Expert: Jamie Yocono - 11/10/2006

Question
I would like to build a large under bed drawer with dividers for my sons to use as a toy box. I havent been able to find any plans. could you point me in the right direction? and give me some tips. This will be one of my first big wood working projects.

Answer
Hi Annie,

I understand your question, and have been asked it before. It makes a lot of sense to utilize that space under a bed. I'm just not sure that making a box out of wood is the best solution, and let me explain why.

First, if you're going to make one out of wood, you're going to have to figure out the maximum height that will fit under the bed. To make it roll easily, you'll need to shop for some sort of wheels or casters, so that the box can roll freely. I'm just guessing, but these wheels are probably going to be 1 1/2" wheels, which will use up a lot of that space underneath the bed. What that means is- even if you have 6" of clearance under the bed, the box itself is going to be much shallower than that, because the wheels take up so much room.

Plus- I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but wheels seem to have gotten pretty expensive in the last few years. I used to be able to buy decent swivel wheels for about $2 a piece, and now they're running closer to $4 a piece. Ouch.

Add in the cost of wood (both solid wood for the sides of the drawer, and plywood for the bottom) and you're starting to get into a lot of money for a drawer like this. And it isn't even the best solution.

I suggest you take a look at some of the plastic storage bins that are out on the market. They sell these bins specifically for under bed storage, and they're very reasonably priced. Here's a link to just one of the many types available:

http://rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml;jsessionid=IRWCLCMM54ALMC...

Cut and paste that and you'll see a Rubbermaid product. But there are many more out there, I suggest making a few calls, like to Walmart or Target, as those two stores seem to really have a good selection.

Finally, if you're really set on making your own box out of wood, it's fairly simple. You'll need to do some measuring, and make a simple box, playing attention to the type of wheel you use. Make sure you buy the wheels first, and then adjust the box height accordingly. You don't want to make the box first, and then discover you've made it too tall when you add the wheels.

I've even seen some underbed boxes that utilize wheels on the sides of the box, similar to the way the wheels sit on a wooden toy car. I'm not completely sure where you could buy those, but I'm sure they're available if you look at a hardware store.

You'll probably want to use solid wood for the box itself, and then some plywood for the bottom. Simple butt joints, glue and screws will probably work, but if your child is strong, you may want to add some metal angle brackets, to keep it together.

The materials are going to add up pretty quickly, so I really think you might want to check out the plastic alternatives first. Just my opinion. Sometimes wood isn't the best solution!

OK, good luck, I hope this helps. Please feel free to write back if you have any further questions after reading this.  And if this answer was helpful... please take a minute and rate my service. Thanks!

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com