How to Build a Simple DIY Wooden Sandbox

By
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Published on 05/30/23
DIY Wood Sandbox

Philipp83 / Getty Images

In This Article
Project Overview
  • Total Time: 2 - 3 hrs
  • Yield: One 8-foot by 8-foot sandbox
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $100 to $300

Make a DIY sandbox and give the kids hours of entertainment. Build a DIY sandbox out of four-by-six posts for a heavy play structure that will become a permanent feature of the backyard. Or build a sandbox out of two-by-eight boards for a simple structure that can be moved or disassembled.

Before You Begin

Clear a flat, level area at least 12 feet by 12 feet. The area must be permeable but it should not flood. Trim the grass.

Sandbox Filler Options

  • Bagged play sand: Around 18 cubic feet or 32 bags of clean play sand in 50-pound bags are required to fill either sandbox to about 3-1/2 inches deep.
  • Bulk play sand: Save on the considerable cost of bagged play sand by purchasing it in bulk.
  • All-purpose sand: All-purpose sand is coarser and dirtier than play sand, though it can be washed clean with a hose and sprayer. All-purpose sand is typically less expensive than bagged play sand.
  • Rubber mulch: Soft, springy rubber mulch is bulkier and less expensive than bagged sand.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Permanent DIY Sandbox

  • Electric drill with handle
  • Drill bit and driver set
  • 5/16-diameter by 6-inch drill bit
  • Hammer or sledgehammer
  • Ratchet and socket set
  • Tape measure
  • Utility knife

Simple DIY Sandbox

  • Electric drill
  • Circular saw
  • Straight edge
  • Pencil
  • Tape measure
  • Hammer
  • Staple gun
  • Utility knife

Materials

Permanent DIY Sandbox

  • 8 pressure-treated four-by-six posts
  • 8 galvanized lag screws, 3/8-inch diameter by 6 inches long
  • 8 galvanized washers, 3/8-inch
  • 1 landscape fabric, roll

Simple DIY Sandbox

  • 4 pressure-treated boards, two-by-eight
  • 1 sanded plywood panel, 15/32-inch by 4-foot by 4-foot
  • 12 deck screws, 3-inch
  • 12 deck screws, 1-1/2-inch
  • 1 landscape fabric, roll

Instructions

How to Build a Permanent DIY Sandbox

  1. Lay Out Landscape Fabric

    lnstall landscape fabric across the sandbox area. Roll four 9-foot strips of 3-foot-wide landscape fabric across the area, overlapping each row by 1-foot.

  2. Arrange the Lower Tier

    Lay four of the four-by-six posts in a square on the landscape fabric. The wide side of the posts should be facing up. Arrange the four-by-sixes so that the end of each post meets the side of the adjoining post.

    Tip

    Set up the posts in the DIY sandbox's eventual home. Once assembled, it will be too heavy to move.

  3. Square the Lower Tier

    Measure the lower tier at each of its two diagonals. When both diagonals are the same measurement, the tier is in square. With the hammer or sledgehammer, gently tap posts to move them into position.

  4. Add the Upper Tier

    Add the remaining four four-by-sixes as the upper tier. The posts should be arranged the same way, except the upper tier should be turned 90 degrees (either direction) from the lower tier. As with the lower tier, square the upper tier with the tape measure and adjust any of the lower posts that may have moved out of position.

  5. Drill Pilot Holes

    Drill pilot holes for the lag screws. Chuck the 5/16-diameter by 6-inch drill bit into the drill and drill two pilot holes at each corner. Drill down 5 inches per hole. Be sure to keep the posts steady as you drill to avoid misaligned holes.

    Tip

    Add a ring of painter's tape 5 inches up from the end of the drill bit as a depth guide.

  6. Drive the Lag Screws

    Slip a washer through a lag screw, then drive the screw into one of the holes. Keep the lag screw vertical. Drive the screw with a 9/16-inch socket. Repeat for all of the eight holes.

  7. Add the Sand

    Add enough clean play sand to fill the sandbox halfway, or about 3-1/2 inches deep.

  8. Trim Landscape Fabric

    Cut excess landscape fabric with the utility knife.

How to Build a Simple DIY Sandbox With Seats

  1. Dry-Fit the Side Panels

    Lay four two-by-eights on edge to form a square. Work on a flat surface such as a garage floor or a concrete patio.

  2. Drill Pilot Holes

    Drive three pilot holes into each end. This will avoid split ends when you drive the deck screws. Have an assistant hold the boards steady.

  3. Attach the Side Panels

    Drive three 3-inch deck screws into each end to attach the board to its neighbor. The assistant should continue holding the boards.

  4. Cut the Seats

    Run the straightedge from one corner to the opposite corner on the 4-foot-square plywood panel and draw a line with the pencil. Do the same for the other two corners. Cut the panel into four triangles with the circular saw.

  5. Square the Sandbox

    Measure opposite diagonals on the sandbox. Then, measure the other two diagonals. The two measurements should be the same when the sandbox is square. Square the box by pushing against a corner, with an assistant at the opposite corner.

  6. Install the Seats

    With the sandbox in square, attach one triangle seat at each corner. The seats will maintain the box's square after all have been installed. Drive six 1-1/2-inch deck screws per seat.

  7. Add the Landscape Fabric

    lnstall landscape fabric inside the sandbox. Roll four 9-foot strips of 3-foot-wide landscape fabric across the inside. Overlap each row by 1-foot. Continue the excess landscape fabric up the sides of the box. Staple at about the halfway point. Cut off the excess with the utility knife.

    Tip

    Hammer the staples flat for safety.

  8. Add Sand

    Add clean play sand to the sandbox to about the halfway point.

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