Article: Plywood or MDF are the most economic choices for the wood, but you can use any type of wood you want. Use a solid wood instead if you want to give the chest a natural finish.  Use boards that are 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) thick. A toy chest that is 29 in × 18 in (74 cm × 46 cm) and 13 in (33 cm) high is a good size if you aren’t sure. You can get different types of solid wood, plywood, or MDF at a lumber yard or home improvement center. MDF stands for medium-density fibreboard. It is a bit denser than plywood and has a smoother surface, but is not as strong as plywood and can sag under heavy weight. Plywood is slightly more expensive, but is stronger than MDF. Lay out the pieces on a flat work surface in the shape of the box. Place the bottom in the middle with the front, back, and sides laid beside it where they will go. Put the lid off to the side for now.  Use 2 29 in × 13 in (74 cm × 33 cm) pieces for the front and back and 2 18 in × 13 in (46 cm × 33 cm) pieces for the sides. Use 1 29 in × 17 in (74 cm × 43 cm) pieces for the bottom and 1 30 in × 18 in (76 cm × 46 cm) piece for the top. You can adjust the measurements if you want to make the chest larger or smaller. Sand the edges of the boards by hand or with an electric sander so that there are no splinters or sharp edges. Sand the surfaces of the boards if there are any rough spots. Slowly squeeze out a bead of carpenter’s glue along the lower edges of the sides, front, and back where they will sit against the bottom piece. Squeeze a line of the wood glue along the left and right edges of the sides where they will overlap the front and back pieces. Don’t worry if you accidentally squeeze out a bit too much glue. You’ll be able to wipe away the excess when you put the pieces together. Start by lifting the front and back pieces and holding them in place against the front and back edges of the bottom. Lift the side pieces up next so they rest against the bottom as well as overlap the ends of the front and back pieces. Clamp everything in place with bar clamps.  This will be easiest if you have someone help you hold the pieces in place while you clamp them. You can use a moist rag to wipe away any excess glue that comes out of the cracks after you clamp everything together. Use 1.5–2 in (3.8–5.1 cm) finish nails. Hammer them all along the bottom edges into the bottom board, as well as up the sides where the sides overlap the ends of the front and back pieces. Try to hammer the nails as flush with the surface of the wood as possible so you will have a smooth finish when you paint over them.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Plan how big you want to make the chest and buy the right amount of wood. Lay out 6 pieces of 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) wood for the chest. Sand the pieces with 120-grit sandpaper to remove any splinters. Put a thin line of wood glue along the edges of the pieces where they will touch. Stand up the pieces around the bottom and clamp them in place with bar clamps. Nail the pieces together with finish nails every 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm).