![how-to-build-a-toy-box.jpg How to build a toy box](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0yk2bVCm7lI/VnZdufOMZkI/AAAAAAABfa0/iGBUQC9c1tM/how-to-build-a-toy-box.jpg?imgmax=800)
Phew! I’m getting this project finished just in the nick of time! For Christmas this year I’m wanted to build a toy box for my toddler and I finally got it done. I love how it turned out and I can’t wait to show you how easy it was!
I didn’t want to just buy a toy box since I knew this project would be really straight forward. I wanted something that would be lightweight, it needed to have casters so he could push it around and I wanted it to match his nursery design. I didn’t add a lid because I didn’t want any pinched fingers. With that in mind, this is my final design (filled with his gifts under the tree!):
![Custom-toy-box-for-Christmas.jpg Custom toy box for Christmas](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZCzDmncxxTw/VnZdSzU_yiI/AAAAAAABfZ8/oLmz_ZdXBgM/Custom-toy-box-for-Christmas.jpg?imgmax=800)
I think I nailed it. (And I love the chalkboard label on the front!)
So how did I build it? You may be surprised when you see what I used:
![simple-plywood-toy-box-to-build.jpg Simple plywood toy box to build](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NBwnjrECRCY/VnZeNFZ2beI/AAAAAAABfb0/X3KEmASci_E/simple-plywood-toy-box-to-build.jpg?imgmax=800)
Luckily Simpson Strong-Tie agreed to partner up with me on this project and I was able to use their fantastic connectors to build this project. They not only made it easy to put this box together, but they were stronger than pocket holes or butt joints AND they made it easy to keep the angles at 90 degree and make the box square.
Specifically I used the following Simpson Strong-Tie hardware:
(8) - GA1 gusset angle brackets (2 in each corner of box)
(4) - A23 A-Angle brackets (to attach bottom of box to four sides)
(8) - A33 A-Angle brackets (decorative trim)
![right-angles-in-plywood-without-pocket-holes.jpg Right angles in plywood without pocket holes](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rk38Rkl8afQ/VnZd97Wa1YI/AAAAAAABfbU/Oab8jZalFwo/right-angles-in-plywood-without-pocket-holes.jpg?imgmax=800)
Because this project was going to be for kids, I used 1/2 inch thick Purebond plywood. It not only had the nicest grain but it also is formaldehyde-free and soy based, so I don’t have to worry about the baby chewing on it or anything. I bought a full sheet but I only needed half of it.
![Supplies-for-building-toybox.jpg Supplies for building toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tW9Nmxn57Lo/VnZegrTQJ2I/AAAAAAABfcc/IM9gh_eY2XU/Supplies-for-building-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![12-inch-screws.jpg 12 inch screws](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FJ_srDsSNz8/VnZc6ZDlO3I/AAAAAAABfZU/9KzypDLs-Jw/12-inch-screws.jpg?imgmax=800)
Squaring up the corners was a breeze with the GA Angles, and the assembly went so much faster than if I had been using pocket holes.
![how-to-build-a-box-with-strong-joints.jpg How to build a box with strong joints](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LqwhrZDmHLQ/VnZdqbILN1I/AAAAAAABfas/BARfI8ia2uA/how-to-build-a-box-with-strong-joints.jpg?imgmax=800)
I added one in each corner and then went back and added a second to each, for a total of 8 connectors.
![GA-angles-to-build-box.jpg GA angles to build box](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--nNQk90gosA/VnZdmasbK4I/AAAAAAABfak/wvhDa1SGyeo/GA-angles-to-build-box.jpg?imgmax=800)
![building-toybox-from-12-plywood.jpg Building toybox from 12 plywood](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Icz9wrnhEus/VnZdG2gdEWI/AAAAAAABfZk/W2mPPizh73A/building-toybox-from-12-plywood.jpg?imgmax=800)
![using-strong-tie-connectors-to-build-furniture.jpg Using strong tie connectors to build furniture](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j0H-QFQep5U/VnZekrOikUI/AAAAAAABfck/RH35DoOTpZk/using-strong-tie-connectors-to-build-furniture.jpg?imgmax=800)
Time for decorative trim! I used my nail gun to attach the 1x2s to each edge of the box. (Since they were only decorative they didn’t need anything more than finishing nails.
![adding-trim-with-nail-gun.jpg Adding trim with nail gun](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GFhT2QQt33s/VnZdCcmpOdI/AAAAAAABfZc/fV0iUuIv94k/adding-trim-with-nail-gun.jpg?imgmax=800)
![patching-nail-holes-with-wood-filler.jpg Patching nail holes with wood filler](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fotj8ZzH4qU/VnZd2DpO0gI/AAAAAAABfbE/oNsZ7Sf3y_A/patching-nail-holes-with-wood-filler.jpg?imgmax=800)
![easy-rolling-wooden-toybox.jpg Easy rolling wooden toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a-OCLR1sgug/VnZde5L_ygI/AAAAAAABfaU/TEE2XfF9N1Q/easy-rolling-wooden-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
Time to decorate! I wanted to use 3 inch A Angles for the corners, but they only came in the original galvanized finish. But luckily you can spray paint them any color you want.. and I wanted black!
![spray-painting-L-brackets-for-decorative-trim.jpg Spray painting L brackets for decorative trim](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MlUUemZta2g/VnZeRJOErxI/AAAAAAABfb8/w4kx9qqKqgU/spray-painting-L-brackets-for-decorative-trim.jpg?imgmax=800)
They looked fabulous!
![Easy-DIY-wooden-rolling-toybox.jpg Easy DIY wooden rolling toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c0FPJLcaycc/VnZda_tS4II/AAAAAAABfaM/wfG3nDM3Ouo/Easy-DIY-wooden-rolling-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![priming-DIY-wooden-toybox.jpg Priming DIY wooden toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7kzEe92w0Y0/VnZd6GpQw2I/AAAAAAABfbM/iSAgEmGEeLM/priming-DIY-wooden-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![rustoleum-chalky-paint-.jpg Rustoleum chalky paint](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2HQaPGF01sM/VnZeJtwxCgI/AAAAAAABfbs/qsB0yL2Us8c/rustoleum-chalky-paint-.jpg?imgmax=800)
![painting-toybox-with-chalk-paint.jpg Painting toybox with chalk paint](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YHjsKX4riwU/VnZdyXZpoMI/AAAAAAABfa8/LXnMCOd6FPA/painting-toybox-with-chalk-paint.jpg?imgmax=800)
![stencil-chalkboard-label-on-toybox.jpg Stencil chalkboard label on toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YJDwJcD8jfU/VnZeU1EV-1I/AAAAAAABfcE/r8LXTCXtdp8/stencil-chalkboard-label-on-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
I used RustOleums’s Chalkboard paint in black.
![stenciling-label-with-chalkboard-paint.jpg Stenciling label with chalkboard paint](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y16-ebYVAfw/VnZecs0Z9MI/AAAAAAABfcU/2V6X2j0FfE4/stenciling-label-with-chalkboard-paint.jpg?imgmax=800)
I had to be careful to not put it on too thick, since I didn’t want it to bleed under the contact paper.
![stenciling-label-on-toybox.jpg Stenciling label on toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--N92mTjLi9k/VnZeYqRICYI/AAAAAAABfcM/TY8Lmpp8Ow0/stenciling-label-on-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![chalk-board-and-chalky-paint-toybox.jpg Chalk board and chalky paint toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dhpKCdb73pM/VnZdKpu_lxI/AAAAAAABfZs/8jBReWcjbx0/chalk-board-and-chalky-paint-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DIY-wooden-toybox.jpg DIY wooden toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DH_jD9BFqKM/VnZdWuw-MwI/AAAAAAABfaE/WjgDEBePU1w/DIY-wooden-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![filling-toybox-with-presents-for-christmas-morning.jpg Filling toybox with presents for christmas morning](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dFyTtxsqDVo/VnZdipK-lyI/AAAAAAABfac/6Mod_9577-I/filling-toybox-with-presents-for-christmas-morning.jpg?imgmax=800)
![chalkboard-label-on-toybox.jpg Chalkboard label on toybox](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OJtG5KlxPhI/VnZdOs-lvII/AAAAAAABfZ0/GM0TC3WN9PQ/chalkboard-label-on-toybox.jpg?imgmax=800)
![rolling-toybox-with-chalkboard-label.jpg Rolling toybox with chalkboard label](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z-p8LbrR7R4/VnZeFUB8tDI/AAAAAAABfbk/621t-pZU8eU/rolling-toybox-with-chalkboard-label.jpg?imgmax=800)
![rolling-box-of-toys-for-playroom.jpg Rolling box of toys for playroom](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZQoLsOHgM9w/VnZeBs2SMBI/AAAAAAABfbc/DadHV2vdzRQ/rolling-box-of-toys-for-playroom.jpg?imgmax=800)
If you would like to see more inspirational projects using Strong-Tie connectors, check out their DIY site or find them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or YouTube.