a quicker, easier crate, simply cut a piece of plywood or other wider wood right into the size of your ends (here, 12-1/2" x 9-1/2").
It will look less professional, but it will work fine as a crate.
You can also use uneven slats of wood if you're using wood scraps or junk pieces
-- they just need to be an even length.
However, for a professional crate you should cut even slats. -
Step 3: Cut your wood to the dimensions of your box
-
Step 4: plus 1".
-
Step 5: Sand the wood down on all sides.
-
Step 6: Alternatively
-
Step 7: use a single piece of wood for the two ends.
Detailed Guide
You need to know how big your crate is going to be in order to make the cuts perfectly.
You can make any size crate you want, so long as you ensure that the two ends are the same size, and your slats between the ends are the same length.
For this lesson, the crate will have the following dimensions (using 1/2" thick planks
-- yours may vary slightly).
Height: 9-1/2" Length: 16" Width: 12"
They should be roughly 1/2" to 3/4" thick, depending on your preferences.
You'll want solid, untreated softwood, though the exact kind doesn't matter much
-- you could easily use scraps or wood from old pallets.
Pine and cedar are generally your best budget buys.
As for the lengths and widths, you should procure:
Six feet of 4-3/4"-wide planks for the ends.
Twenty feet of 2-1/4"-wide planks for the slats on the side and bottom.
You can adjust this width depending on how big you want the spaces on the side of the crate to be.
You can have lots of thinner slats or fewer wider ones. , Unless your hardware store will automatically cut your wood for you, it's time to get the saw going.
The best way to get perfect, even cuts is to make a rough cut in each piece first, leaving it 1/8" longer than it should be.
Then bunch 4 of these rough cuts pieces of wood together, holding the stack together with tape.
You can then cut all the pieces at the same time to get identical lengths.
The Ends (4-3/4"-width):
You want each board to be 12-1/2" long.
There should be
4.
The Slats (2-1/4"-width):' You want each slat to be 18" long.
There should be
13. , Make sure that all the planks are smooth on all sides.
Remember, these specifications are for a 16x12x9.5" crate.
After sanding, double-check all of your cuts to make sure you have the right amount of wood.
Four 12-1/2" x 4-3/4" planks for the ends.
Two of the pieces will be joined together to form each end.
Thirteen or more 18" x 2-1/4" planks for the slats on the side and bottom. , For a quicker, easier crate, simply cut a piece of plywood or other wider wood right into the size of your ends (here, 12-1/2" x 9-1/2").
It will look less professional, but it will work fine as a crate.
You can also use uneven slats of wood if you're using wood scraps or junk pieces
-- they just need to be an even length.
However, for a professional crate you should cut even slats.
About the Author
Isabella Thompson
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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