DIY Plyo/Crossfit Box

Hey Everyone!

Welcome back to the SpokenHome blog! We really appreciate the constant love and support from you guys with each video, update, etc. With that said, this video demonstrates how we threw together a "Crossfit/Plyo" box to accomplish more workouts that require this type of equipment. As we try to cut back expenses each month and live more efficiently, we decided to cancel our gym membership and just have a little "home gym." 

With Crossfit becoming the new rave all over the country, a ton of fitness programs are now including moves such as box jumps, plyo box burpees, box jump-overs, etc. Sheena has started trying out the DailyBurn series that you can subscribe to for a monthly costs, and the workouts involve equipment like dumbbells, medicine balls, yoga mats, and of course - a plyo box. These items do add up, so we felt like sharing an inexpensive tutorial on how to make one of these on your own and become a Crossfit/Plyo BEAST! ;-)

M A T E R I A L S :

3/4" Thick Pine Plywood | http://thd.co/1LoAxah

2" Construction Screws (Make sure Flat Top!) | http://thd.co/17CYZFD

Wood Glue | http://thd.co/1AZDDOT

E Q U I P M E N T :

Table Saw (Or have your home improvement store pre cut for you!)

Power Screwdriver (Impact driver is best for this job) & 1/16" drill bit

Power Sander (Or manually sand with sand paper) - 80 Grit Paper

Jigsaw (for handles)

E X P E R T  L E V E L / T I M E

Intermediate - Weekend Warrior / 30min - 2hr depending on cuts/tools

D I M E N S I O N S :

 12”H x 15.5”L x 18”W

{ Remember to account for the 3/4in thick plywood, which will affect sizes cut. Be sure to refer to the video to see this in action! }

Alrighty guys, these are your cuts. (First) Two side pieces, (Middle) Two additional side pieces, (Last) Top piece, aka the piece you will be stepping/jumping on. 

The next steps are probably most difficult, and thats just finding how you're going to begin assembling the box. We needed all four hands on deck for this one! Remember, this is also the best time to hide any stickers or imperfections by facing them inward. We LOVE personality in wood, so we looked for any knots or distortions and faced them outward!

Don't forget, this box is going to receiving a ton of impact from your workouts and need to stay solid!  There really isn't any way to 'overdo' it in these circumstances. Apply that wood glue to eat corner/side that you complete!

Once you've gotten it held sturdy, you want to drill a hole into the side where two pieces touch/connect. We are just pre-drilling right now for the actual screws. (This helps to avoid wood chipping and cracking during your screwing in)

Next step is creating a divot point right above the pre-drilled holes, to ensure that your screw will sit snug into the wood and not protrude. 

This is what it should look like! (Photo above)

Now we can go ahead and screw in one of those 2'' construction screws to lock the side in. Complete this same process on this same side. 

This is what your completed screw/side should look like so far.. (Photo Above)

Once you've completed all sides, go ahead and knock out the top piece! We doubled-up as you can see and we really like the look of this. This is probably also a good time to "step up" CAREFULLY (lol) and test your project. At this point we let it sit out to dry up all the glue in the sun. If you're not having any sunny days ahead, try to let it dry for at least 2 hours.

Time to sand! A power sander is going to be your best friend when it comes to giving your weekend projects that polished look. A few minutes with this baby and you'll have smooth sides, edges, corners, and no splinters!

This part is optional, but if you would like to add a handle to maybe lifting it up, burpees, mountain climbers, this is for you! Everyone's hand is different, so we recommend gripping your hand on the edge of the box and marking an inch and 1/2 wider. Here is what our box looked like after we measured Sheena's hand:

Keep in mind that its going to be a handle so it should be as wide as possible. But of course, start small and take off little by little to avoid making a gaping hole. 

When creating the actual shape of handle, we had to go Macgyver! Don't judge! This battery worked perfectly in getting us a rounded edge, just wide enough to grip. 

Once you've gotten to half circles completed, use a straight edge to finish off the handle shape. If you make mistakes here its okay, we can clean it up in a few steps!

 

For this step, Dustin had to use his Dremmel tool to create two small drill holes adjacent to each other. This will allow the jigsaw blade to fit right in to begin cutting. 

Here are two completed holes with the Dremmel. (Photo above)

This part was tough! Dustin had to put his full body weight on it to prevent shaking - this thing is pretty powerful. Any easier approach would be a drill saw that had the correct shape for your project. But we always say, use what you have as long as its safe! ;-)

One completed handle after the jigsaw. As you guys can see, its pretty messy, but in the next step that changes! 

Our Dremmel (aka, Master Splinter) is the sidekick to our power sander. A few minutes with this guy and the handles were completely smooth and evened out to perfection!

Touch up any additional screws at this point and double-check for rough edges/splinters. Also, placing your box on a flat surface and stepping on it slowly, will let you know if its uneven at this point. If so, simply bring the sander back out and try to smooth those uneven edges down. (This may take some time, but of course, WORTH IT!)

Dustin touching up the base of the box! (Photo above)

And thats it guys! You now have a brand new plyo box/child seat/storage container/step stool that you can totally customize to your liking! Always remember to seal the project once you're 100% done with color and decal choices.

We understand that DIY and woodworking may not come easy to most, or may just not be as easily accessible. We've gotten a few requests from friends and family regarding the plyo box, so feel free to reach out to us under our "Store" tab to request a box! We will only be making a limited amount and would be happy to talk about customizations! Thanks for stopping by and see ya in the next one!

Love in the details,

SpokenHome

(Dustin & Sheena)