Children's wood step stool with lift top storage compartment.

Handmade from this plan >>

Projects built from this plan. Thank you for submitting brag posts, it's appreciated by all!

Handmade by: sebringvillemum
Handmade by: docfin02
Handmade by: wkilmer23

Dimensions

Dimensions:

12" tall x 15" deep x 13 1/2" wide

Materials and Tools

Shopping List:

53″ of 1×12 Pine Boards 24″ of 1×6 Pine Boards 26″ of 1×8 Pine Boards 2″ Screws or 1 1/4″ Pocket Hole Screws (if you are using the Kreg Jig) Wood Glue Finishing Supplies 1 Set of standard hinges

Tools:

measuring tape

square

pencil

safety glasses

hearing protection

drill

circular saw

jigsaw

sander

countersink drill bit

Cut List

Cut List:

2 – 1×12 @ 14″ long (Sides) 2 – 1×12 @ 12″ (Storage Box sides) 2 – 1×6 @ 12″ (Storage Box Bottom and Footer) 2 – 1×8 @ 14″ (Treads)

Cutting Instructions:

This plan greatly depends on the use of standard width boards, which can vary in size depending on where you live. Please measure the width of all of your boards and adjust the cuts and construction as necessary. This plan assumes 1x6s are 5 1/2" wide, 1x8s are 7 1/2" wide, 1x12s are 11 1/2" wide.

Step 1

Cut Sides Out From the sides, draw the above pattern and carefully cut out using a jigsaw

Step 2

Storage Box Cut a notch out of one of the storage box sides. Attach both storage box sides to the sides using 2″ screws and glue or 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and glue.

Step 3

Footer Attach the footer to the front using 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws or 2″ screws and glue.

Step 4

Bottom With the remaining 1×6, add the bottom to the step stool. Attach from all sides with glue and screws.

Step 5

Treads Attach the top tread to the top with hinges. Attach the bottom tread with screws and glue. Enjoy your step stool! I can think of a zillion ways Grace could use this stool!

May I Suggest a Finish?

Staining Wood Trim

Express Color with Minwax Stain

Espresso Stain

I guess I'm just in the storage stairs mindset. Because I couldn't get this design off my mind.

Yep, more stairs with flip tops and storage inside.

If you save your scraps, you might just already have the lumber to build this!

There's actually quite a bit of storage in there!

Not Much >>

What's going on up here in Alaska.

I've been wanting some steps

I've been wanting some steps like these for the kids for a while! They make for great time out chairs. LOL Thanks for posting these.

posted by anabenet (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-09-09 05:52

Thanks so much! I've been

Thanks so much! I've been wanting one of these forever but they're so expensive for something you're going to put your feet on. You're amazing!

posted by Jess (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-09-09 05:57

I can't click the 'like'

I can't click the 'like' button, but i do :) Isn't it funny how you post plans just as we're looking at their retail counterparts? :)

posted by Leah (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-09-09 06:17

This would be great in the

This would be great in the kids bathroom. Maybe we can use the top for towel storage.

posted by lyndyjo (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-09-09 10:19

Thank you Ana! I needed one

Thank you Ana! I needed one of these for my grandchildren.

posted by Viola (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-09-09 11:40

Ana, so cool! I had plans

Ana, so cool! I had plans drawn up for something similar, but was intimidated...the storage was drawers. This is so much easier! Thank you!!!

posted by becwilson (not verified) | on Fri, 2010-09-10 07:51

I need to build some of these

I need to build some of these so the dog can get in and out of our bed!

posted by momsmess (not verified) | on Sat, 2010-09-11 07:12

Has anyone made this yet?

Has anyone made this yet? What are the finished dimensions? I need to make sure this is going to fit in my tiny bathroom

posted by Gwenevere (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-10-14 08:44

nevermind...I had y'all

nevermind...I had y'all worried there for a minute huh? I managed to figure the dimentions from the plans...yeah me!

posted by Gwenevere (not verified) | on Thu, 2010-10-14 08:47

[...] to thank this lady for

[...] to thank this lady for the inspiration and the plans. The plans for the step stool can be grabbed here, and the plans for the super easy ledge can be grabbed here. For free. Yeah, you heard me [...]

posted by With A Little Help From My Friends « (not verified) | on Sat, 2010-10-16 05:31

OK, I've built this and it

OK, I've built this and it turned out great. I love it, it went together SO nicely. I didn't have any 1x6 scrap, and I didn't want to buy one for 24" So I just made sure I bought a 1x12 a little longer. The measurements are slightly off in the plans. The 1x12 pieces for the storage box aren't actually 12" wide (11 1/4 to 11 1/2 depending on lumber supplier) So if you are using a 1x6 for the toe kick and the bottom of the storage box, you will need to the length to match the width of the 1x12. I posted a picture on the facebook site.

posted by Niki (not verified) | on Tue, 2010-11-16 00:28

Confused

On the 1 x8 the shopping list says to buy a board that is 26" but the cut list says to cut 14". Isn't 14 X 2 =28? I wish I would have looked at this better because I need to go back to the store for a longer board. The store I went to cut them in length for me. I like the blue and orange store better because you get to pick out the wood.

posted by Guest (not verified) | on Wed, 2011-04-06 15:51

clips

Great plan--thank you!

After doing a few plans from the site, I finally had the confidence to modify this into something I've been wanting for years after seeing them featured in catalogs--an adult-sized storage step with sloped sides and an inset lower step (here's how to make modifications if anyone else wants to do the same: http://ana-white.com/2012/02/storage-bed-step-modifications-kids-storage-step-stool ). Thanks for sharing your talents and helping give women the confidence to build!

posted by melissa2 | on Fri, 2012-02-03 19:14

wowwwww

I have been looking for a small step stool. Bless you. I'm a large woman and have trouble getting into the bed of my camper. This will be much easier for me. Thank you do much!!!!!

posted by Terralee #Rich (not verified) | on Thu, 2012-09-13 14:22

step stool

Hi! I love this site and your story Ana! Just one quick thing, I just built a step stool that looks exactly like this one but the cuts all came from one pine board that is 1x12x8feet. I haven't done the math yet, but I wonder if your plan could work out the same way. Here is the plan that I used : http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/how-to-build-a-storage-step-stool/index.html

posted by Stephanie Lujan (not verified) | on Sat, 2012-12-29 12:33

paint/stain

Should paint or stain be applied before or after attaching the hinges?

posted by Brian Carlson (not verified) | on Mon, 2012-12-31 10:23

hinges

I attached the hinges as the very last step. I was afraid painting over them would goop them up. Stain won't stick to metal. Paint will, but it may flake off and peel over time.

posted by Runsomewhere | on Wed, 2013-01-09 12:09

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Kid's Storage Step Stool

Handmade from this plan >>

Dimensions

Materials and Tools

Cut List

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

May I Suggest a Finish?

Bathroom, Bedroom, Kids and Toys, Beginner, Under $20, Children's

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