Back in the day, people stored their bread in a special box in the kitchen or pantry. Relive those days with this inexpensive bread box project.
Time A half day
ComplexityBeginner
Cost$20-50
Introduction
Keep your bread fresh with this simple bread box you can build in a few hours with minimal tools and materials.
Tools Required
- 18-Gauge Brad Nail Gun
- 3/8-in. brad point drill bit
- Dowel jig
- Drill
- Hearing and eye protection
- Measuring tape
- Orbital sander or sanding block
- Table saw or Circular saw
Materials Required
- 1-1/4-in. 18-gauge brad nails
- 1/2" x 30" x 30" Baltic birch plywood (1)
- 150-grit sandpaper
- 3/4" 18-gauge brad nails
- Pivot hinge
- Wood glue
Watch How to Make a DIY Bread Box
Project step-by-step (16)
Step 1
Cutting the Boards
- First, crosscut (across the grain) a 16-in. wide piece from the 30 x 30 x 1/2-in. Baltic birch plywood board using a table saw or circular saw.
- Now, cutting this time with the grain, make a 9-3/8 x 16-in. board from the board you just cut.
Step 2
Cut the Angle on the Sides
- Make a pencil mark on the top edge from left to right at 9-1/8-in., and another mark on the bottom edge at 6-7/8-in.
- Draw a diagonal line from your top mark down to the bottom mark. (See drawing.)
- Cut the board in half on the diagonal line using a miter saw, table saw or circular saw. (See photo.)
- Cut the width of both sides so they measure 8-3/8-in. from the long point of the angle using a table saw or miter saw.
Step 3
Top, Bottom and Doorstop
- From the remainder of the 16-in. board, cut the width of the board to 15-in. for the top and bottom.
- Set the blade on your saw to 13.4 degrees.
- Cut one inch off the long edge of the 15-in. board for the doorstop. Now, cut the doorstop to 14 inches.
- Make another angle cut on the opposite edge of the 15-in. board, so you now have angles on both edges of the board.
- Set the saw back to 90 degrees and cut your top at 6-1/8-in. and your bottom at 8-1/2-in. (Both top and bottom boards should have a 13.4-degree angle on one edge.)
Step 4
Door, Shelf and Back
- Cut another board at 14-in. wide from the remainder of your plywood.
- For the back, cut a board at 9-3/8 x 14-in. Cut another board at 4 x 14-in. for the shelf.
- Next, cut your door to 9-3/8 x 13-3/4-in.
Step 5
Sand All the Parts
- Before you start assembling the box, it’s a good idea to sand all the parts with 150-grit down to 220-grit sandpaper.
Step 6
Drilling Pivot Hinge Holes
- On the edges of both sides of your door, draw a line 5/16-in. up from the bottom. Now, drill a hole 3/8 x 1/2-in. deep in the center of both lines. A dowel jig works well for this. (See photo.)
- Next, lay your sides flat so the angles are facing away from each other. Make marks on the inside surface of each side at 7/16-in. up from the bottom and 9/16-in. in from the long point of the angle. Drill a 3/8 x 5/16-in. deep hole at each mark. (See drawing from Step 2.)
- Pro tip: Set a stop on your drill bit using a piece of tape.
Step 7
Assemble the Back and Shelf
- Draw a horizontal line in the center of the back at 4-11/16-in. from the bottom. Draw another horizontal line on the other side of the back 1/4-in. down from center at 4-7/16-in.
- Apply wood glue to the long edge of the shelf. Align the shelf with the 4-7/16-in. line and secure it to the back with 1-1/4-in. nails on the centerline.
Step 8
Attach the Left Side
- Apply wood glue to the edges on one end of the back and shelf.
- Place the left side onto the glued ends, keeping edges of the side flush with the back, top and bottom edges of the back board. Secure the left side to the back and shelf with 1-1/4-in. nails.
Step 9
Attach the Bottom and Top
- Apply wood glue to the bottom edges of the back and left side.
- Position the bottom board so it’s flush with the outside edges of the back and left side. Secure it with 1-1/4-in. nails.
- Flip the box over and, using the same procedure, attach the top.
Step 10
Attach the Doorstop
- Attach the doorstop to the underside of the top, 3/4-in. in from the front edge. Secure it using glue and 3/4-in. nails. Be sure the angle of the doorstop follows the angle of the left side.
Step 11
Install the Door
- Insert pivot hinges (also called knife hinges) into the 3/8-in. holes on each side of the door.
- Now, insert the pivot hinge that’s attached to the door into the 3/8-in. hole on the left side. Gently tap it down, seating the pivot hinge into the hole. Let the door rest against the doorstop.
Step 12
Attach the Right Side
- Apply wood glue to the top and bottom edges of the right side, as well as the edges on the right end of both the back and the shelf.
- While holding the door, insert pivot hinge into the 3/8-in. hole on the right side.
- Now fit the right side in between the top and bottom, keeping it flush with the front edge.
- Secure the right side to the back, shelf, top and bottom boards with 1-1/4-in. nails.
Step 13
Make a Handle
- Set your saw blade to a 16.8-degree angle.
- Rip a 3/4-in. board, one-inch wide with a 16.8-degree angle on both sides.
- Now cut the same angle on both ends, making it 12-in. wide.
Step 14
Attach Handle
- Center the handle on the front of the door two inches from the top. Attach it with glue and 3/4-in. nails from the backside of the door.
Step 15
Fill Holes and Sand
- Fill all the nail holes with wood filler and let it dry completely.
- Sand off all the wood filler and touch up the rest of the box with 150-grit down to 220-grit sandpaper.
Step 16
Finish
- At this point, you can finish the box by staining the wood and sealing it with polyurethane or paint the box to match your decor.
- (Optional) Add four stick-on rubber bumpers to the bottom to keep the bread box stable. Check out this project to learn how to make a wooden box.
Originally Published: February 11, 2021
