Hi, it’s Amy from Hertoolbelt. My little boy loves LEGOs. This LEGO building tray makes a perfect place for him to build, create, play and display his LEGO creations. If you have kids that like building and creating, they will love this super easy LEGO tray. Original idea from Jaime Costiglio.
How to Make a Lego Tray
Materials
- 1″ x 2″ x 8′ board (actual 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 8′)
- 1/2″ plywood or MDF – need 20 1/8″ x 20 1/8″
- 1 1/2″ – 2″ brad nails
- 4 – 10″ lego plates (lego plates)
- wood glue
- multipurpose glue for plastic and wood (gorilla glue, epoxy or liquid nails)
- sand paper
- wood filler
- paint/stain
- 2 handles, optional
Cut List
- 1 – 1/2″ x 20 1/8″ x 20 1/8″ plywood or MDF
- 2 – 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 20 1/8″ board
- 2 – 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 21 5/8″ board
Step 1
Cut the 1/2″ plywood to 20 1/8″ x 20 1/8″. I decided to glue the lego plates to the plywood before attaching the sides. I don’t think the order matters. Make sure the plywood and lego plates are clean.
Apply glue to the wood and press the trays into the glue. Use lego pieces to attach the plates together, there needs to be a small gap between the plates. Use books or anything heavy to hold the plates down until the glue is dry. Once the glue is dry, you may have to remove excess glue with a knife of a chisel.
Step 2
Apply wood glue to the sides of the plywood, nail the 20 1/8″ pieces to the plywood making them flush with the bottom. Apply glue to the side joints and plywood, nail the 21 5/8″ pieces to the plywood and sides. Allow the glue to dry.
Step 3
Remove any excess glue, apply wood filler to nail holes, cracks and blemishes and allow to dry. Sand the wood filler and tray until smooth, finishing with 120-150 grit sand paper. Paint or stain the tray and allow to dry.
I painted the tray with Americana Decor Lace. and added ‘Everything is awesome’ to one side. If you’d like the template, download it Everything is awesome. I use a simple painters tape technique to create stencils as seen here. For convenience I added a couple of drawer pulls to two sides. The low profile of the tray makes it very convenient to slide the tray under his bed when he’s not using it.
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seems like 1/2″ ply would make the tray a bit heavy for little ones to handle. I would think 1/4″ ply would be of sufficient strength to hold the Legos and cut down the weight. Might have to dado or rabbet the sides to allow you to attach the bottom properly.
Looks nice though.. my kids would love it.
I sit here staring at this project with a slap upside my forehead. I’ve needed this for YEARS. My feet still ache from stepping over Lego! haha This is a really cool idea!
Thanks for the great idea! I am making this for my 7 year old son for Christmas.