Learn how to build an inexpensive sandbox with minimal construction skills.
Building your child's sandbox can be a fulfilling activity. By building it yourself, you get to choose the exact width and length that you would like, and can tailor it to your yard's dimensions more easily. Also, you will mostly likely end up with a much roomier sandbox than if you had bought one from the store.
The first thing you will need to do is decide where you would like the sandbox to be located. You will want to locate it in a spot that gets some shade in the summertime, yet isn't below a tree that will dump bucket loads of leaves into the sandbox, leaving you with mulch as opposed to sand. If you live in a cold climate, you may want to put it in the sun without any consideration of shade. Keep in mind that sandboxes are not especially portable, and wherever you put it, the grass underneath will die. Regardless, you will want to make sure that the ground is level.
Decide which shape sandbox you would like, and how large you would like it to be. If you would like a spacious rectangular sandbox, 2 four-foot boards and 2 six or eight-foot boards work nicely. For a square box, try 4 six or four-foot boards. Keep in mind that if you are watching expenses, the larger the sandbox, the more sand you will need to purchase. It seems obvious, but those bags of sand can really add up and make a dent in your wallet.
You will need:
Four 1" x 10" boards in the length that you would like.
8 corner braces
16 ¾" screws
Plastic tarp in a size sufficient to cover the sandbox
Small roll of plastic sheeting
Sandpaper
Sand
Usually, all of these items can be found at your local home improvement store. It is an added bonus if they sell sand, as it will probably be less expensive to buy it there rather than at your local toy store. Also, you will only have to make one trip! Just make sure that you get enough sand the first time. Think carefully about the kind of sand that you will buy, as "play sand" contains crystalline silica and carries a hazard warning in the state of California. Building sand may not be as pretty, can stain clothes, and may need to have larger particles sifted out, but it may be the safer choice. If you are buying by the truckload, it will also be the cheaper choice. Count on about a yard of sand to fill up the sandbox. This will vary, depending on how deep you want the sand to be and how large you decide to make the sandbox.
First of all, sand the boards. If you'd like, you can stain and varnish them as well, although this is not necessary. Unfinished boards weather nicely, and can give your yard a nice natural look. Make sure that you sand all of the rough edges off, so that little fingers don't get splinters.
Next, put together the boards using two of the braces for each corner. Put one brace near the top of the boards and the other one close to the bottom. After completing all four corners, you will end up with a square or rectangular open box. With a staple gun, staple the plastic sheeting to the bottom of the box, and then trim the excess with a pair of scissors.
Now you are ready to flip the sandbox and move it to the part of the yard you have decided on. Get another person to help you, because the sandbox is not reinforced, and can break at this point. You won't have to worry about the lack of reinforcement once it is filled with sand, but be careful when moving it. Make sure that there are no rocks or other protuberances on the ground where you are going to set it. The plastic, if not punctured, will keep any grass and weeds from growing in the sand.
Now fill the sandbox with sand. Find four heavy but manageable rocks and keep the tarp nearby. The rocks can be used to anchor the tarp when the sandbox is not in use. The tarp is essential if you do not want the sandbox to become a litter box for neighborhood cats. It will keep leaves out of the box as well.
If you like, you can do more with your sandbox. Simply by taking another board that is the same size and screwing it to the edge of the sandbox, facing in, you can make a bench.
Your kids should enjoy the sandbox for years to come. You may want to replace the sand periodically, but this should not be an issue for at least two years. Meanwhile, your children can enjoy the sandbox that you built, and have a more enjoyable experience than being confined to one of the tiny ones offered in the toy stores.
