Make a Modern Picnic Box

The sun's shining! Enjoy the great outdoors with this fun project using a plain wooden storage box. It's easy to make and perfect for your next picnic.

Supplies

• 5cm (2in) screw
  
• Dock washers with a large-bearing surface
  
• Paint brushes
• Acrylic paint
• Painter's tape
• Wood box
• Hand drill with drill bit
• 1 copper T-fitting 10 half-inch (3/8in)
• Saw and mitre box
• Hot glue gun
• Ruler
• 60cm (24in) wooden dowel that fits into the holes of the copper T-fitting (3/8in diameter).

1. Cut the Dowel Pieces

Step 1

Measure the dowel into three pieces. Mark two pieces at 15cm (6in) long and one piece at 30cm (12in) long.

Now place the dowel in the mitre box and cut the wood with a hand saw at the first spot you've marked.

Step 2

Saw the rest of the dowel at the marked pieces. You should now have three separate pieces of wood dowel.

2. Prepare the First Part of the Handle

Using a hot glue gun, add glue in each horizontal end of the copper fitting and place a 15cm (6in) cut piece of wooden dowel in each of the holes.

3. Prepare the Second Part of the Handle

Drill a small pilot hole with the drill bit into one end of the 30cm (12in) piece of wooden dowel. This will ensure that the hole is parallel to the dowel so that the screw doesn't exit through the side.

4. Paint the Handle

Hand paint the wooden dowels in any colour of your choice. I painted the entire length of the long piece of dowel, as well as both tips of the handle. Measure around 5cm in from both ends of the dowel and mask the area with painter's tape.

5. Prepare the Box

Step 1

Mark the center of the bottom of the box with a ruler and a pencil.

Step 2

Drill a hole in the center of the box.

Step 3

Measure around two-thirds down and mask off the sides of the box with your masking tape.

Step 4

Paint the bottom third of the sides of the box and set to dry.

6. Assemble the Box

Step 1

Now you're going to fasten the handle to the box. You'll need your box, long painted length of dowel, a dock washer and a screw.

Step 2

Place the screw through the hole and through the dock washer. Fasten it through the hole at the bottom of the box and drill it directly onto the wood dowel.

Step 3

With your hot glue gun, add glue into the third hole of the copper fitting.

Step 4.

Place the bar on to the painted dowel and press the parts together.

Ready, Set, Picnic

Now your picnic box is ready to fill with delicious treats! Keep the box lightweight with reuusable containers or disposable plates. Wrap a snack and you're ready to go.

Instead of taking a friend for dinner, surprise him or her with a lunch to go!

When you're not enjoying the great outdoors, you can use the box as a storage solution on your office desk, or you could also use it as a gift box.

Tell me what you think about my picnic box. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Maybe you would like to share your dream spot for a picnic?