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Building a Sandbox
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For
backyard play equipment a sandbox is a good place to start! Children
can have hours of fun in a sandbox using their imaginations,
building castles, towns or cites.
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The plans for this sandbox are
very simple. The box itself can be built in a morning (except
perhaps hauling in all the sand!) and is very inexpensive. The size
of this one is good and the depth is quite adequate for digging. The
bottom is left completely open which will insure any water drains
out, and offers you the opportunity to dig out even more under the
sandbox to allow even deeper digging (for the really deep excavating
children!). I think the sand in the center of mine is about 2 ft
deep and the kids almost never hit dirt! Also since I dug out the
area, I was able to place the sandbox in the hole, this made the
sides only about 6 inches above grade to allow for easy entry for
the little ones.
The approximate cost of this project is $60
for the materials (excluding the cover). The sand... well if you buy
it by the bag it is about $100. If you have a pickup (or a friend
with one) and buy a ton of sand, it costs about $8 for a ton. (In
fact where I got it, they will give it to you for free if it is for
a sandbox!) A ton of sand is about what you need for a sandbox of
this size. 
A cover for the
sandbox is probably a necessity since cats will almost surely find
your wonderful new litter box. I have used a variety of covers for
mine. The important thing is it needs to be light enough for the
kids to lift, and simple enough for them to re-close, or like I have
done, you will have to sift out what the cats leave behind. (Not
fun!) Unfortunately, I have yet to uncover the optimal sandbox
cover. I tried a tarp with snaps, but it didn't last, the snaps
which should have been stainless steel, weren't...! The tarp ripped
anyway. I was amazed to see the cats wiggling their way in and out
of the smallest gaps left unsnapped, and the kids rarely covered it
right on their own.
So, I built folding doors. These got
quite complicated, they are bifolds and to make them light I used
pressure treated lattice panels inside the frames. Well the
supposedly brass hinges, weren't, and they rusted away. The new ones
cost a fortune (they are solid brass) and the screws that hold them
keep stripping out and I have used progressively longer screws. And
the lattice took a beating. You see the kids walked on it, and it
isn't that strong. Now, my panels are a combination of chicken wire
and lattice and I am glad the kids are growing up and the sandbox is
about to be returned to lawn because those doors are about shot.
Still the doors DID last about 10 years.
I am going to take
the easy way out and tell you to buy stainless steel snaps and a
good tarp and wish you luck. (I've seen them sold this way) If you
think you can handle the bifold door idea, you are on your own. And
if you come up with a better idea, PLEASE let me know.
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