Rustic Whitewash Box

We got a puppy just over a year ago and we had toys all over the house. I decided to make a simple yet practical box for all his toys and blankets (for cleaning his muddy paws). The box looks a little more rustic today since some of the corners have been chewed :)

Step 1: Materials and Cut List

Wood Type: Pine

Finish: Water based Polyurethane, Minwas Walnut Stain and white acrylic paint

Cut List: Only 1" x 6" x 8' board was needed for this box.

Brown = Bottom Pieces, Grey = Side Pieces and Green = End Pieces

Step 2: Plan Dimensions

These drawings will give you an idea of how it will be assembled.

Step 3: Assembly Side and Bottom Pieces

I started with the bottom of the box first. Since nobody would see the bottom of the box, I decided to use pocket hole screws to join the two bottom pieces to add some strength. All the other side pieces were just glued and clamped together.

Step 4: Stain and Finish Assembly

I chose the MinWax dark Walnut stain.

I then assembled the pices together using a brad nailer, you could use regular nails or screws as an alternative.

Step 5: Handles

I decided to add handles to the box. I drilled two holes and then used a jig saw to complete the oval handles below. To drill the initial two holes I used a 3/4" forstner bit, this is not necessary but they make a cleaner cut. I also suggest clamping a piece of wood to the back side to avoid tear out when drilling the holes.

Step 6: Finish

The last step was to create the whitewash effect with some whit acrylic paint. This was my first attempt at doing 'white wash' - I thought it turned out alright. If I were to do it again, I'd use more white paint but that's a personal preference.

I then applied a polyurethane to protect the finish.

Cheers,

Ian

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