Free Wooden Box Plans: A Small Keepsake Box With Cut List and Diagrams

This free plan builds a small wooden keepsake box with a lift-off lid. It uses two poplar hobby boards and a small plywood panel, with crosscuts only. The post gives the full cut list, a cutting diagram, dimensioned drawings and step-by-step assembly diagrams. You can also download the plan as a printable PDF, with no sign-up.

The sides are glued and nailed, the bottom is glued and nailed underneath, and a plywood lip under the lid holds it in place. The box suits jewelry, keepsakes, cards and small tools. It is quick to make in batches if you want boxes to sell.

Wooden Box Plans at a Glance

Overall size	9 in. long, 5-1/2 in. wide, about 4-1/4 in. high with the lid
Inside	8 × 4-1/2 in., 3-1/2 in. deep
Wood	One 1/2 × 4 × 3 ft. and one 1/2 × 6 × 2 ft. poplar hobby board, and a 2 × 2 ft. panel of 1/4 in. plywood
Joinery	Butt joints with glue and brads
Lid	Lift-off lid with a plywood lip and a wooden knob
Skill level	Beginner
Build time	About 2 hours of work, plus finish time (estimate)
Finish	Wipe-on oil, a clear finish or paint

How This Box Is Designed

• Sold-to-size boards. Hobby boards come planed to 1/2 in. thick and sold by their actual width, so there is no ripping or planing.
• The lid sets the width. The ends are 4-1/2 in. long, so with two 1/2 in. sides the box is 5-1/2 in. wide, the width of the 1/2 × 6 lid board.
• A lip, not hinges. A plywood lip under the lid fits inside the box with 1/16 in. of play on each side, so the lid lifts off and stays in place.
• Simple joints. Glue and brads hold every corner. Our guide to types of wood joints covers rabbets and splined miters to try on later boxes.

Tools You Need

• Tape measure, small square and pencil
• Fine-tooth handsaw and miter box, or a miter saw
• Drill with 1/16 in. and 1/8 in. bits and a countersink
• Brad nailer with 18-gauge brads, or a small hammer and a nail set
• Clamps or masking tape to hold the corners
• Sandpaper in 120, 180 and 220 grit, and a sanding block
• Safety glasses and hearing protection

Follow the instructions that came with your tools, and see our woodworking safety rules.

Materials and Hardware

Item	Actual size	Quantity
1/2 × 4 × 3 ft. poplar hobby board	1/2 × 3-1/2 in.	1
1/2 × 6 × 2 ft. poplar hobby board	1/2 × 5-1/2 in.	1
1/4 in. plywood, 2 × 2 ft. project panel	about 0.224 × 23-3/4 × 23-3/4 in.	1
18-gauge brads, 1-1/4 in.	—	12
18-gauge brads, 3/4 in.	—	8
Wooden knob, about 1 in. across and at least 3/4 in. tall	—	1
No. 6 × 1-1/4 in. wood screw for the knob	—	1
Wood glue	—	1 small bottle

Measure the boards you buy. If the 1/2 × 6 is not exactly 5-1/2 in. wide, make the ends shorter or longer by the difference so the box matches the lid. Our guide on where to buy wood covers suppliers and board sizes.

Cut List

All sizes are in inches. The letter matches the drawings. For the front, back and ends, the width is the height of the part.

Part	Name	Qty	Thickness	Width	Length	Stock	Notes
A	Front and back	2	1/2	3-1/2	9	poplar 1/2 × 4	Overlap the ends of the end pieces.
B	End	2	1/2	3-1/2	4-1/2	poplar 1/2 × 4	Fits between the front and back.
C	Bottom	1	1/4	5-1/2	9	1/4 in. plywood	Glued and nailed under the sides.
D	Lid	1	1/2	5-1/2	9	poplar 1/2 × 6	Same size as the box.
E	Lid lip	1	1/4	4-3/8	7-7/8	1/4 in. plywood	Glued under the lid; locates it.

Cutting Diagram

Trim 1 in. off each board end first, so you start square. Each saw cut removes about 1/8 in. Our post on how to measure, mark and cut wood covers the basics.

How the Parts Fit Together

Drawings With Dimensions

Front, End and Top Views

Lid and Lid Lip

The lip sits 9/16 in. in from every edge of the lid: the 1/2 in. side plus 1/16 in. of clearance.

How to Build the Wooden Box, Step by Step

Step 1: Cut the Parts

Trim 1 in. off the end of the 1/2 × 4 board so you start from a square end. Cut the front and back (A), 9 in. long, then the two ends (B), 4-1/2 in. long. Cut the two ends one after the other so they match. Cut the lid (D), 9 in. long, from the 1/2 × 6. From the plywood, cut the bottom (C), 5-1/2 × 9 in., and the lid lip (E), 4-3/8 × 7-7/8 in.

Step 2: Sand the Inside Faces

Sand the inside faces of the front, back and ends, and the underside of the lid, with 120 grit then 180 grit. They are hard to reach once the box is together. Do not sand the ends of the parts: square, crisp ends make tight corners.

Step 3: Glue and Nail the Sides

Spread a thin coat of glue on both ends of each end piece (B). Stand them between the front and back (A), flush at the top, bottom and outside. Hold the corners with clamps or masking tape. Drive three 1-1/4 in. brads through the front and back into each end, 3/4, 1-3/4, 2-3/4 in. from the bottom edge and 1/4 in. from the end. Check that the diagonals across the top match, at about 10-9/16 in., and wipe off any glue that squeezes out.

Step 4: Fit the Bottom

Turn the box upside down. Run a thin line of glue along the edges. Set the bottom (C) on the box with all four sides flush. Drive 8 brads, 3/4 in. long, through the bottom into the sides, 1/4 in. from the edge so they land in the middle of each side.

Step 5: Glue the Lip Under the Lid

Lay the lid (D) upside down. Draw a pencil outline 9/16 in. in from every edge. Spread a thin coat of glue on the lip (E), set it inside the outline and clamp or weight it until the glue is dry. Before the glue sets, put the lid on the box to check that it lifts off freely.

Step 6: Fit the Knob

Drill a 1/8 in. pilot hole through the centre of the lid and lip. Countersink it on the underside. Drill a 1/16 in. pilot into the base of the knob. Fasten the knob with a No. 6 × 1-1/4 in. screw from below.

Step 7: Sand and Finish

Sand the outside with 180 grit, then 220 grit. Round all the edges slightly with the sanding block. Wipe off the dust. Apply a wipe-on oil or a clear finish, following the label for drying time. Let the finish cure before you put anything inside, so the smell does not linger.

Finish Options

• Wipe-on oil: easy to apply and repair, and it darkens poplar slightly.
• Clear water-based finish: keeps the wood light. Sand lightly with 220 grit between coats.
• Paint: poplar paints well and suits a coloured box.
• Felt or fabric lining: glue it to a piece of thin card cut to fit, then drop it into the bottom.

Our wood finishing post covers sanding and finishes in more detail.

Selling This Wooden Box

• State the outside and inside sizes, the wood and the finish in the listing.
• Boxes are light and small, so they ship well. Wrap the lid separately to protect the knob.
• Making several at a time saves setup time: cut all the parts for a batch at once.
• Offer options such as a felt lining, a painted lid or a choice of knob.

If you sell a box as a toy or for children 12 and under, federal children’s product rules apply. Check the CPSC business guidance first. This is general information, not legal advice.

Work out your price from your wood, supplies, finish, time and selling fees. See how to set the final selling price on your craft and how to sell woodworking projects. For more items to make, see the top 10 woodcrafts to sell and our woodworking business guide.

Download the Printable Wooden Box Plan

The PDF has 10 pages on US Letter paper. It includes the cut list, the cutting diagram, every drawing in this post and the assembly steps. It is free, with no sign-up.

Download the wooden box plan (PDF)

Build status: plan checked by calculation; not yet test-built. Facts checked: November 2026.

Sources

• The Home Depot, 1/2 in. × 4 in. × 3 ft. poplar hobby board listing (actual 1/2 × 3-1/2 in.)
• The Home Depot, 1/2 in. × 6 in. poplar hobby board listing (actual 1/2 × 5-1/2 in.)
• The Home Depot, 1/4 in. × 2 ft. × 2 ft. sanded plywood listing (actual 0.224 × 23.75 × 23.75 in.)