Subscribe to our Mailing List

Get the news right in your inbox!

Backyard sandbox featuring custom built lid that opens to create benches on each end.

DIY Sandbox Lid and Bench

April 29, 2013 Sarah Coggins
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you.

After adding the sandbox to our playset last week, I starting thinking about a lid to keep out larger leaves and sticks as well as visiting animals when it isn’t in use. A quick search of “DIY sandbox lid” and I had my answer – a lid that opens to form a bench on each end.

There is a great tutorial on Ana White’s site about how to build a complete sandbox with the lid and benches. We already had the box so I took measurements and worked on a design to fit ours. I drew up a plan in AutoCAD to determine exactly how many pieces of lumber and what sizes we needed.

Supplies and plan for building a closing lid on sandbox that opens to create benches at each end.

The entire project from start to finish took just over 3 hours to build.

Sandbox Lid & Bench: Closed
Sandbox Lid & Bench: Open

Our son was more than happy to jump in and try it out once complete.

Preschooler playing with toys in new backyard sandbox.

Eventually I plan to stain it to match the rest of the playset. For now, it’s built and we’re enjoying it!

Cost: approximately $90

7 Comments

  • Mandi @ Southern Gnome April 29, 2013 at 11:34 am
    I just love this! I might have to put my husband to work figuring out the measurements for ours. He made a cover for ours, but I'm thinking it now should be made of wood and have benches. :-) Great job! It looks awesome!
    • Sarah Coggins April 30, 2013 at 7:03 pm
      Thanks! Hope your husband forgives me for adding to the "honey do" list. ;)
  • Kim Aitken April 30, 2013 at 9:03 am
    Wow, Sarah, that's awesome! Great job!
    • Sarah Coggins April 30, 2013 at 7:04 pm
      Thanks, Kim! We'll have to have C over to play. :)
  • ter@waaoms May 18, 2013 at 11:05 am
    wow that's great! you're very talented for sure.
  • Aubrey Hunt May 23, 2014 at 2:37 pm
    Oh, this is COOL. Is it good a keeping bugs out, too? I've been thinking about getting a sandbox for my little ones!
    • Sarah Coggins May 27, 2014 at 7:16 am
      It doesn't keep all the bugs out, but does keep out most of the leaves and, of course, larger animals. My son gets excited when we open it and he finds frogs hiding in the sand.

    Leave a Reply

    I accept the Privacy Policy

    About Me

    Sarah

    Hi! I'm a DIY and craft obsessed mom to 2. I have my hands covered in sawdust or paint any given day. My husband and kids join me in many of our projects. When we aren't creating at home, we're creating memories in our many adventures. Join along! Read More

    Sarah

    Subscribe & Follow

    Subscribe to our Mailing List

    Get the news right in your inbox!

    DIY Project Money (aka Affiliates)

    Kids Craft Kits
    At Home

    Miscarriage

    I highly recommend the book What Was Lost: A Christian Journey through Miscarriage for any woman of faith who has suffered a miscarriage or anyone wanting to gain insight to help comfort a spouse, friend, sister, daughter, etc.

    Contributor

    Fine Print

    2paws Designs is a for-profit site. I make a small compensation from select links when purchases made via one of the affiliate companies. Select posts are sponsored and noted as such. All opinions within this website are my own. Find the Privacy Policy here.

    Amazon Associates Disclosure

    Sarah Coggins is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

    Hosting with SiteGround

    Twitter Feed

    ×