What's inside
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A small cedar outdoor blanket chest keeps cushions, throws, and garden textiles close to the seating area without turning into a waterlogged box. The important difference from an indoor blanket chest is drainage: this chest must shed rain quickly and allow damp fabric to dry. A tight-fitting lid, sealed bottom, and decorative hardware can trap water and cause mildew, swollen boards, and rust.
Contents
Choose the Size and Design
This plan produces a chest about 36 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 20 inches tall. That is enough for several folded blankets or two to four outdoor cushions, but small enough for one person to move. Adjust the length if needed, but avoid making the lid wider than about 40 inches unless you add a center support or use thicker boards. Wide cedar boards can cup over time.
| Material | Advantages | Drawbacks | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western red cedar | Light, naturally rot-resistant, easy to cut | Soft and prone to dents; costs more than pine | Portable outdoor chest |
| Cypress | Good weather resistance and harder than cedar | Less commonly stocked; can be expensive | Longer-lasting exposed furniture |
| Pressure-treated pine | Cheap and widely available | Heavy, wet when purchased, and less pleasant for a blanket container | Budget utility storage, not soft goods |
Use 1-by-6 cedar boards for the sides and 1-by-4 boards for the slatted lid. “1-by” lumber is actually about 3/4 inch thick, so plan around the real dimensions rather than the label. Buy straight boards with no end splits. A cedar board selection can be economical, but fence boards vary more in thickness and quality than furniture-grade stock.
Materials and Tools
You will need approximately six 6-foot 1-by-6 cedar boards, three 6-foot 1-by-4 boards, and one 8-foot 1-by-2 board for cleats and lid supports. Also buy exterior-rated screws, exterior wood glue, two exterior butt hinges, a lid stay or chain, and a latch that can tolerate rain.
Use stainless-steel or hot-dipped galvanized fasteners. Plain steel screws will leave black stains in cedar and eventually rust. A stainless exterior screw assortment is worth the small extra cost.
Required tools include a saw, drill, countersink bit, tape measure, square, clamps, sandpaper, and a paintbrush. A random-orbit sander is convenient but not essential. Wear eye protection when cutting and sanding; cedar dust can irritate the skin and lungs.
Cut List
Cut the following parts:
- Four side boards, 36 inches long, for the front and back walls.
- Four side boards, 16 1/2 inches long, for the end walls. This length fits between the front and back boards.
- Four corner cleats, 16 inches long, from 1-by-2 stock.
- Three bottom supports, 16 inches long, from 1-by-2 stock.
- Seven lid slats, 36 inches long, from 1-by-4 stock.
- Two lid cleats, 16 inches long, from 1-by-2 stock.
The finished outside dimensions will vary slightly with board width. Dry-fit the walls before cutting the lid. If your 1-by-6 boards measure 5 1/2 inches wide, four courses produce a box about 22 inches tall before the lid. Rip the top course narrower if you want the finished chest closer to 20 inches.
Build the Box
Start with the front and back walls. Lay two long boards flat, align their ends, and attach a 16-inch corner cleat at each end on the inside face. Use three screws per board, predrilling every hole. Cedar splits easily near the ends, so keep screws at least 3/4 inch from an edge.
Attach the end boards to the cleats, checking each corner with a square. Do not rely on glue alone outdoors; use a thin bead of exterior wood glue only as a seal between the parts. Cedar moves with humidity, and a thick glue line can fail as the boards expand and contract.
Install the remaining wall courses in the same way. Leave the bottom open until the walls are complete. Measure diagonally from corner to corner. If the two measurements differ by more than 1/8 inch, push the box square before tightening the screws.
Add the Drainage Bottom
Do not install a solid plywood floor. It will collect water beneath blankets and is difficult to dry. Instead, mount the three 1-by-2 bottom supports across the inside width of the chest, near each end and in the center. Set them about 1/2 inch above the lower edge of the walls. This leaves an air path below the contents.
Lay three or four cedar slats across the supports, running from front to back. Leave gaps of 1/4 to 3/8 inch between slats. These gaps drain rain and let air circulate, but they are narrow enough to keep most leaves and insects out. Screw each slat to every support. Add a fourth support if a slat flexes noticeably under hand pressure.
Drill two 3/4-inch drainage holes through each short end wall, about 1 inch above the bottom edge. Cover the inside of each hole with stainless insect screen if the chest will sit near vegetation. Sand the openings smooth so fabric cannot snag.
Make the Slatted Lid
Place the seven 36-inch lid slats side by side, leaving 1/8 inch between them. These small gaps are intentional: they reduce cupping and allow rain to escape. Keep the gaps uniform with a scrap of hardwood or a plastic spacer.
Attach the two lid cleats underneath, about 3 inches in from each end. Use two screws per slat at each cleat, with pilot holes. The lid should overhang the box by roughly 1/2 inch on the front and sides. A slight overhang protects the wall joints, but do not make it so large that wind can catch it.
Round or ease every exposed edge with sandpaper. Cedar splinters are especially troublesome on thin blanket fabric. Sand through 120 grit, then finish with 150 grit. There is no benefit to polishing outdoor cedar to a furniture-grade surface.
Install Hardware and Finish
Mount the hinges on the back, leaving about 3 inches from each side. Add a lid stay or short chain so the lid stops at approximately 100 degrees. Without a stay, a gust can throw the lid backward and split the hinge screws. A stainless lid stay is preferable to a cord, which can stretch and let the lid slam.
Use a simple latch only if you need to keep the lid closed in wind. A lockable latch is unnecessary for most patios and adds another rust-prone part. Keep the chest at least 1 inch off wet concrete with rubber feet, plastic furniture glides, or cedar blocks.
For the lowest-maintenance finish, leave sound cedar unfinished and let it turn gray. If you want to retain the reddish color, apply a penetrating exterior oil with UV protection every year or two. Film finishes such as ordinary polyurethane are a poor choice here: water gets into a crack, then lifts the finish in sheets. Whichever finish you use, coat the end grain and the inside bottom edges carefully.
Test It Before Storing Blankets
Set the chest outdoors, close the lid, and spray it with a hose for five minutes. Water should leave through the lid gaps, bottom gaps, and end holes rather than puddling inside. Open the chest and check the underside of the lid and the bottom slats. If water remains after an hour of airflow, increase ventilation or store only quick-drying outdoor cushions.
This is weather-resistant storage, not a waterproof container. Store blankets dry, avoid packing them tightly, and open the lid after wet weather. If the chest will sit in full sun, inspect the lid each season for cupping and tighten or replace any split fasteners.