s Easy Rolling Toy Box with A Chalkboard Label - The Kim Six Fix

Easy Rolling Toy Box with A Chalkboard Label

How to build a toy box
Phew! I’m getting this project finished just in the nick of time!  For Christmas this year I’m wanted to build a toy box for my toddler and I finally got it done.  I love how it turned out and I can’t wait to show you how easy it was!

I didn’t want to just buy a toy box since I knew this project would be really straight forward. I wanted something that would be lightweight, it needed to have casters so he could push it around and I wanted it to match his nursery design.  I didn’t add a lid because I didn’t want any pinched fingers.  With that in mind, this is my final design (filled with his gifts under the tree!):
Custom toy box for Christmas
I think I nailed it.  (And I love the chalkboard label on the front!)  

So how did I build it? You may be surprised when you see what I used:

Simple plywood toy box to buildI knew that in order to keep the box light I didn’t want to use MDF or full thickness plywood. Instead I wanted to use 1/2 inch plywood and some decorative 1x2s for trim.  I needed the box joints to be pretty strong since if you have ever experienced a 2 year old boy, you know they can rip apart anything in their path.   And that led to the problem that I couldn’t use pocket holes or even butt joints, since the plywood was too thin and would split and wouldn’t hold up well to the wear and tear.

 Luckily Simpson Strong-Tie agreed to partner up with me on this project and I was able to use their fantastic connectors to build this project.  They not only made it easy to put this box together, but they were stronger than pocket holes or butt joints AND they made it easy to keep the angles at 90 degree and make the box square.

Specifically I used the following Simpson Strong-Tie hardware:
(8) - GA1 gusset angle brackets (2 in each corner of box)
(4) - A23 A-Angle brackets (to attach bottom of box to four sides)
(8) - A33 A-Angle brackets (decorative trim)
Right angles in plywood without pocket holes
Because this project was going to be for kids, I used 1/2 inch thick Purebond plywood.  It not only had the nicest grain but it also is formaldehyde-free and soy based, so I don’t have to worry about the baby chewing on it or anything.  I bought a full sheet but I only needed half of it.
Supplies for building toyboxI also needed (4) 8-foot 1x2s for the trim and a set of four swiveling casters.  Since the plywood was only 1/2 inch thick, I used 1/2 inch sheet metal screws to attach the angles to the boards and I used black 1/2 inch screws to attach the decorative L brackets.
12 inch screws
Squaring up the corners was a breeze with the GA Angles, and the assembly went so much faster than if I had been using pocket holes. How to build a box with strong joints
I added one in each corner and then went back and added a second to each, for a total of 8 connectors. GA angles to build boxWhen I flipped the box to check if it was sure, it was PERFECT! Building toybox from 12 plywoodNext I attached the four sides of the box to the bottom of the box using four A-AnglesUsing strong tie connectors to build furnitureAnd that was the whole thing!  It took me less than 20 minutes to assemble the whole thing!

Time for decorative trim!  I used my nail gun to attach the 1x2s to each edge of the box.  (Since they were only decorative they didn’t need anything more than finishing nails.
Adding trim with nail gunFinally I filled the holes with wood filler,and I sanded the whole project.
Patching nail holes with wood fillerBefore painting I added casters to the bottom (using the same 1/2 screws) and the build was officially finished! Easy rolling wooden toybox
Time to decorate!  I wanted to use 3 inch A Angles for the corners, but they only came in the original galvanized finish.  But luckily you can spray paint them any color you want.. and I wanted black! Spray painting L brackets for decorative trim
They looked fabulous!
Easy DIY wooden rolling toyboxI primed the outside of the box (I didn’t necessarily need to prime since I was using Rustoleum Chalked paint with one coat coverage, but I KNEW that it would be getting beat up and wiped down a lot.. since it would belong to a toddler, so I thought ‘better safe than sorry’)
Priming DIY wooden toyboxI chose Serenity blue, which I thought would fit best with the nautical nurseryRustoleum chalky paintIt has a beautiful chalky paint matte finish:Painting toybox with chalk paintFinally (since you know i LOVE a good stencil) I decided to put a chalkboard paint label on the side.  I cut a piece of contact paper with my Silhouette Cameo to create the stencil:Stencil chalkboard label on toybox
I used RustOleums’s Chalkboard paint in blackStenciling label with chalkboard paint
I had to be careful to not put it on too thick, since I didn’t want it to bleed under the contact paper. Stenciling label on toyboxIt was so pretty when I finally peeled off the stencil:Chalk board and chalky paint toyboxIt looks great under the tree!
DIY wooden toyboxAll I needed to do was fill it up with the rest of the baby's gifts. Filling toybox with presents for christmas morningAnd it didn’t need a gift tag since I could put his name right on the side: Chalkboard label on toyboxEventually it will move up this his room where it will fit right in:Rolling toybox with chalkboard labelI know there are no guarantees he will always keep his toys picked up and inside his new toy box, but a mom can dream…
Rolling box of toys for playroom
 If you would like to see more inspirational projects using Strong-Tie connectors, check out their DIY site or find them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.

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