Cedar Ice Chest

That is an interesting idea for a project. Can you provide some details about the liner and insulation?

Really nice project! I’m interested in the construction details too. Do you have a way to drain it? How is it lined?

-- Bondo Gaposis

Ditto on both the comments, I’d love to make this for my inlaws

I used 1.5” rigid foam insulation to line the cooler, spot glued with PL Premium. Then I used furnace ductwork sheet metal cut to size. I sealed all seams with outdoor grade silicon. I definitely developed a healthy respect for tin bashers, that’s for sure! I’ll stick with wood!

For a drain, i used 3/4” pvc at one end which 90’s to a tap underneath. Nothing fancy and it seems to work just fine.

I haven’t put any finish on it yet but I imagine a once-a-year oil treatment will be in order.

For the next one I build (as I now have a few orders), I will forego the metal work and take the dimensions to a sheet metal fab shop for them to cut and bend the pieces.

Total cedar used was 2 2×4’s and 7 1×6x5’ fence boards.

-- Richard, Calgary

Richard,

Nice! I built some planter boxes years ago with similar design. Yours is nicer! LOL! It also makes sense for a deck as cedar can only gain character over time?

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

That is very interesting Richard. I can sympathize with you about the metal work. When you have all the right tools it can be pretty fast and easy (I worked a little while in a metal fab shop many years ago, and he had all the cool toys) but trying to do it with improvised tools can take forever.

Very cool project! That would go great on my deck this summer….

-- Nat, UPstate NY, http://www.cordlessimpactdriverhq.com/

I really like that. I wonder if, seeing my talents are nowhere near yours, if I could just build around a commercial cooler and make it look like I knew what I was doing … not sure how to do the top, but the inside should look like a … cooler. I don’t know. How would I fake the top?

-- Chance Four "Not Just a Second Chance"

I’ve seen other versions where people have used coolers. They just mount the lid of the cooler on the underside of the lid. I would think it would work just fine.

-- Richard, Calgary

Yours is much classier, just maybe beyond my talents. I think yours would be a centerpiece for a patio gathering. I know it would be great alongside an all afternoon horseshoe tournament.

-- Chance Four "Not Just a Second Chance"