How to build a sand box....
Some of home improvement and fun projects around the Wildwose household will be coming through in posts, starting with a....
First level the site and dig down a couple of inches. This is next to our upper terrace. This step was by far the most labor intensive and time consuming task of the project.
This part of the process is best with the acquisition of an able bodied teenager to help. Luckily, we come equipped with one. A friend once said, "There is nothing like digging holes and moving rocks to convince young boys to stay in school and get a good job!"
Construct simple box shape of 2x12 white pine boards. I didn't use Pressure Treated Wood. Although the treatment process in it has changed over the years, moving from arsenic based to copper based. Either way, there have been studies shown of metals leaching into surrounding soils and I want small children, who might eat the sand, to be able to play in it. Ellawyn knows better, but other kids don't. Several websites I looked at mentioned the fact that kids may loose interested before the wood rots. So I built the box and sealed it with several coats of penetrating wood stain. I used 12 foot boards and cut them in half for a 6ft by 6ft box. Here is is in process, with the weed block already partially on.
As I mentioned, we attached weed blocking fabric across the bottom. This will prevent weeds and roots, which shouldn't be too much of a problem with the dept of 8-10 inches of sand, and importantly will keep the kids from digging down into the soil level and mixing it with the sand. Here I am stapling on the fabric.
Acquire LOTS of Sand! I can't stress volume enough. It will be, by far, your largest expense. We purchased bagged play sand at the local home big box store. You can also buy the sand by the truck load from landscape suppliers, but we didn't have the truck for shipping. Additionally, the bag sand has been well washed and is free of weed seeds. We bought 20 bags. The best sand box I ever saw was lined with bricks and dug down in 3 foot! The lucky boy could tunnel, dig and pile to his heart's content. So I wanted a deep box with lots of sand.
You also note the importance of the camera bag for taking the pictures and a nice mug from MDRF available filled with coffee.
Once the box is in place with the fabric on the bottom, you will need to reinforce the corners. You can do this with triangle of wood, corner brackets, or use lumber to construct benches across the ends. This is what I did. They are the green boards in the below image. You should then acquire a willing little girl to help put on that sand it, because it the fun part of this.
Here is a little video of filling it up. Please note my large knife for cutting the bags and the numerous times I remind the excited little girl to stay back. In hindsight I would recommend a box knife. Everyone was OK.
So, a great sand box.
Total cost all amounts approximate:
2x12 Lumber: $24
Weed Fabric: $18 (lots of left over from the roll)
Play Sand: $80 (I plan on buying another 20 bags as soon as we can budget it)
Bench boards: Free (recycled)
Penetrating Stain and Green Paint: Free (left over from previous project)
Bench Plates: Free (recycled)
Silly little girl making sand cakes and castles, playing with toy bulldozers and trucks for hours while we happily garden....Priceless.
Kubiando!
First level the site and dig down a couple of inches. This is next to our upper terrace. This step was by far the most labor intensive and time consuming task of the project.
This part of the process is best with the acquisition of an able bodied teenager to help. Luckily, we come equipped with one. A friend once said, "There is nothing like digging holes and moving rocks to convince young boys to stay in school and get a good job!"
Construct simple box shape of 2x12 white pine boards. I didn't use Pressure Treated Wood. Although the treatment process in it has changed over the years, moving from arsenic based to copper based. Either way, there have been studies shown of metals leaching into surrounding soils and I want small children, who might eat the sand, to be able to play in it. Ellawyn knows better, but other kids don't. Several websites I looked at mentioned the fact that kids may loose interested before the wood rots. So I built the box and sealed it with several coats of penetrating wood stain. I used 12 foot boards and cut them in half for a 6ft by 6ft box. Here is is in process, with the weed block already partially on.
As I mentioned, we attached weed blocking fabric across the bottom. This will prevent weeds and roots, which shouldn't be too much of a problem with the dept of 8-10 inches of sand, and importantly will keep the kids from digging down into the soil level and mixing it with the sand. Here I am stapling on the fabric.
Acquire LOTS of Sand! I can't stress volume enough. It will be, by far, your largest expense. We purchased bagged play sand at the local home big box store. You can also buy the sand by the truck load from landscape suppliers, but we didn't have the truck for shipping. Additionally, the bag sand has been well washed and is free of weed seeds. We bought 20 bags. The best sand box I ever saw was lined with bricks and dug down in 3 foot! The lucky boy could tunnel, dig and pile to his heart's content. So I wanted a deep box with lots of sand.
You also note the importance of the camera bag for taking the pictures and a nice mug from MDRF available filled with coffee.
Once the box is in place with the fabric on the bottom, you will need to reinforce the corners. You can do this with triangle of wood, corner brackets, or use lumber to construct benches across the ends. This is what I did. They are the green boards in the below image. You should then acquire a willing little girl to help put on that sand it, because it the fun part of this.
Here is a little video of filling it up. Please note my large knife for cutting the bags and the numerous times I remind the excited little girl to stay back. In hindsight I would recommend a box knife. Everyone was OK.
Click to viewSo, a great sand box.
Total cost all amounts approximate:
2x12 Lumber: $24
Weed Fabric: $18 (lots of left over from the roll)
Play Sand: $80 (I plan on buying another 20 bags as soon as we can budget it)
Bench boards: Free (recycled)
Penetrating Stain and Green Paint: Free (left over from previous project)
Bench Plates: Free (recycled)
Silly little girl making sand cakes and castles, playing with toy bulldozers and trucks for hours while we happily garden....Priceless.
Kubiando!