How to Make a DIY Storage Chest | FREE Build Plans

I built this easy DIY storage chest using pocket hole joinery. This is a great beginner woodworking project because it uses simple joinery. We are using this as an outdoor storage box, however this would also make a great indoor storage box for blankets and quilts. You could also use this as a DIY toy box or a storage bench. This is an easy woodworking project that can be made with minimal tools. I used my Massca M2 pocket hole jig (linked below) to build this project. Building with pocket holes makes woodworking projects that are strong and very approachable for beginner woodworkers and only requires basic tools. Amazon and other affiliate links used in this description to help us make more videos. Please consider supporting us by using the links below to buy your tools and supplies.
Videos To Watch Next
Outdoor Sofa Sectional: • DIY Modern Outdoor Sec...
Free PLANS: www.731woodworks.com/store/st...
Tools and Supplies Used
Massca M2 Pocket Hole Jig: masscaproducts.com/products/m...
Massca Face Clamp: masscaproducts.com/collection...
Screws Needed for this project: masscaproducts.com/collection...
Air Compressor with Pin Nailer: amzn.to/3wHSKML
Titebond Wood Glue: amzn.to/3kj0nXb
GluBot: amzn.to/3kk5Eha
Hinges: amzn.to/3ifcJNx
Paint Sprayer Used: amzn.to/3B9rr15
Other Products I Use and Recommend
MicroJig Push Block: lddy.no/z1t8 Use Code 731MICROJIG10
Table Saw Blade I Use: lddy.no/z1te
My Other Table Saw Blade: lddy.no/z1tc
Miter Saw Blade I Use: lddy.no/z1ts
Katz-Moses Stop Block: lddy.no/z1th
Katz-Moses Apron: lddy.no/z1tp
You can support our channel by shopping our affiliate partners for your tools and supplies:
Taylor Tools: lddy.no/yoeb
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:35 Cutting the Side Panels
1:03 Drilling Pocket Holes
1:32 Assembling Storage Chest
1:59 Making Legs for Storage Chest
4:51 Making Bottom for Storage Chest
5:13 Installing Trim on Storage Chest
5:52 Making a Top for Storage Chest
8:39 Routing Edges of Storage Box
9:36 Outdoor Finish for Storage Bench

[@731Woodworks]

Check out my Outdoor Sofa Video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3fElqVnjat5r7M

[@TomTom-nw4qh]

What brand pocket hole screws do you use?

[@731Woodworks]

Massca screws. They are linked in the description

[@manyfeather2knives423]

I love hiow you professional woodworkers tell us weekend warriors it’s a simple build.

[@astuntz]

Darn you Matt! Now every time I go to my wood shop my inner voice has an Arkansas accent!

[@731Woodworks]

lol

[@guyincognito.]

Glad I'm not the only one!

[@woodworkingandepoxy643]

​@@731Woodworks I'm not even kidding when I tell you this. It blew my mind. Couple weeks ago I'm in Lowes and can't find the 2x4s. They wasn't where they usually are. So I find an employee and said tubafour and he looks at me for a few seconds longer than he should have and says "oh! Matt's his name! Matts way to say 2x4 is just addicting!" And took me even longer to realize he was talking about you lol

[@Jimc4007]

I'm always amazed when I see your daughter, no way Amy can deny she's her daughter, they could be twins! Nice storage chest too by the way!

[@731Woodworks]

lol thank you

[@FixItFrench]

My wife has been asking for something similar to this for the end of our bed. This is giving me some good ideas. It looks beautiful 👍🏼👍🏼

[@731Woodworks]

👊🏻

[@happytrails5400]

Hey Matt, As always, you are at the top of my list of favorite KZbinrs. My daughter is a doctor and she did change her last name when she go married. She is now Dr. Outlaw, yes, Dr. Outlaw.

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you. That’s great

[@joeyleerobbins]

Sitting in my garage doing my initial burn in on my new RecTeq 700 and watching this video! God bless you brother and thanks for this vid! Enjoying a beautiful TN summer night!

[@731Woodworks]

Great! Enjoy that grill. It is awesome!

[@katzmosestools]

I've been meaning to build something like this for my house. great build! Love the thumbnail 😜

[@731Woodworks]

Thanks! I thought you might lol

[@charlesgerlach7059]

I have been looking for a project like this to bring my skills to the next step. thanks Matt for all you do, you are an inspiration to all that have fun making sawdust.

[@Goose8219]

Poor Matt poor poor Matt so much effort in the kick and he was proud of that kick. I salute you brother you got more air than me

[@731Woodworks]

lol, those are grade A ninja skills my friend!

[@tomstone2322]

My wife will love this!

[@DudeSawdust]

Simple projects are often the most fun. Nice job!👍

[@zachroller3448]

Awesome build! Thanks for the plans!

[@daviddura1172]

Love the simplicity of design When I make this for my patio I may beef up the top for extra seating and move the handle from top to front Great video

[@paulmannix1760]

Just downloaded the free plans, thanks. They came out of the printer in landscape format with large print which is great so I don’t need my glasses to read them. I live in New South Wales Australia & where we are we’re in COVID lockdown for a couple of weeks so I’m not really allowed to go to the hardware store for wood at the moment, so my build will have to wait a bit. Again thanks for the plans, really like your channel, Regards Paul

[@jonprater2361]

Keep it up, Matt!! I love the enthusiasm you display in your videos. I've been a follower for a long time and am proud to see how far you've come.

[@thefrankperspective4247]

Adding this to my to do list.

[@bluegrasstravelers8195]

Thank you looks great

[@donaldjones4693]

It was great to see you get back to your roots and build something for us beginners I know you’re trying to really reach out there and grow a lot but work but I love what you’ve done looking forward to the next one

[@731Woodworks]

I've said before that I'll continue to make beginner projects as well as more advanced. I enjoy all aspects of building.

[@vandamattvandamatt2785]

I love this video! Just like the old times 🤙🏼

[@Kat-mb3ty]

Thank you for sharing this! I just finished making it and it’s perfect for what I needed.

[@greatgrandpaswoodworking]

Great video, perfect timing. I just bought the lumber for your Modern Outdoor Sectional then will do this next. Clear instructions.

[@731Woodworks]

thank you!

[@markhilderbrand8204]

Awesome, think I may use this idea for a toy box for my son.

[@donbrowning689]

Fantastic video, love boxes and chests

[@markfishburn8284]

Very nice thank you for sharing your video.

[@jameslogan1153]

That was short, but sweet. My daughter and I will make one for my wife this week. Will let you know how it goes

[@nicokwapper]

Nice! Good idea. Thanks. You inspire me, I just started out with woodworking (hobby).

[@rkerby6375]

An excellent design and build project! Well done!

[@PeterFloyd678]

Great looking simple chest. I think I found my next small project to build. I know that my Mrs will definitely appreciate the extra storage space. Keep up the great builds!

[@sixpackbinky]

Pretty!

[@jwhiddon69]

I just got the plans, thank you so much. I love all of your videos, especially the pocket hole tutorial, I learned a ton!

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you

[@pritchettsprojects9788]

Love it! Nice simple and practical build!

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you!

[@diy-doityourselfconcacique4353]

VERY COOL AND EASY TO DO - NEXT PROJECT KEEP DOING SUCH A GREAT WORK - BLESS

[@glory3670]

I love the build. I think I'll do this one out of cedar fence pickets. That way I can use it for package delivery.

[@paulmood308]

Good looking, practical, and multi-use. Everything I love in a build. Good video Matt!!!!

[@paulmood308]

PS, love the ninja skills display 😆

[@731Woodworks]

Thanks! 🥷

[@playsball]

oohhhhh I can't wait to make my first chest! Thank you thank you!

[@larrystone5749]

Good job enjoyed it thx for sharing

[@tomj528]

I just binged watched the entire outdoor furniture series, great projects and fun videos to watch!

[@richenck9192]

Such an easy great looking project! Looks like that AC will come in handy.

[@731Woodworks]

lol for sure! Still waiting on it ha

[@jonreeves3993]

i like this, my wife has been asking for a cedar chest. i'll use your design. thanks!

[@craigcolbourn8351]

Great vid! This design can be used to create so many other pieces. Thanks for sharing my friend!

[@731Woodworks]

Thanks for watching!

[@lesliecarter2460]

I love your vids Matt I’m trying to make most of the projects you show

[@paulabhatt1769]

I want one of these 🤩🤩🤩

[@josephcampbell9239]

Liking the new build, and how you used the onebasix to the fullest. lumber prices have me holding off on my projects for now. keep the awesome videos coming. 👊

[@elitelawn9547]

Pocket hole King. Really cool and easy to do project. Great job! 👊🏻

[@731Woodworks]

👊

[@paulabhatt1769]

Wow love this chest 🥰🥰🥰

[@beedee3217]

Nice build there Matt, Glad to see your channel taking off like it is. Keep the good videos coming.

[@4321Woodworking]

Awesome looking build!! My brain wouldn't have let me do 4 boards and 1 thinner on the top I either would have had to put the thinner one in the middle or rip all 5 down to teh same width then built it, probably the former. Only change I would have had to make but again that's my own OCD.

[@charleshunt9217]

i like your video thats vary insteresting thanks stay safe

[@lindasavary4407]

Love the build...and the clean face!

[@nobuckle40]

Great build Matt! Also, thanks for the plans. :-)

[@lesusan3338]

Very nice! I would suggest a screen under the bottom boards. The dirt dabbers would make a nest inside where I live.

[@scottkopecky429]

A Moving Experience!!

[@johnwhitley2898]

Very cool 😎!

[@imsowright90]

Nice build.

[@reinhardburkholder590]

We’ll done!

[@SXSVideos]

This is awesome. Thanks for another awesome video sir 👊👊.

[@GyWO10]

Once again, an awesome build brother!!! 👊🏽

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you 👊🏻

[@bigt33]

Great job Matt ! I along with a lot of others appreciate your hard work ! Great to see you back using pocka Holes for this project!! The Community is unbelievable!!! Still lovin the content! Continue when you can to help the Beginners !

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you 👊🏻

[@dawabbitt3079]

Thank you, for yet another inspiring video! ... As a suggestion - you should add an 'Applaud' button to your videos. Again, thanks for a very cool idea - I'm thinking to build this to replace our current blanket chest I made out of plywood.

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you. Unfortunately the applaud button isn't available to me. They only give certain channels access to it.

[@reyrodriguez9237]

Another great video... 👍

[@FowlersFarmhouseMore]

Very nice build, this looks far superior to the one I threw together with plywood 🤣🤣

[@donnamartin2568]

Lol well now I have got a new project to make for my son and daughter. Might as well start it today before one of them see this....off to Lowes lol

[@rodcormier7428]

Great video ... simple and easy to do for the beginner... looks good:)

[@731Woodworks]

Glad you liked it!

[@coreygunter4787]

Looks amazing. Gonna build a couple. See if i can sell em..

[@valkyriis8927]

This reminds me of the chest I made in my high schools woodworking class. Can't wait to start woodworking again, starting with this project.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

Really really liked this build. Thanks for the detail.

[@nateswoodcraft6715]

Nice job sir 👊

[@731Woodworks]

Thanks 👍

[@michaelkraft6018]

Matt- Great project and video. I am nearly done building this, although with some modification. I made it larger to accommodate my patio seat cushions, and taller (table height) so we can use it as a place to put food and stage for the grill and smoker. So it's approximately 44x20x30 high. I am also putting it on casters and I added hardware cloth on the bottom to keep critters from getting in between the slats. My experience with a router is limited. I did use a chamfer bit on all the edges, but obviously there is the round inside corner that it leaves behind. I realize it's only outdoor furniture, but curious if you used a chisel or some other method to make better corners after you used the router. For a finish, I was going to use stain, but after consulting with the folks at the red store paint counter, they persuaded me that stain and paint are both going to peel eventually in an outdoor environment and the paint was much less money. I'm using a Zinser primer, followed by two coats of exterior paint. Thoughts on the finish? I had contacted Cabot directly about the Australian oil that you used and they recommended against that for being out in the elements, which yours, it appears, is not. Keep up the good work. Love watching all your material.

[@shaesmith8962]

Matt, do yourself a video and make a fence with a stop block for your miter saw. You won’t regret it. Keep up the good work. Love the videos and the positivity

[@731Woodworks]

It’s on the list of to-do projects this year

[@krickette5569]

Where I live here in Arkansas I'd have some Nasty spiders moving in through the cracks in the bottom. Maybe covering the bottom with some screen would keep the spiders out. ?

[@rerod]

Greetings from Fort Smith. Love your videos brother!

[@731Woodworks]

Hello neighbor! Thanks!

[@lindsaydickson47]

Perfect for my recycling

[@jasongibson4730]

Your an awesome inspiration brother, the honey do list is half done since watching you videos. May you and the family be blessed for all the information you give back to us all!!!!!!

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you

[@celholland]

This would make a good Equine tack box, with the addition of a tray.

[@alexreid4131]

Awesome project Matt. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@sandsquid]

Nice shirt, Great vid!

[@731Woodworks]

Thanks!

[@chairfitcamp]

Are you I Covington GA. I feel like I met you at Alcovy fitness

[@731Woodworks]

I'm in Arkansas

[@Damon_Barber]

Great build! 48 hrs with no rain for the stain to dry? Well, guess I won’t be doing that until August or September! It’s been raining every afternoon here for forever it feels like.

[@731Woodworks]

lol

[@mishellekochel4510]

Making two of these a little smaller. We are placing items in them that we wish to leave to our girls. AND they'll get a keepsake storage chest to boot. ;)

[@aarondominguez6165]

Would be nice to see the same walkthrough as a bit more of a budget using just a circular saw when you don’t have a mitre or table saw.

[@DanielPlunges]

I second this.

[@jeffreywalden868]

Great ideas as always. Thank you for all you do!

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you

[@ssgtsyoung82]

Very nice job!! So I built something similar a couple years back for my son. It ended up getting some horrible splits. I used same method of pocket holes. How would you suggest to prevent in future?

[@pteddie6965]

Great looking storage cabinet, Matt. I bet that a bunch of us 'weekend wood warriors' build this one.

[@731Woodworks]

Hope so!

[@neilhorsley343]

Hey 731, just making a small kids size picnic bench table but things have to go wrong. Yes I was pulling me hair out as you would but getting things sorted

[@celholland]

That would make a good Horse Tack box. Add a trey.

[@flex_nyc9885]

I just made this box and I love it. Is that a 18 gauge bead nailer? And what size nails did you use? I did the whole thing with glue and clamps. I would like to put some Brad nails in now.

[@wayneblondiaujr5452]

Hello Matt, really love your videos. You are a joy to watch and listen to. I am older and thinking of doing woodworking as a hobby possible side line. I did not see free plans for this chest. Am I missing something. Can you send to me or tell me what I am doing wrong to not be able to see plans. Thanks Bob Blondiau. From Oklahoma.

[@jimmeeks2632]

My daughter has been wanting me to make something like this for her room, blankets and such. I'm on it now!! Thanks

[@731Woodworks]

Awesome

[@diplayball]

Great video. I love how this came out.

[@731Woodworks]

Thank you

[@gwarlow]

10:26 Could you install those hinges so that the longer side sits on the top of the lid? Is it more sturdy the way you installed them? Thanks for sharing this video. Cheers.

[@jnevison4876]

Thanks for the content

[@TheDougOfTheNorth]

Love this. Do you think this have enough structure to act as a seating option as well?

[@731Woodworks]

yes, it is sturdy

[@larryharrellcomedy8051]

What kind of wood do you use for these outdoor builds? All spruce or do you go pine? Actually wouldn’t mind a video on when it’s okay to use pine as well as three different varieties of pine.

[@daltonpaul5902]

How would you recommend making this waterproof to store deck cushions when not in use so they don't get wet from rain? Should the wood glue on the top and side glue-ups be sufficient?

[@cabman86]

Great build but I think I would have used cedar to keep the bugs away.

[@terrmaso]

Grabbed a CMT 40 tooth combo blade about a month ago and I have been very happy with it.

[@731Woodworks]

Awesome. I love those blades

[@jamesfacciolli8061]

I noticed at around 4:03 you nailed from the out going in then at about 4:27 you did in to out. Any preference to one way or the other?

[@joelcopeland3018]

Nice work...

[@Downsouth.backroads]

Very nice, if you have access to red cedar, you could easily make a cedar hope chest also. Plans are pretty similar to what I use to build mine