How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

How to Build Custom Rustic Box Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Making custom rustic wooden box crates is super easy. You can build your crates to fit in a book case or use them as drawers in a cabinet. When I was giving my IKEA cabinet a makeover, I chose to remove a door and build custom box drawers instead.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Here’s the super easy tutorial so you can build your own:

Materials:
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Tools:

Instructions:

Begin by cutting the 1/2″ plywood into four pieces the size you want for your crate sides.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Test fit the sides together. Add a line of glue to the ends of the plywood.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Place the sides of the box in place.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure all the sides with finish nails. Wipe off any glue that has oozed out.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Set the box on top of the 1/4 plywood. Trace the edges and cut out the bottom.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Flip the box upside down. Add wood glue along the bottom of the box edges. Set the 1/4″ piece of plywood in place.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Secure the bottom with finish nails.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Sand off any rough areas or splinters. Wipe off any sawdust with a damp rag. Stain the exterior of the box with stain cloths (or any dark stain you have on hand.)

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Paint the box. I used Farmhouse paint in Turquoise and Coastal Palm.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Sand the box to give an aged and distressed look. (View more tutorials for aging and distressing here.)

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Time to dress up the crates! Add leftover pieces of moulding or picket fence. Run a bead of glue on the box.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Then, secure the wood pieces with finish nails.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Because the top picket fence piece acts as a handle on my box, I added strength by pre-drilling a hole and then securing it from inside with a few wood screws.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Feel free to add some salvage strap hinges for more visual interest. I particularly love the graphic look of these!

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Disguise the wood screw by coloring it with a sharpie marker.

How to Build Custom Rustic Crates | Pretty Handy Girl

Custom wooden boxes can be used on shelves to keep magazines and other things out of sight.

rustic-box-crates-in-bookshelves

Or you can use them like I did, by sliding them into a cabinet.

rustic-cabinet-straight-on

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. To read more antiquing and distressing tutorials, see my Aging Techniques Gallery.

aging techniques gallery

To read more custom woodworking projects, check out my Built It Gallery.

How to Build It Gallery

See you in a few!

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Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] your own DIY Rustic Wood Box Crate is a great way to custom build a larger gift container for gifting bigger items (think pillows, […]

  2. […] Paint your storage box. If you like how my box looks, you can duplicate this rustic painting technique. […]

  3. […] eye, you’ll notice I removed the door on the left and added two rustic box drawers instead. (Tutorial for creating custom rustic crate boxes is HERE! Be sure you subscribe to my emails, so you don’t miss any future […]

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