How to repurpose an old desk into a Sandpit

https://uniquecreationsbyanita.com/old-suitcase-repurposed-into-a-table/

I found this lovely desk advertised on my local for sale site for $20.00.  I was really excited about restoring it.  But when I went to pick it up I was a bit disappointed because it had been given a very deep shabby chic look.

Sandpit

There was no way I could restore it without spending many hours sanding. So I decided to repurpose it. My great-niece comes to visit often and loves playing in the sand, but I did notice that she did not like to sit in the sandpit. She would get all upset when the sand would get inside her diaper. That is when I came up with the idea to make a sandpit that she could use standing up. 

How to make a sandpit table

**This post may contain affiliate links. Which means I earn a small commission on links used at no extra cost to you. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.**

Find a suitable table

These little study desks work perfectly for this project.  The drawers can be used to store all the sandpit toys to keep your area tidy after playtime.  

Sandpit

Find a suitable container (sandpit)

A suitable container for this project must have a lip to stop it from falling through the hole.  It should also have a lid so it does not become a deluxe litter box for the neighbourhood cats. I chose this light blue 35L container so it would look nice against the dark stain I had in mind for the sandpit desk. To start, measure the container just under the lip, this is the correct size for your hole. 

How to repurpose an old desk into a Sandpit

To make an opening for the jigsaw blade, use a drill and a large drill bit and make holes in all for corners. Cut out the hole using a jigsaw. 

Sandpit desk

Cutting the hole

Do a test fit to make sure the container fits snugly into the hole. The lip will rest on the surface of the desk. I did have some bits of excess plastic sticking out of my container which I had to file off. You will also notice that the sandpit container has taken up the space required for the top drawer, there is no way around this unless you use a smaller container.

Sandpit

Shorten the desk

The desk was a bit high for a toddler so I wanted to make the height more suitable for her, which was 45 cm high.   I used my square ruler to mark out the correct height and made a cutting line.  I used a circular saw to cut the desk shorter, a jigsaw will also work. 

How to repurpose an old desk into a Sandpit

Add support beams

Since the bottom had been cut away so was the support beam across the bottom of the desk that kept the desk sturdy.  I removed the support beam from the section I cut off and reattached to the desk.  To do this I used a pocket hole jig to add pocket holes to the wood. I thought this would be stronger than just glueing the piece back in place.

How to repurpose an old desk into a Sandpit

I use pocket hole screws to reattached the wood support.

How to repurpose an old desk into a Sandpit

Once the container was put back into the hole, I was not happy that you could see the bottom of the container under the desk.  This was a cosmetic issue, but I wanted to fix it. You can use a scrap piece of wood and cut it to the size of the gap.  Again I used the pocket hole jig and screwed the wood into place.

Sandpit

Because the container took up space where the first draw would have been, I could not put the drawer back in.  So to hide the gap I cut the front of the drawer off and glued it over the gap. The bottom drawer was put back into place to serve as storage.

Staining the wood

Because this sandpit desk was going to be staying at my house, I wanted it to blend in with my outdoor decor.  I chose to stain it with dark mahogany stain for this reason.  This desk had some rough edges from the distressing it was given which I sanded smooth to prevent any splinters. Another safety precaution was to remove all the shape edges using a wood router and round over bit. Because this sandpit desk was going to be outside under my pergola I gave it 2 coats of outdoor varnish to protect the surface.

Sandpit desk

Adding the sand

I bought 2  x 25 kg bags of sandpit beach sand from my local hardware store.  It only required 1 and a bit out of the second bag.

Sandpit desk

She really loved her new sandpit desk and plays with it every time she comes to visit.  Another feature I added to this table was to purchase a second container for water play in the summer.  I just remover the container with sand and replace it with a container full of water.

Sandpit desk

The offcut from the desk was used to make the matching chair for the sandpit. 

More great project

Another similar desk that I repurposed into a lego table for my niece.

Lego table

or this cool craft table with its cute zebra bench to store all your toddler’s craft supplies in one place.  The top lifts up and all supplies are store inside. 

Craft table

If you are looking for any of the items used in this project, please consider using our links. By clicking on the links we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Which helps us come up with new and exciting ideas to share with you

Pinterest pin

4 Awesome DIY furniture ideas to make for your toddler

Sandpit
Sandpit

Sandpit

Sandpit

You Might Also Like

34 Comments

  • Reply
    GERT
    August 3, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    now aren’t you the smart one, I have never seen anything that cute and clever, you’re a great aunt.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 4, 2017 at 2:20 am

      Thank you Gert, It did make me very popular and she loves it.

  • Reply
    Ama Ama
    August 3, 2017 at 7:03 pm

    This is Awesome‼️Love the chair too 🙂

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 4, 2017 at 2:19 am

      Thank you, It is great to make something new out of recycled furniture.

      • Reply
        Lanny Biggs
        March 21, 2023 at 2:25 pm

        An FYI caution. I spoke with a guy a few years ago who built a sandbox for his kids. In order to cut costs he used sand from a local concrete company. The problem is that the white sand you can purchase unbagged is stored in the open. Stray cats like to use the sand as a toilet. The bagged sand you can buy, especially sand that is sold as sandbox sand, is sterilized. The guy I talked to said that all his kids had to be treated for ringworm after playing in the “cheap sand” Also keep a sandbox covered when not using it.

        • Reply
          Anita Holland
          March 22, 2023 at 5:35 pm

          Thanks for sharing your info. I do have the proper sand as I agree there are so many germs in the other sand. I have a lid for this sandpit which is covered up while not in use. We have so many cats around here you can’t be too careful.

  • Reply
    chris tucker
    August 3, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    that is awesome and so practical too xx

  • Reply
    melanie
    November 10, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    Oh this is so cool!! love it Anita!!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      November 11, 2017 at 2:55 am

      Thank you, was pretty unique and my niece loves it.

  • Reply
    Bright
    July 12, 2018 at 2:43 am

    Really cool diy makeover! Every kid loves a sensory bin.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 17, 2018 at 1:07 am

      Thank you she does love it, and she likes the idea that she does not have to sit in the sand to play.

  • Reply
    Marie
    July 17, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    This is my first visit to your blog. I saw your link at the Waste Not Wednesday party and had to pop over to take a closer look. Wow, I LOVE your work! This sandpit desk is such a clever idea and your tutorial is wonderful too. My grandson would love something like this!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 18, 2019 at 3:15 am

      Thank you so much, Marie, I made it because my niece did not like sitting in the sand because it got in her nappy. She loves it.

      • Reply
        Marie
        August 9, 2019 at 4:37 pm

        Anita, so glad to see you shared this awesome sand table at our Talk Of The Town Party last week. You will be my feature next week!

        • Reply
          Anita Holland
          August 10, 2019 at 12:23 am

          Thank you so much for the lovely comments and the feature, greatly appreciated.

  • Reply
    Michelle
    August 5, 2019 at 12:27 am

    What a wonderful idea! Awesome!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 5, 2019 at 3:17 am

      Thank you, it was one of the first projects I made. It went viral and got me hooked on blogging.lol

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 5, 2019 at 3:24 am

      Thank you so much, Your comments are all greatly appreciated.

  • Reply
    Cecilia
    August 12, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    What a cute idea! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!

  • Reply
    Veronica Lee
    August 13, 2019 at 12:32 pm

    This is super cool! What a marvelous idea!

  • Reply
    Monika Ohson | TravelerInMe
    August 14, 2019 at 5:47 am

    Wow! That’s such a cool conversion. Am sure the kid loves it. Thanks for sharing Anita 🙂

  • Reply
    KitsyKeelSmith
    August 15, 2019 at 3:18 am

    Love this idea. I am expecting my sixth grandchild in October and will be looking for a desk to turn into a sand table for her. The other five are to old for this activity. I have plenty of time to look for a desk because she won’t be using it for a while. Thanks for sharing.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 15, 2019 at 4:34 am

      Thank you, it was so easy to make and any child would love it.

  • Reply
    Sylvia | Grace for a Gypsy
    August 17, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    What a great idea for a sandbox!

  • Reply
    Lisa L Lombardo
    August 20, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    How cute! Thank you for sharing your unique creations on Farm Fresh Tuesdays! I hope to see more of your fun ideas this week. 🙂

  • Reply
    DIY Furniture Ideas For Kids Spaces: 50 Amazing DIY Projects for Kids!
    February 23, 2020 at 12:01 am

    […] old desk repurposed into a sandpit is the perfect way to upcycle a piece you can get off of the Craigslist free section! You could […]

  • Reply
    Linda at Mixed Kreations
    March 2, 2020 at 1:08 am

    Brilliant idea! My grandkids would love this. Even a place to toy there sand toys.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      March 3, 2020 at 11:21 am

      Thank you Linda, I made this a few years back and she still plays with it every time she comes for a visit.

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.