I've sat in a ton of box blinds through the years, but never built one. My son and I are wanting to build one as father/son project. Wanted to get some advice, tips, things not to do, etc. Here is what we are looking to build:

1. 2-man wooden box blind
2. 3-4 foot off the ground
3. Light enough to transport hopefully

Thank in advance!

My one bit of advice... Always build it bigger then you think you want.

What kind of advice do you want. Figure out what size you want it to be and build it.

Read some of the "build-a-longs" on this link. http://tnttt.com/viewforum.php?f=55&sid=e3d2f284f545152d71c3ccc2d9bb436c
This link is a truck camper build, most of the basics are included in this thread. http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=64361

These guys build small travel trailers using building foam, canvas, Titebond, Gorilla glue and paint. The structures are strong enough to take highway travel and last outdoors. I have never seen a deer blind made this way, but in my opinion it can be done and it will last as long or maybe longer than plywood. It will be light enough that 3 or 4 people should be able to move it.

If you are on Facebook, do a search for a poster that uses "Rowerwet" as his screen name. He builds kayaks using the same process. https://www.facebook.com/Rowerwet/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1112141905468256

Back to the blind, the one I had when my son was growing up was 4x6 with 7' on the front wall and 6' on the back wall. I welded up a stand that was 6' high, using square tubing and angle iron, with angled legs it was pretty sturdy and fit in the bed of the pickup. Took 2 trips to haul it, one for the box and one for the stand. Don't forget to make a ladder, one that you can remove, to restrict access.

make the sides out of hardi board. Will last forever.

I built a 4x6. treated lumber and hardiboard. it is a little heavy but easy to work with and has weather well 3 years in.

Get good Windows and seal up good.

Make it at home so you know you have everything and is how you want it, then take it out to your place either in sections or intact if possible. It's a pain being out away from supplies and needing something.

I made mine at home. First I set up chair, Bach pack, heater, whatever else I thought I might have on concrete and made marks. Decided the size.
Construct a platform (base), made walls in sections. Sat in chair I would use with rifle to get comfortable height to bottom of window height of window 12" higher, width of widow about 24". Flip up, flip down, slider your choice.
Door at least 24" wide.
Wall height, I'm 6'. Low wall 6'-4" high wall 7', slope towards door.
Made mine with 2x2 and 1/2" exterior plywood. Painted inside and out hunter green, at least 2 coats good exterior paint. Roof 3/4" plywood with roll roofing with metal drip around the edges, also painted. Make sure not to use to long of roofing nails, you get poked in the head.

5x8 or your gonna regret it !

Thanks everyone!

There's a lot of good advice posted. Build at home, 2" x 2"s, 1/2 plywood, etc.

Build your walls independent, so that you can take one wall at a time up on your elevated platform. Using 2" x 2"'s will also allow you to assemble the walls with a cordless screw gun and long deck screws. Just build your front and back walls with your 2 x 2's flush with the edge of your plywood, and your side walls framed with the end 2 x 2's set inside your plywood. This will allow your walls to fit together, assembled one at a time. I use a finish nailer and glue. I take it to my tower in six pieces: the floor deck, four walls and a roof on a 2 x 4 frame that is corner braced with metal screwed down. I can put this thing together alone in 30 minutes or less. I'm going on eight years and three locations with this set up. Send me a pm if you want pictures or any other advice.

where did that camo siding come from?

Lowes. I just happened to see it sitting on a pallet outside, left over from deer season. It's 3/8" OSB with this weather proof film applied to one side. Those pic's are several years old. The weather has 0 effect on it and it sheds water. I didn't even know they made this stuff. It can be ordered, but they don't stock it any more. I paid like eight bucks per sheet, they couldn't get rid of it.

thanks! I went to Lowes and Home Depot on line but didn't find anything like that shown even to order. after further searching found Mossy Oak 7/16 OSB but states no longer available at Lowes.com ... will keep looking

My advice is spend the money on good a good door and Windows. Keep the wasps, owls and buzzards out and it's nice to be able to keep the heat in and not have drafts. A comfortable blind makes a hunt so much more enjoyable especially in adverse conditions.

Something else, put shelves on the outside with metal brackets. These work great for shooting rests with sand bags. You won't give up any interior space and you can make them 6-7" wide and have a great shooting rest shooting off of bags.

Thank guys! Lots of great info!

Don't worry about the fancy camo. I just used a good real good green exterior paint, use a good primer first. No fancy camo. Paint inside dark color, I used the forest green in and out. Did put some window tint on.

Figure out what chairs you are going to uses before you cut out the windows.

Many good tips listed already. My advice is to:

a) use real glass windows from Deerview of similar. They will seal up better and last much longer than wood or plexi. Put a drip edge over them for the rainy hunting mornings.

b) To avoid problems down the road, you can use a weather-stripped pre-hung door, or one of the aluminum doors from Deer View. These will not swell or rot like a plywood/2x2 door (no sticking or gapping), and will also seal better.

c) Caulk every seam! Moisture is the enemy, and critters will use any gaps left open to infest your blind.

d) I would go 4x6 at a minimum. If you want to routinely hunt more than 2 go 4x8, or even better 5x8. That extra foot of depth sure makes it more comfortable.

e) As said above, don't cut your windows too high. You can adjust for a window that's a little low, but a window that is too high makes it hard to get a solid shooting position.

f) Use treated lumber for the floor frame. It will be the first to rot.

g) Think about maintenance ahead of time when you choose your skin. Painting a plywood stand is easy when it is on the ground. Not so easy when it is 6 ft up in the air. Plywood will need to be painted every few years, while siding can go many years with no maintenance.

I think it's great that y'all are doing this as a project together. I'm sure you'll both learn alot, and have some fun too.

TxAg has good advice and said most things I'd have thought of. But a few more things to mention:

- extend the roof on all sides to keep rain from finding its way into the blind.
- I buy a bicycle inner tube and split it longways and tack it over where the door joins the blind on hinge side.
- I use T11 (T111?) siding for the walls. Years pass and I have no rot.
- treated plywood floor and floor level 2x4's, and around Windows.
- I use the bug resistant foam that Home Depot sells.
- corner shelves above window level are nice to have.