DIY: Building Your Own Backyard Sandbox
An 8’X8’ sandbox can provide hours of quality playtime for the young ones in your family. It’s a great option for enjoying the outdoors, adds valuable sensory play into daily rotation, and is excellent for stimulating curious and young minds.
Planning your Sandbox
Choose a spot in your yard that will suit this type of play. Consider how much sun or shade the area gets and how close to the hose the area is if you want to incorporate water themes or cleanup.
Building Your Sandbox
Use a length of string and stakes to plot out your sandbox in the area that you’ve designated. Use pre-cut 8-foot cedar 4X4s. You can use a cheaper wood but cedar is durable and waterproof and will last longer than a bargain board. For a sandbox that is 8 foot by 8 foot and 12 inches deep we will lay the timbers butt end-to side at the corners so we will need to subtract 3 1⁄2 inches per board. We will also use three boards per side to make the box deep enough.
Dig out the center of the box. You can use a level and a two by four or shovel to level the ground in the area. Push a framing square into each corner and move the timbers until they are square. Tap each timber down into the soil until it is level. Remove the braces and lay the next round of timbers on top of the base. Arrange them so the corners overlap in the opposite direction from the last one to create a pattern. Use a drill to drive 6-inch screws down through the top and into the wood beneath them. Position screws every 3 feet around the perimeter. Use landscape fabric along the inside of the box, in the corners, and over the second round of timbers.
Finally, lay the third round of timbers on top of the second and secure with 6 inch screws making sure to continue the pattern as before. Trim any excess landscaping fabric.
Now, fill the interior with washed sand. You can use our handy calculator to determine how much sand you’ll need to fill your sandbox or can call on one of our professionals here at Metro Materials to assist you in selecting the right amount and type of sand for your very own sandbox.