Guide to Building an Outdoor Cooler Cabinet

Beers in the ice box
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels

Revel in the sun and the open air as you entertain guests in your backyard, patio, or deck with a touch of style and convenience. This beginner-friendly guide aims to walk you through constructing a DIY cabinet for outdoor beverages. This elegant enclosure does more than cool your drinks; it also doubles as a serving table or a display space for your beautiful potted plants when not in use. Featuring appealing painted stripes, sturdy hairpin legs, and a practical bottle opener, this chic wooden box transitions seamlessly into an outdoor entertainment essential.

Please note that your cooler’s size primarily determines the dimensions for this project. The measurements provided in this guide are designed to accommodate a 22 x 13 x 11 inches cooler. Make the cabinet slightly larger for easy cooler removal for cleaning or draining purposes.

Materials & Tools Required

A person hammering a nail
Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels

For a seamless experience, gather the following tools and materials before commencing the project:

Equipment / Tools:

  • Table saw
  • Circular saw
  • Straightedge
  • Clamps
  • Carpenter’s square
  • Pneumatic brad nailer
  • Hammer
  • Random orbital sander
  • Drill/driver
  • 1/8-inch drill bit
  • Painters tape

Materials:

  • 1×2, 1×6, 1×4 pine boards
  • Outdoor-rated wood glue
  • 1 1/4-inch brads
  • 4-inch hairpin legs
  • 3/4-inch No. 8 wood screws
  • Hinges
  • Beverage cooler
  • 1 1/2-inch No. 8 panhead screws
  • Exterior stain
  • Exterior white gloss spray paint
  • Surface-mount bottle opener

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1 Make the Initial Cuts:

Craftsman cutting wooden detail with saw
Photo by Ono Kosuki on Pexels

Start by cutting your wood to the required dimensions. Here is a simplified cutting list for your reference:

PieceDimensions (in inches)Quantity

Lid Slats 27×4-1/8×3/4 4

Lid Cleats 13×1-1/2×3/4 2

Side Slats 15×1-1/2×3/4 (1×2) 2

Side Slats 15×3-1/2×3/4 (1×4) 8

Front/Back Slats 27×1-1/2×3/4 (1×2) 2

Front/Back Slats 27×3-1/2×3/4 (1×4) 8

Corner Cleats 14×1-1/2×3/4 4

Bottom Boards 25-1/2×3-1/2×3/4 3

Step 2 Assemble the Cabinet Lid:

Applying glue to the ends of the parquet before laying it on the substrate
Canva


Begin by assembling the cabinet lid using the cut pieces. Following this, glue together the cleats and slats, driving one 1/4-inch brads through the cleats into the slats to ensure a solid assembly.

For this, you’ll need to cut four lid slats (A) and two cleats (B) using the measurements provided in the cutting list above. Use 1×6 stock boards for the lid slats and rip them to the correct width with a table or circular saw guided by a clamped straightedge.

Once cut, lay out the slats on a flat surface, ensuring their ends align. Now it’s time to attach the cleats. Apply glue to one face of each cleat, positioning them so each is 3 inches from the slats’ ends and centered front to back. Press down firmly, driving 1 1/4-inch brads through the cleats and into the slats.

To facilitate a quicker assembly process, consider using a pneumatic brad nailer. However, if you don’t have access to one, a simple hammer will serve the purpose just fine. Make sure to drive at least four brads into each board.

After assembly, there might be some excess wood glue. Clean this up with a damp towel. Once the glue dries, you’ll want to smooth all the edges. You can do this using an orbital sander with 120-grit sandpaper.