Determine Measurements
Your decisions from the previous step will determine what measurements you will need for your roombox. Here is a sample of my measurements in case you need help.
The height and width of my roombox are set by my decision to cover the front with a standard size picture frame. The ceiling and floors will take up 2 x 1/4 inch which is 1/2 inch of the space inside my frame. This means the sides of my box will need to be 8 1/2 inches tall.
To fit on my shelf with the frame on the front, the box sides will be 10 1/4 inches deep. I need two pieces of plywood 8 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches for my roombox sides.
The width of the box needs to fit inside the 9x12 inch picture frame. The overall width available is 12 inches. (my frame has 1/8 of an inch extra width and height which gives me room to fit the frame over the box front when it is built) I need two pieces of plywood for the floor and ceiling which are 12 inches x 10 1/4 inches.
The back of the box will fit inside the sides and the ceiling and floor for strength. The back needs to be 8 1/2 inches tall by 11 1/2 inches wide.
Mark your cutting lines
Make sure you mark your measurements square and accurate. Use a steel carpenters or engineers square if you have one, or check your lines with a school protractor if you don't. Your room box will be joined with a simple butt joint , and your sides must be square. Plan on cutting on the waste side of your measured lines (on the side you don't need!) Saw blades will use 1/16 to 1/8 of wood as they cut through it. You don't want to lose that width from any of your measured pieces
If you intend to use a glass top, you will not need the same number of pieces I used.
If you plan to use sliding glass fronts or tops, see step ten before you complete your measurements, especially if you will be using pre cut pieces of glass from a framing shop.
