How to build a wooden crate

This wooden crate is made out of 12mm sheet plywood. It is dead-easy to build and the size can easily be varied to fit any space. I made three of these to fit inside a bench unit I built. Here’s the list of tools and materials:

Tools

Circular Saw

Clamp

Screwdriver

Sandpaper (80/100/120)

Materials

1 x sheet of 12mm plywood

1 x box of 16mm screws

Wood glue

Dutch Polish

First I measured and marked-up the plywood. Each crate required 19 strips. Three for the base, three for each side, three for and each end, and four uprights. My measurements were as follows:

Base (x3): 140mm x 700mm

Sides (x6): 70mm x 676mm

Ends (x6): 70mm x 460mm

Uprights (x4): 70mm x 238mm (with the 12mm base added the total depth of the crate = 250mm)

Once the strips were cut I gave them all a sand to smooth the edges and remove any splinters.

Next I screwed the crates together. First I constructed the ends by fixing three horizontal end strips to two uprights using wood glue and screws. I attached the top and bottom strips first, and the middle strip last, this ensured an even gap between each strip. I also made sure to leave enough space on the outside of each upright to fit the sides strips.

With each end complete, I attached the side strips. Finally I screwed three strips to the bottom to form the base, again fitting the middle strip last to ensure even spacing.

The final stage was to add three coats of dutch polish. Voila – a simple piece of woodwork but not half bad!