building sand box..

[Giggle Squirt]

has anyone built a sand box with a gazebo type covering for the kiddlets to play in? I am intrested in some measurements and what size is a good size... space isn't really a concern.. i tried google but really didn't come up with anything. I don't have any trees in my back yard which is why i want the roof type gazebo covering on it, either made out of wood and shingled or an awing type material as a roof/covering.

[Giggle Squirt]

i was thinking of a 6x6 box that was 1.5 feet deep... with a bottom built into it so that they could not dig into the ground... Do you think this is a fair size for a sand box to allow tonka trucks to dig and such?

[Upper Decker]

id go 2 - 2.5ft deep myself. Just remembering the sandbox days with the tonka toys. Also have to remember when the idea of digging a hole to china idea wanders into a kids' mind lol. 2.5ft deep should be enough of them to get bored with the idea.

[Giggle Squirt]

haha ya the hole to china... what would be a good material to use for the bottom.. i was thinking of laying patio stones and then putting a pressure treated wood base.. or something like plywood or even the corogated plastic cardboard stuff... i dunno...

[Sweet Little Sister]

we just used four logs..notched and secured..filled it with beach sand..it was approx.5X5
kids loved it.
after they were done with it...we gave the kids bags of dirt to mix in with it and bought them flowers to plant. they made their own garden..they liked that as much as they liked the sanbox.

i used to make them take their shoes and socks off when they played in it because the sand gets EVERYWHERE..easier to rinse off feet than to get sand out of socks and shoes..

[1337]

6'x6' with 1.5' deep is plenty. Just have enough wood to make a top, or it becomes an outdoor litter box.

[NewCasa]

When I built one for my kids I built it about 1 1/2 feet deep, with patio blocks under the sand. I used landscaping timbers for the frame and made it 8' because they came in 8', 10' or 12' lengths. If you're going to cover it like a gazebo you might want to make it bigger so that when the kids grow out of the sandbox you can put a floor over the sand and make it into a real gazebo.

[Madmax]

I built a sand box out of sand and it lasted for days and days, until it rained and rained.

Seriously you should make a sand box about 6' x 6' to give enogh room for 2-4 small children to play in and yes build a cover for the boxed area.

Things to note:

Make sure to get sifted clean sand that does not attract sand flies as much as regular sand does, beach sand is a perfect example for such sand which is clean and always sifted.

Before laying the sand in the box make sure to lay down a tarp or rubber mat style flooring that has a strong non tearing material.

[bluekrissyspikes]

i agree with max. don't get the cheapo playsand. you can get lanscaping sand that is still really fine but doesn't have all the powdery stuff in it that playsand does. that way it will be easier to clean the kids when they are done and it won't blow in their eyes and stuff

[H.E. Pennypacker]

maybe just landscape fabric underneath..

[Tutones]

i was thinking of a 6x6 box that was 1.5 feet deep... with a bottom built into it so that they could not dig into the ground... Do you think this is a fair size for a sand box to allow tonka trucks to dig and such?

We're going to build an 8 X 8 one this summer using landscaping fabric for the bottom and landscaping ties (similar to railroad ties) for the sides. Ours will be 1 foot deep, more than enough for digging and driving trucks. We're just going to put a canvas shelter over ours...

[verotik66]

just don't get carried away our sandbox turned into this last summer

[rmkryan]

wanna build me one? lol

[Giggle Squirt]

haha that is what is what i am scared will happen to mine LOL.. the sand box will become an adition to the house LOL... OH well i should be fun!

[bluekrissyspikes]

when he is finished please send him over here to build one in my yard.

[Giggle Squirt]

i forget where i was in michigan but they had this huge pirate ship made into a sand box... it was huge... had slides and castles and stuff... fun fun.

[Toto]

It has already been mentioned but, it bears repeating....

Have a cover for it when the kids aren't using it. If you don't cover it, then the neighbourhood cats will have a litter box party!

Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt!