Things to Make With One Sheet of Plywood

A sheet of plywood is 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. It comes in various thicknesses from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch. This size means that you have plenty of material available for many craft projects with only one sheet of plywood.

Consider the thickness of the plywood board, as well as its quality or grade. For example, 5/8-inch CDX means that the sheet is rated as D on one side, meaning the lowest grade, C which is slightly better on the other side, and X, which means it is appropriate for outdoor, exterior use. You can get plywood in AB or BC grades, as well. Finally, you can buy plywood that is laminated with hardwoods like oak or cherry. Consider the type of plywood best suited to the projects you want to make.

An AB grade of plywood is best for smaller craft projects. One side of the plywood is always a lower grade than the other on the assumption that one side will face the interior of your project and won't be visible. You will be able to build five or six small bird houses or two or three big ones using only one sheet of plywood. Material that is I/2-inch or 5/8-inch thick is good for this type of project. It is fun to paint your finished bird house. Another project you might try is to cut letters, shapes, and objects out of 1/2 sheet of plywood. Paint the other half and mount your letters and shapes to make a sign for the local school fun fair.

With 1/2- or 5/8-inch CDX plywood, you can build a weatherproof outdoor dog or cat house. For outdoor use, remember to use galvanized nails and paint the roof with a good exterior paint. Even though your dog won't care, you can decorate the house so that it looks beautiful in your yard. If you are willing to make a simple frame using the back of your house as one wall, you can use a single sheet of plywood as the roof of a simple shed for storing outdoor toys or gardening tools.

Toys are another great thing to make from one sheet of plywood. You can build everything from a doll house to a tractor. There are patterns available to help you out. With a half sheet of plywood, make a bean bag toss by painting a clown or a bear with a big mouth. Using a coping saw, cut out the mouth. Make a support for you game out of a piece of the other half of the plywood. It is fun to see who can get the bag in the mouth. With 1/4-inch plywood you can make puzzles. Use your own creative drawings or paintings, or glue a photograph to the plywood and cut it with a scroll saw. Make the puzzle as large as the whole piece or small enough so that you can get 15 puzzles. Use your creativity to cut interesting pieces. You can have 10 pieces for a child's puzzle or 200 for a difficult adult version.

Make a work bench top by simply cutting one sheet of plywood to the size you need. Use 3/4- or 5/8-inch plywood for a strong top. Shelves and small book cases can be fabricated from a single sheet of plywood. The only limit to what you can make is your imagination.