I decided not to shelve the story with the sandbox that I mentioned and talk about the construction process. In addition, there are still warm days of Indian summer ahead of us and, perhaps, someone will even have time to do something similar. :)
My wife and daughters spent almost the entire summer at their grandparents’ dacha. There is freedom there for children. You can walk outside all day, pick raspberries and strawberries straight from the bushes, and generally enjoy your childhood and life. :)
But, no matter how good it is, without the main component of childhood (unless, of course, it takes place in permafrost conditions), the mood of any child will not be the most positive. I'm talking, of course, about the sandbox. So at some point my child remembered that in the city, they say, there is this same sandbox, but in the country, much to our chagrin, there is not.
As a result, after agreeing with my grandmother (our main dacha field marshal), at an emergency family meeting, a decision was made - there should be a sandbox! :)
Having wandered around the Internet and reviewed a bunch of sandboxes of the most different forms and sizes, I decided to go with a fairly simple, but functional and convenient option. But since I couldn’t find any diagrams or drawings, I had to do it “approximately as in the picture” :) The photo below was found by me on the Internet and was taken as the basis for construction.
Having estimated the approximate dimensions of the future sandbox, I went to the construction market. I bought boards, timber, wicket hinges and paint.
After I filed required amount parts, all that remains is to polish everything and assemble it into a single structure. My faithful assistants helped me cope with these tasks :)
Grinding was done using a grinder and a grinding wheel, which is not entirely correct, since the process produces a lot of fine dust, which clogs literally everything. IN next year I want to buy grinder with a dust collector, otherwise cleaning takes almost as much time as construction itself.
After all the parts were processed, I began assembly.
I extended the timber to which the boards of the side walls of the sandbox were attached, since in the future I planned to dig it into the ground and these “tails” were supposed to serve as supports for the entire structure so that it would not fail.
Having collected everything together, I pulled this colossus out onto the street. It turned out impressive (the sides of the square were approximately one meter and twenty centimeters).
For strength and reliability, I reinforced the corners with the remains of timber.
I went through the first coat of paint. The “legs” of the sandbox were treated with used machine oil.
Well, more precisely, it wasn’t really me who painted the legs... :)
I estimated the location of the pre-painted boards of the future sandbox lid.
Using a grinder with coarse sandpaper, I removed the edges of the boards, giving them a more attractive look.
I fixed the first two boards firmly, screwing them with self-tapping screws. Then I began to assemble the first part of the movable sandbox lid, adding two more boards and attaching the gate hinges.
Something is already starting to work out... :)
Then I started on the second part of the lid. The fact is that this lid is not simple, but with a curious mechanism that turns it into a bench! To do this, I added two more boards and secured them with timber.
I attached two boards, fixed with bars to the previous two boards, using the same gate hinges. As a result, I got this design:
The bars are designed so that when the lid is opened, they rest against the wall of the sandbox and serve as support for the back of the bench.
Thus, our lid folds and turns into a convenient bench.
The fifth and sixth boards are held together by the bars I mentioned above. In the same way I strengthened the third and fourth boards, strengthening them with additional small blocks. Now the boards are not only held on hinges and are securely fastened to each other.
In addition, these short bars protect children’s bottoms from the possibility of being scratched on the hinges, and also serve as a back support for the back of the bench so that it does not fold and fall on the children’s arms and backs. Still, no matter what you say, safety comes first! :)
To prevent the bench from bending under the weight of those sitting, I screwed a small support plate in the center onto the first two boards.
After one side of the sandbox lid was completed, I began assembling the second side.
I decided to make the second half of the lid without a back, thus finalizing and improving the original design. :) The fact is that if an adult suddenly decides to play with a child, it is convenient to do this without climbing entirely into the sandbox, but sitting down on its edge. In the original version of the sandbox, from which I took an example, both sides of the lid had backs, which made it difficult for adults to sit on.
In my version there are no such problems. :)
I closed the corners with a wooden corner so that the ends of the boards would not absorb moisture, and in general it looks much neater this way.
Having completely assembled and painted the entire structure, I went to look for a shovel... :)
Having dug a pit around the perimeter, I lowered it into support legs sandboxes so that the side walls lie on the lawn.
Summer has come, the children have grown up and the question arose about building or buying a children's sandbox. A market analysis of children's sandboxes was quickly carried out. As a result, the following picture emerged: there are either plastic or wooden children's sandboxes.
For a more or less reasonable price, you can purchase a sandbox that is somewhat reminiscent of a plastic basin. The remaining models, for which there was at least some desire to purchase, were very “surprised” by the cost. Ultimately, the opinion was formed that to purchase at affordable price something normal will not work out. And it was decided to make a sandbox with our own hands, and a wooden one at that.
How to make a sandbox. Problems and questions
Since I had never made children’s sandboxes before, a number of questions and additional requirements arose at the project development stage. I will list the main ones.
- What size should a children's sandbox be?
- How tall should a children's sandbox be?
- What thickness of boards is needed to build a sandbox?
- Do you need a sandbox lid?
- If necessary, what should it be?
- How to organize a place where you can “bake Easter cakes” (table, bench, etc.)?
- Where to install the sandbox?
- How to sift sand? And is it necessary to sift it at all?
- How many boards are needed? And which ones?
Having scoured the Internet, I didn’t find any answers, mostly vague recommendations on the topic of how to make a sandbox with your own hands. Naturally, this did not satisfy me and I had to invent something. Unfortunately, I never made any drawings, but I will try to briefly describe my train of thought and the answers to the questions posed above.
Children's sandbox dimensions
Having slightly compared the size of the child, the prospects for his growth and the appearance of company (including a brother or sister) in the future, I came to the conclusion that a sufficient size and shape of a children's sandbox is a square of approximately 1 m to 1.5 m. This size, on the one hand, will allow 2-3 children to be directly in the sandbox at the same time, on the other hand, it can be installed anywhere without any problems.
Then I began to think about leaving as few scraps of boards as possible during construction. Not far from the dacha there is a base of sawn materials and standard size their boards are 0.12 x 6 m. The decision came by itself, the dimensions of the children's sandbox should be 1.2 x 1.2 m. Let me explain, from a board 6 meters long you get 5 boards of 1.2 meters each, i.e. half of the sandbox and no scraps.
Sandbox height
And so we decided on the size of the children's sandbox, now the height. What height should a children's sandbox have?
- The height should be sufficient so that so much sand can fit in the sandbox that the child cannot reach the ground.
- The child should easily climb in and out without the help of adults.
Based on these two criteria, it was decided that the height of the sandbox should be no more than two boards, i.e. 24 cm. Such a sandbox is suitable for both a one and a half year old and a three year old child. Moreover, the sand (in depth) in a children's sandbox should be about 10-12 cm, that is, about half the sandbox.
Thickness of boards for children's sandbox
The thickness of the side walls was chosen to be 32 mm. For two reasons. Firstly, boards of the specified thickness will provide sufficient strength and rigidity. Secondly, the likelihood of cracking of the boards when assembling the sandbox is significantly reduced, i.e. more convenient installation.
Sandbox cover
Do you need a sandbox lid? I thought for a long time and decided that it was still needed. It is necessary for two reasons. Firstly, the sand in a closed sandbox will remain dry, which is important for the child’s health. Secondly, the lid on the sandbox will protect against the entry of any foreign objects: leaves, apples falling from a tree, and of course from birds, cats and cats. I think it's clear what I meant about cats.
But making a cover for the sandbox in the form of a lid - I didn’t like this idea. This cover will be lying around all the time, you will have to take it off and put it on, in general, it will be inconvenient. After looking at pictures on the Internet, I found several options for making a sandbox with a lid.
- The lid transforms into a shelf on which you can build Easter cakes.
- The lid transforms into a bench on which you can not only build Easter cakes, but also sit.
I really liked the idea, and it was decided to build a children's sandbox with a lid that transforms into a bench. And you can sit (not only for a child) and the surface for “baking” Easter cakes is good.
I decided to make the lid for the sandbox from a 20 mm board. So it will turn out to be quite strong on one side, and light on the other.
Children's sandboxes for the dacha - photo
It is very difficult to meet a child who does not like to play in the sand. To give the child the opportunity to fully enjoy his favorite activity, caring parents install sandboxes in the countryside or simply in the courtyard of their home. You can easily find ready-made designs on sale, but you will have to pay quite a lot of money. The best option- this is to make a sandbox with your own hands. In this case, all the needs and desires of your child will certainly be taken into account, and the price will be several times lower.
What can you make a sandbox out of?
Wood has always been considered the most popular material for creating a children's sandbox with your own hands. Boards, logs, beams or block houses are well suited for these purposes. They are the main materials for the production of sandboxes. So that the end result pleases your appearance It is better to choose sanded wood. It costs a little more, but the result of the work is worth it. If the construction budget is small, you can save money and sand the existing material yourself.
You can also use moisture resistant plywood. But this type building material is best used in extreme cases, since the presence of glue and formaldehyde in its composition does not have a very good effect on human health. But it is worth noting that plywood is the easiest to work with. It is easily cut with a jigsaw and assembled with a screwdriver. And after assembly, it’s enough to simply sand the ends of the structure and coat the sides with paint.
If you want to make a sandbox with your own hands at the dacha, you can use any available material. For example, empty ones can be used plastic bottles from under the water. To make a strong wall out of them, the lids are screwed in with self-tapping screws. wooden base, and then screw in the bottle. Also, using thick wire, additional strength is added to the walls of the sandbox. To do this, sharp wire is used to pierce the bottles through the top and bottom. The ends of the wire must be twisted well, and the dangerous ends are hidden.
The twist is located on one side only. When installing the side of the sandbox, try to make it inaccessible to the child. Ready design for sand, they are mounted in a shallow ditch and well sprinkled with sand and soil, and then compacted very carefully. Plywood is laid at the bottom of the sandbox and then filled with sand.
Another very popular material for making a children's sandbox with your own hands is car tires. They are great for this kind of thing. To quickly make a place for playing with pitch, one sidewall of the tire is removed. The result is quite high sides. Then you can go in two ways:
- cover the hole with plywood and screw it to the second side;
- cut off the second part and get just a side.
Attention ! Regardless of the choice, the cuts must be secured. If the reinforcing fiber is plastic, then it is enough to simply sand it, but if it is made of metal, it must be covered with something.
The main stages of making a sandbox
In order to understand how to make a sandbox with your own hands, we will consider in detail the main stages of its construction. Regardless of the type of construction, all steps will be repeated.
Choosing a location
It is better to choose a site for placing the structure so that part of it is located in the sun and part in the shade. If this is not possible, then it is better to make a sandbox in the sun and make a good awning. It is important to pay attention so that they do not grow near the place where children play. tall trees and bushes. Plants, of course, provide shade, but, firstly, branches sometimes fall from the trees, which can injure a child, and constantly dropping leaves in the fall add work for adults.
Never make a sandbox in hot sun or in a place where there is no air movement. Avoid drafts. There is also another important factor that needs to be remembered. Place the sandbox in a place that is very clearly visible from the window of the house, so you can be sure of the child’s safety.
Making the markings
If the design has rectangular shape, then for marking they use wooden pegs and threads stretched between them. The stakes are driven in after measuring the required parameters. Traditionally, the size of handmade children's sandboxes is 2*2m. A rope, twine or metal cord is pulled between the stakes. Check the corners. They should be exactly 90°C.
If the design provides for rounded edges or sides, then sand will help to make the arc correctly. You need to pour it into a bag, make a small hole in it and draw the desired shape.
Digging a pit
To do this, we first remove upper layer soil, and remove the soil. It is important to clear all roots, rocks and other debris. The foundation pit for a children's sandbox should be made about 30 cm deep. In the middle of the dug rectangle or square, make a hole smaller in size, but deeper. Pour crushed stone into it. This is how a system for draining melt or rain water is set up.
Advice ! If you provide a slight slope from the edges of the sandbox, the sand will always be dry.
Mounting the base
We fill the bottom of the resulting pit with a small layer of sand, no more than 5 cm, after which we compact it well. Only after this can the base be laid. The best option for these purposes is geotextiles. It represents a special non-woven material, which is characterized by increased strength and wear resistance. It does not allow grass to grow, and will not allow the soil and sand to combine. If, when laying, geotextiles are wrapped over the edges of the pit, then it will still hold the ground, preventing it from getting wet when heavy rain. In cases where geotextiles are not available, you can make a base from plywood or linoleum. Only then do you need to make several holes in the material so that water does not accumulate at the bottom of the sandbox.
Construction of a seasonal sandbox
The seasonal sandbox is a box with sides. The height of the box is approximately three boards (depending on their width). The frame is assembled by attaching boards with self-tapping screws to vertical beams mounted at the corners of the sandbox perimeter. If the board is about 10 cm wide, then two fastening points are required, in the case when the board is 15 cm wide - 3 points. If the sidewall is made of ordinary edged boards length over 1.8 m, then another additional vertical element is attached in the middle of the side.
The corners of the sandbox must be additionally strengthened. To do this, the corner posts are mounted outside, and the boards, which represent the walls of the sandbox, are connected together into half a tree.
We mount the sides
The sides of the sandbox are a frame made of boards. It serves for additional rigidity of the box and can look like a seat or shelf for toys. In order for the sides to connect securely, they need to be cut at an angle of 45°C. It is very important to ensure that the angles coincide clearly.
Important ! The outer edge of the corner is very sharp and grassy. Children very often scratch themselves on it and get splinters. To avoid injury, it is better to make the corners semicircular; to do this, you need to cut them down, and sand all kinds of flaws and edges.
During installation, the sides are laid on the box and secured with corner and intermediate posts. Attaching the sides to the edge of the box board is not very reliable. The backing block will also not save the situation, because children love to hide toys under the side. Most best method fastening the sides of the sandbox - pieces of plinth with a cross-section of at least 4 cm. A cut of 30 cm long will be quite sufficient for a meter of side. Self-tapping screws are attached in those places in increments of about 10 cm. Also, if the supports are mounted under the outer edge of the side, then its fasteners must be made hidden.
We arrange the roof
Since the sandbox is located on outdoors, then she simply needs a roof. The traditional roof model is a mushroom. But everyone who has ever played in a sandbox understands that such a roof will cover few people. It is better to make a fungus separately, for quiet, relaxing games in the yard. But it is better to equip the sandbox with a different type of roof.
The best, simplest and most reliable roof option is a surface on four pillars. The only disadvantage of such a roof is that it is very dangerous for restless children.
An equally good roof option for a sandbox would be a surface on two pillars. They are attached to the sides of the box. If the roof is heavy or complex in design, the pillars are reinforced with struts.
It is better to make the roof of the sandbox soft or tension. The latter option is very profitable, as it minimizes the cost of materials. Remember, whatever you choose for the sandbox roof, the materials must be safe for life and health.
Advice ! If polycarbonate remains from the construction of a greenhouse, gazebo or porch, then it may be the best option for covering the roof.
How to fill the sandbox
What kind of sand is best for children to play with? White and small will definitely not work. Such sand does not mold well, generates dust, gets into your eyes and ears, and is also an allergen. Even adults, when working with such sand, wear masks and respirators to protect themselves.
Also not suitable for white or gray quartz sand. It doesn't get dusty, but it doesn't stick either. But this sand injures the delicate skin of a child very quickly. The thing is that quartz is a very hard mineral and its particles cannot be polished to complete roundness.
Red or gully sand. Of course, it molds well, but it’s not at all suitable for children. This sand contains a lot of clay, in which bacteria and microorganisms multiply very quickly.
Most the best option for a children's sandbox - yellow sand of medium fraction. It is very suitable for good sculpting, and the special layer that envelops the grains of sand reliably protects the sand from the growth of bacteria.
If sand is reused up to 2-4 times, then it requires special handling:
- IN winter period You need to know how to store sand properly. The best way will be stored in bags, in dry unheated room. If sand is stored outside, it must be covered with film.
- As the weather warms up, the sandbox is filled with sand. If sand has been in it all winter, then it must be ventilated and sifted.
- The sandbox is filled in layers of 10 cm. Each layer of sand is dried in the sun for at least twenty-four hours.
Requirements for the playing area
After the sandbox is made, you need to turn Special attention on its strength and safety. Therefore, it is very important to secure everything well and polish all the corners and roughness with a grinding machine.
After the sandbox is made, it is painted. On the one hand, the sandbox is painted bright colors It is very attractive to children, on the other hand, wood impregnated with paints significantly increases its service life.
When choosing the design of a small children's sandbox, it is necessary to take into account not only its direct (functional) purpose, but also pay attention to how harmoniously it will “fit” into the surrounding landscape.
Most suitable material for the sandbox there will be ordinary wood. Let's look at how to make a sandbox with your own hands.
Main questions:
- what design to choose;
- how many boards will be needed to make it;
- how to choose the right color scheme.
Design and dimensions of a sandbox for a children's playground
There are no special requirements for the size of children's sandboxes. If there is enough on the site free space– you can choose any dimensions convenient for you (within reason, of course). Most often I make the sandbox square, which makes it much easier preparatory work related to cutting workpieces of the same size.
The boards can be 4, 5 or 6 meters long with a width of about 12 cm. As for the height of the walls of the entire structure, the optimal size is about 24 cm, which corresponds to a bunch of two boards. Thus, if you have five-meter boards at your disposal, you will need eight of them to assemble the entire sandbox.
The thickness of the boards used for its production is usually chosen to be 30 mm. Blanks of such thickness provide the required strength and reliability of the structure and eliminate the possibility of cracking. The depth of the sand bulk layer used to fill the sandbox is chosen to be 15 cm.
The main stages of making a sandbox: work order
After all the boards are prepared, you can proceed to the construction of the frame. For fastening individual elements pre-prepared structures can be used with each other metal corners, attached to boards using self-tapping screws.
You can, of course, do without the corners; but then half of the boards used to assemble the frame should be 6–7 mm longer. In this case, part of the prefabricated boards is attached to the ends of adjacent blanks using ordinary wood screws, which makes it possible to obtain a fairly reliable and durable frame.
In a suburban area, you will definitely need to worry about the bottom of the sandbox; Moreover, this issue must be approached with all seriousness. Protect playground You can prevent rodents from entering it, in particular, by covering the bottom with special agrofibre, the edges of which are secured to the boards using a conventional furniture stapler.
Choosing a place to place the structure
When choosing suitable place based on the following considerations:
- the place should not be open to winds and sun;
- The place for children's games should be clearly visible from all points of the garden, i.e. it would be “in plain sight”;
- there must be a “visor”.
It is best to place the sandbox under the canopy of trees or in such a way that the shadow of a nearby building falls on it most of the day.
Concerning color scheme, then it should be chosen at your personal discretion (to taste). The color palette should be quite varied, as well as, if possible, bright and saturated. On the sides wooden frame You can apply patterns or designs.
Here are a couple of tips:
- The shape doesn't have to be square at all. If you try to move away from the templates, then it is quite possible to imagine a triangular, trapezoidal and even polygonal structure.
- In the sandbox itself, you can prepare some labyrinths, passages and grooves in which the child will be interested in arranging outdoor games.
Video
Photos of sandboxes: 14 unusual ideas
Schemes and drawings
On suburban areas Sometimes the pressing question is how to arrange them so that young children can play safely and interestingly. One solution is to make a sandbox with your own hands. The simplest structure can occupy the attention of children for many hours.
When creating, you should consider some rules for placing the playground:
- From a safety point of view, children should always be visible, which means it is better to place the sandbox in a clearly visible and accessible place.
- According to hygiene requirements, the sandbox should not be located under trees so that falling leaves and bird droppings did not pollute the sand.
- Direct rays of the sun are more harmful than beneficial for small children, so the play area must be covered.
There are a number standard projects for children's sandboxes. As a rule, they are based on a square with sides of 2.5–3 m. To fill it, about 3 m 3 of well-sifted river sand is required. When assembling the structure, you should use environmental materials, and pine boards 25–30 mm thick are best suited here.
Having chosen a place for construction, mark the perimeter. For a good foundation, it is preferable to remove the top layer of soil. Therefore, it is necessary to dig a shallow pit, about 25 cm. This could be limited, however, the sand, in contact with the ground, will quickly become contaminated and will have to be changed. The working volume of sand must be isolated from the ground, and geotextiles or agrofibre are perfect for this.
A sand cushion is poured into the bottom of our pit, which is carefully compacted, and a cloth is spread over it. Its structure is capable of transmitting atmospheric moisture into the ground. This compares favorably with, for example, polyethylene, which will not allow water to escape and the sandbox will be constantly wet. Geotextiles can be replaced with ordinary plywood, only drainage holes must be drilled in it.
To build the sides of the sandbox you will need bars measuring 450x50x50 mm. They must be treated with an antiseptic and placed in the corners of the structure. The bars are driven into the ground at the corners by about 15 cm. These will be the support posts.
For each side of the structure, a shield is assembled from pine boards. The width of such a side should be about 30 cm. All surfaces should be sanded well so that there are no protruding chips or nicks left.
You can also assemble benches around the perimeter of the structure where children can sit down and place buckets or other toys. Of course, they must also be carefully aligned and even covered with paint or varnish, so that the child does not risk getting a splinter.
Lid
The design can and should be improved by adding a lid to it. It will protect the sand from rain, leaves and other debris, and also will not allow animals to relieve themselves in clean sand.
The lid will be a removable wooden panel equipped with handles for easy lifting. Can be made in the form of doors mounted on hinges.
In the simplest case, you can use an awning or film. Such a canvas needs to be secured with an elastic band or with bricks; it will protect the sandbox.
Canopy or fungus
Fungus over the sandbox is great decorative element, which also serves as protection from bad weather. Under it you can wait out the rain or protect yourself from sun rays. Often a table is attached to the fungus column, which can perform various functions, including serving as a storage place for toys.
For the stem of the fungus you will need a beam with a cross section of 100x100 mm. In order for the canopy to be stable, part of the beam, at least 1 m, must go deep into the ground. The wood should be pre-treated with an antiseptic to protect against rot and insects.
In order to make a mushroom cap, you need to build triangles from boards. WITH inside they should be nailed to the support, and on the outside they should be covered with thin plywood. The span of the cap is desirable about 2.5 m.
Choosing the right sand
Usually used for children's games river sand. The edges of its granules are polished with water and are not capable of injuring, moreover, there are almost no foreign impurities in it. If you decide to buy quartz sand, this can be done at shopping centers specializing in building materials. Any sand must first be sifted before pouring into the sandbox bowl.
Note! Exists special mixture for the playground, it is well suited for sculpting figures, since it additionally contains clay. Special fragrances are added to it to repel animals and insects from the sandbox.
There are many different ways, allowing you to decorate the sandbox and increase its attractiveness for young children. The main thing in this case is the ability to show your imagination and not be afraid to embody ideas. And then your playground will become your child’s favorite place to play.
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Photo
Options for children's sandboxes:
Making a sandbox with a lid:
