The wooden chest is one of the first projects aspiring woodworkers create. It’s also a great project to get children involved. They can learn about angles, installing hinges and handles, and applying a finish to protect the wood. When your project is complete, you will have a piece of furniture you can use for many years.

We have searched the internet for every free plan we could find and assembled an extensive list of free methods you can use to construct your own wooden chest. Each project clearly explains each step with text, illustrations, and sometimes video. Each plan also has a complete parts list.

Join us while we look into how to build a wooden chest and discuss the material, tools, and skill level required to complete one.

The 10 Beautiful DIY Wooden Chest Plans

1. DIY Plan from Garden Plans Free

The Garden Plans Free Wooden Chest is an easy-to-build chest that is perfect for new woodworkers to learn the art. It requires only a few boards and a minimal amount of tools. The author clearly explains and illustrates each step.

2. Woodshop Diaries Wooden Chest

The Woodshop Diaries Chest project is a simple project that doesn’t require any special tools to complete. There are quite a few steps, but with a little patience, you can build this chest in a single day, and you don’t need any woodworking experience. This is one of the easiest projects on this list to build.

3. DIY Wooden Chest Montreal 

The DIY Montreal Wooden Chest is a moderately difficult chest you can build in a single day. The video demonstrates many of the cuts on a table saw, but you can make them with any type of saw. The rest of the plan is not too difficult to complete, and the video’s author explains everything well.

4. Remodelaholic DIY Plan

You can build the Remodelaholic Chest with a single large piece of plywood. It’s an easy project to build, but it requires angled cuts with a jigsaw, and there are plenty of steps, so we put this chest on the moderately difficult-to-build pile. If you are handy with a jigsaw, you can build this chest in a single day.

5. Build Something Wooden Chest

The Build Something Chest is a moderately challenging project that results in a professional-grade chest perfect for storing clothes at the bottom of your bed or next to an existing dresser. The author explains every detail clearly, and you can complete the project without special tools. It also includes a removable tray for extra storage.

6. Wooden Chest from Rogue engineer

The Rogue Engineer Hope Chest is a moderately challenging project that features a pull-out tray for additional storage place and increased organization. It has rope handles and uses unique piano-style hinges. The instructions are illustrated and easy to follow.

7. Plan by Ana White

The Ana White Becca Trunk Chest is a moderately difficult project to build, but it doesn’t require advanced tools. Except for the finish, you can complete this chest in a single day. The result is a durable chest to show off to your friends and store your blankets and supplies.

8. Around the House

The Around the House Chest is a little more advanced than many others on this list, and it requires a few tools that only seasoned woodworkers will have lying around, but the finished product is well worth the effort. This high-quality chest makes an attractive piece of furniture.

9. Wooden Chest DIY Building Our Rez

The Building Our Rez Chest is an advanced build that results in one of the most durable wooden chests on this list. The author takes plenty of time to detail each step clearly, including a complete list of required tools and materials. This project features carrying handles and hydraulic hinges for smooth, quiet operation.

10. Love Grows Wild DIY

The Love Grows Wild Wooden Chest is an elegant chest that will look amazing in any environment. This project is an advanced build, but if you have patience, you can build it in a few days with little trouble. There is plenty of storage space, and you can finish it however you see fit.

Summary

Many of the plans on this list are not that hard to complete. The project you decide to build depends on the tools and supplies you have on hand, more so than what skill level you have reached. If you have a small child, we recommend one of the beginner’s chests at the beginning of this list. Basic knowledge of woodworking can be invaluable knowledge to your child in the future. We hope that you have enjoyed learning how to build a wooden chest.

If you have found this list helpful and have found a project to build, please share these wooden chests you can DIY today on Facebook and Twitter.

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