Creating A Wedding Post Box: Diy Guide

Wedding post boxes are a great way to collect your guests' cards and well-wishes, and they can also add to your wedding decor. You can make your own wedding post box with a few simple steps. First, decide on the style of your box – will it be a classic post box, a decorative book box, a wooden crate, or something more unique like a vintage suitcase or a mini greenhouse? Once you've chosen your style, gather your supplies. You'll need things like wood, paint, glue, and decorations. Then, build the basic structure of your box, add any personal touches like names and dates, and finish it off with a coat of paint. Your DIY wedding post box will be a beautiful and functional addition to your big day.

Choosing a design and materials

The design and materials you choose for your wedding post box will depend on your wedding's theme and colour scheme. For example, if you're having a rustic wedding, you might opt for a wooden crate, a wicker hamper, or a vintage suitcase. If your wedding has a vintage or retro theme, a classic red cylindrical post box or a mini tin mailbox could be perfect.

If you're feeling creative, you could make your own wooden postbox from scratch using plywood and wooden dowels, or you could upcycle a vintage wooden crate, decorating it with bunting and flowers. For a more modern look, you could try a geometric design or a clear acrylic box.

If you're looking for something unique, you could try a decorative book box, a glass container, a birdcage, or even a hollow tree trunk! If you're handy with a saw, you could cut and assemble wooden photo frames to create a box, or you could buy a pre-made cardboard box and decorate it with paint, fabric, glitter, stamps, or stickers.

Whatever design and materials you choose, make sure your wedding post box is big enough to hold all the cards and gifts from your guests.

Building a wooden frame

The first step in building a wooden wedding post box is to cut the dowels for the box frame. You will need four 14-inch sections for the widest parts of the front and back frames, four 9.5-inch sections for the tallest parts, and four 10.5-inch sections to connect the front and back frames. Once you have cut these pieces to size, assemble them on a flat surface to create two identical frames for the front and back of the box. Use wood glue and clamps to secure the pieces together, and then reinforce the corners with brad nails.

Next, stand the two frames up and separate them with two 10.5-inch pieces, applying wood glue to both ends. Ensure the corners are square and secure them with clamps before nailing the corners together. Flip the frame over and repeat this process to create a finished frame that measures 14 inches wide by 12 inches deep by 11 inches tall.

At this stage, you can also cut the plywood to cover the frame. Cut one 14-inch by 12-inch piece for the bottom, two 11.25-inch by 12-inch pieces for the sides, and two 14.5-inch by 11.25-inch pieces for the front and back. Nail the plywood onto the frame, starting with the bottom piece and then moving to the sides and front and back pieces. If desired, use spackle to fill in any exposed edges of the plywood, and then sand the entire box until it is smooth.

Now it's time to create the lid. Cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood to size (14.5 inches by 12.5 inches), and mark an outline for a card slot. Drill pilot holes inside the outline to accommodate the jigsaw blade, and then use the jigsaw to cut out the slot. Sand the inside edges of the card slot to ensure a smooth finish.

To finish the wooden frame, you can add edge banding to the box lid to hide the plywood edge and then sand the lid again until smooth. You can now paint the box and lid in your chosen colour, making sure to get inside the card slot and avoiding applying too much paint at once to prevent drips. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

Adding plywood

First, you'll need to cut the plywood to the appropriate size. Using a table saw, cut the 1/4" finished plywood to the following dimensions: one 14" by 12" piece for the bottom, two 11-1/4" x 12" pieces for the sides, and two 14-1/2" x 11-1/4" pieces for the front and back. These measurements will ensure that the plywood covers the frame of your post box perfectly.

Next, it's time to attach the plywood to the frame. Start by applying wood glue to the bottom of the frame and then attach the plywood piece you cut for the bottom using brad nails. Turn the box on its side and apply wood glue to one of the 11" x 12" ends. Attach one of the side panels using 5/8" brad nails. Repeat this process for the other side of the box.

Now, you'll attach the front and back plywood pieces in the same manner. Apply wood glue to the frame and secure the plywood with brad nails. At this stage, your box should be taking shape, and you'll have a better idea of how it will look.

If you desire, you can use spackle to fill in the exposed edges of the plywood for a smoother finish. Once the spackle is dry, sand the entire box until it's smooth and ready for painting.

You can also add a lid to your post box by cutting a piece of 3/4" plywood to size. For instance, if your box measures 14" wide by 12" deep, cut the lid to be slightly larger, such as 14-1/2" x 12-1/2". This will create a slight overhang, giving your post box a polished look.

Your wedding post box is now ready for painting or further decoration. You can choose to paint it before attaching the lid or add additional details such as decals, stickers, or even vinyl lettering. Don't forget to add a card slot to the lid if you haven't already!

Cutting a lid

The lid of the wedding card box should be slightly larger than the box itself, so that there is a tiny overhang on the sides and front. This will be created by adding edge banding to the box lid, so be sure to factor this into your measurements.

Using a table saw, cut a 3/4" plywood piece to 14-1/2" x 12-1/2" for the lid. Mark the outline for a card slot on the plywood piece using a pencil and a straight edge. Drill pilot holes inside the outline, ensuring they are big enough to accommodate the jigsaw blade. With the blade lined up on the outline, clamp a straight edge to the board as your jigsaw guide to ensure a straight line.

Wrap sandpaper around the cut-out plywood piece to sand the inside edges of the card slot. Apply edge banding to the box lid to hide the plywood edge. Once the edge banding is applied, sand the entire lid and edges smooth.

Painting and decorating

Once you've chosen the material for your wedding post box, you can start thinking about painting and decorating it.

If you're using wood, you can paint it any colour you like. You might want to paint it to match your wedding colour scheme or theme. For example, if you're having a rustic wedding, you could paint the box a soft green to evoke a woodland feel. If your wedding has a vintage theme, you could opt for a soft pastel shade, or if you're going for a bold, modern look, you could use bright colours or a striking black-and-white design.

If you're feeling creative, you could try painting a design on your post box. This could be something simple, like dots or stripes, or more intricate, like flowers or a monogram of the happy couple's initials. You could also use vinyl cut-outs of the couple's names and wedding date, as mentioned in the tutorial from Girl, Just DIY.

If you're using a different material, such as cardboard, you can still decorate your post box with paint, as well as other materials like fabric, glitter, stamps, or stickers. If you're using a clear acrylic box, you could put flowers or leaves inside to add a pop of colour.

Don't forget that you can also decorate the area around your post box. For example, if you're using a simple box, you could place it on a table with a pretty tablecloth and a vase of flowers, or surround it with candles. You could also hang bunting or garlands around the box, or place it inside a decorative frame.

Frequently asked questions