Full Scale TARDIS Shed/Storage Build!

I'd like to start off by saying the plans I used for this build were made by Wood Working for Mere Mortals. He did a fantastic job researching and figuring out the best and easy way to make this TARDIS. This tutorial is more of a continuation to his video, while also giving some of my own advice and experience as help. That being said, I took many liberties of my own with sizing, material, and color. This is a fairly costly project and took me the last semester of my senior year to build (six months on and off). I was lucky enough to have great advice from my shop teacher, Mr. Fenn, and my school's Engineering & Computer Science teacher Mr. Spooner for the electronics (Not included in my build).

This was a great way to do something fun and productive after our house fire my senior year. This gave me something to look forward to every day and something to help take my mind off of the devastation of losing everything in 2019. This was a really significant and meaningful project for me, and I hope I helped someone be creative and help them think and worked with their hands to do something awesome.

Step 1: TARDIS Build

For this build, you're going to need a planet's worth of different sizes of wood. While building this Beast™ I created a google spreadsheet of what Width, Thickness, Length, How many pieces, and what the Purpose of each piece is. I've left a PDF copy down below.

Tools you'll need:

1. Table Saw

2. Miter saw

3. Either hammer and nails or Nail Gun

4. Pocket hole jig/ Pocket hole screws

5. Vinyl cutter (Optional but SUPER useful)

Materials you'll need:

1. Lots of wood (see spreadsheet)

2. Lexan or Plexiglass

3. Vinyl sticker sheeting

4. Various paints

Step 2: The Base

The base is a crucial part of this build (for obvious reasons). The base is built in such a way that the doors can slide in and be taken out with ease. (Like a big LEGO set!!)

You're going to need 43 feet worth of 2x4 for the base. Id recommend two 16' boards and one 12' board.

You're also going to need one 12' board of 1x2 for the spacers.

For each section of the base, it's important to make each side of the frame alternate and overlap each other so that it stays square (like the second photo I made in photoshop!). Using a pocket hole jig for this was very useful but definitely could be done with a hammer and nails.

NOTE: put 1x2 spacers in before connecting each section to each other to allow correct spacing.

To be clear, the boards you need for the base are:

x2) 2 x 4 x 16'

x1) 2 x 4 x 12'

x1) 1 x 2 x 12' (For the spacers)

Step 3: Walls and Doors!!

The next thing I built were the walls. Instead of using 1x4 boards for the center of each wall, I bought 1x8 and ripped 1/4 of an inch off. (It's easier to just use the 1x4 boards, I didn't list the 1x8 board below for simplicity reasons). But DO NOT use that method for the actual doors! Use 3-1/2" pieces for each side of the door.

NOTE: This may cause some frustration while trying to get in and out of your TARDIS.

While cutting the 8' boards to 6-1/2' for the sides, you'll be left with a 1'-1/2" board from each piece. You can cut off 6" to make some of the sixteen 12" pieces for the cross-sections. This means you only need 24 more.

I cut out a scrap piece of wood to 15-1/8" as a spacer to help line up the cross-sections to make them all the same. Using the pocket-hole jig for connecting them to the sides is essential to make sure that all the cross pieces are nice and flush.

For the center strip, I used x1) 1 x 6 x 8' board and cut 1 x 1.5 x 8' strips and nailed them onto the center of each section.

NOTE: For the door, you only nail the center strip to the LEFT SIDE door.

Next, you'll cut out 26" x 56.5" pieces of Laun wood to cover the first three panels of the inside of the three walls. For each side of the door, you'll only need 13" x 56.5" rectangles of Laun. These pieces can either be stapled in, or small finish nails would work

For the window bars, I used 1"x1" strips. I cut eight 12" pieces for the center horizontal strip, and using the table saw with a Dato blade and a 3-1/2" spacer to mark where I needed, I cut out notches for the two verticles to fit into and glued them together.

The last thing I did was cut out 14"x16" pieces of Lexan Plexiglass for the windows and painted the back of them white. DONT INSTALL BEFORE YOU PAINT YOUR TARDIS.

To be clear, the boards you need for the walls are:
x16) 1" x 4" x 8' (The sides)

x2) 1" x 4" x 12' (for the remaining cross pieces)

x1) 1" x 6" x 8 (for the center strips)

x2) Sheets of laun (for the back)

Multiple 1"x1" sticks (window bars)

Lexan Sheeting. (the actual windows)

Step 4: Columns!

For the collumns, youll need are 4x) 1" x 6" x 8' boards and 4x) 1"x4"x8' boards.

First, you're going to need to rip the 6" wide boards down to 4-3/4" boards.

Next, each 8' board needs to be cut to 85.5" (or 7'-1/8") lengths.

You're going to nail 1) 1" x 4-3/4" x 88.5" board overlapping the 1) 1" x 4" x 88.5" board. Repeat this 4 times to make all 4 columns.

NOTE: Failing to nail the wide board overlapping to the shorter board, different from the blueprint above, will cause the columns not to fit into the base.

To be clear, the boards you need for the columns are:
x4) 1" x 6" x 8' (1 for each corner)

x4) 1" x 4" x 8' (1 for each corner)

Step 5: Cleats!

This step is also fairly simple. These are attached to the top of the columns to allow the roof piece #1 to be secured. For this, I used scrap pieces because we had an abundance from other projects that would work just fine.

For section #1 of the cleat, you need to overlap the 2-7/8" piece over the 2-1/8" like in the picture above and nail them together.

For section #2 of the cleat, make sure the 3" piece overlaps the 2-3/8" piece also like the picture above, and nail them together.

NOTE: MAKE SURE ITS LIKE THE PICTURE, it's very easy to get confused (I know I messed up more than once because of ignorance) Use it as reference.

To add the cleats to the columns, start with the smaller of the two sets (Section #1) and nailing it 6" down from the very top of your columns. (I cut out a 6" piece of scrap wood and squared it with the top so I didn't have to measure every time.) Next, you'll line up Section #2's bottom with Section #1's so the bottoms are flush, then nail both pieces together. Repeat this for all columns.

To be clear, the sizes you need for the Cleats are:

Cleat Section #1

x4) 1" x 2-1/8" x 4"

x4) 1" x 2-7/8" x 4"

Cleat Section #2

x4) 1" x 3" x 5"

x4) 1" x 2-3/8" x 5"

Step 6: Roof Piece (Base) #1!

Roof base #1 is the piece that fits into the cleats we just made and holds the doors and columns together, much like the bottom base.

From the 8' boards, you're going to cut off 5" to create the 43" board for each side. Exactly like the base, you alternate and overlap the outside wall to make it square.

For the inside trim, Id recommends using the pocket hole jig but for the outside base, Id use hammer and nails on the ends to secure them to each other.

On the inside of to opposite corners, I added a 1" x 2" x 3" piece of scrap wood, flush with the inside trim so the next part of the roof base can lock on and not move around when placed.

To be clear, the sizes you need for the Roof Base are:

x4) 1" x 6" x 4' (The outside frame)

x2) 1" x 6" x 4' (The inside frame)

x4) 1" x 2" x 3" (Piece of scrap wood)

Step 7: Roof Piece (Middle) #2!!

Roof piece #2 is the piece that fits on top of the base we just made and supports the final top piece.

From the 1" x 8" x 4' boards, you're going to rip it in half so you have 2 (almost) 4" pieces. Then you're going to need to cut them to 48.5" long and nail them together alternating/overlapping to make a square frame.

From the 4' boards, cut them down to 38.5" and rip them from 4" wide to 3" wide.

For the inside trim, I'd recommend using the pocket hole jig but for the outside base, I'd use a hammer and nails on the ends to secure them to each other.

On the inside of to opposite corners, I added a 1" x 2" x 3" piece of scrap wood, flush with the inside trim so the next part of the roof base can lock on and not move around when placed.

SIDE NOTE: For my build, I wanted to put the TARDIS in my sister's apartment which has 8' high ceilings so I took a few inches off of this piece and the top roof piece.

To be clear, the sizes you need for the Roof Middle are:

x2) 1" x 8" x 4' (The outside frame)

x4) 1" x 4" x 4' (The inside frame)

x4) 1" x 2" x 3" (Piece of scrap wood)

Step 8: Roof Piece (Top) #3!!!

For this section of the roof, you'll only need one kind of board (1" x 4" x 6'). Cut 4 pieces that are 32-1/2" in length. Make another frame like the last two. Then cut out a 33-1/4 square of Laun board to nail it to the frame of the top and make the third and final roof piece.

To be clear, the sizes you need for the Roof Top are:

x2) 1" x 4" x 6'

1 sheet of Laun.

Step 9: Signs!!!

To build the signs, you need to make a wood frame with two 40-1/2" 1"x1" sticks and two 4" 1"x1"sticks. Do not alternate each side like you did the roof and base to make it square, it will not work the same.

Then you're going to cut out four 5-1/2" x 40-1/2" rectangles of luan for the back of the sign and staple it to your 1"x1" stick frame.

Lastly, You'll need to cut four 1" x 6" x 35-3/4" boards. These go on the back of the sign and fits right between the two columns like a puzzle piece. I used screws and washers to hold the signs up so I could easily take them down to store them when needed.

To be clear, the sizes you need for the Roof Middle are:

x1) 1' x 6' x 12'

Multiple 1"x1" sticks (window bars)

Laun sheet

Step 10: Progress!

This is what your TARDIS should look like so far if you've followed the steps! (this picture is missing a sign)

Step 11: Painting!!!

My original plan was to go to a paint store, get TARDIS blue stain, and stain the WHOLE TARDIS, because I wanted to see the grain of the wood. I will give you a lot of advice, DONT STAIN SOMETHING THIS BIG. It was such a big waste of time. You will have better results and spend a lot less time if you brush paint, or spray paint, or even spray gun.

I like how some incarnations of the TARDIS look very worn and used, I decided to mix some black and brown acrylics and weathered my TARDIS. These pictures were some of the early stages of weathering. (This was the funnest part!) (Yes, "funnest" is a word!)

Step 12: Tidying Up!

There are only a few things left to do to make the TARDIS, really look like a TARDIS!

The first thing I did was cut out four 4" x 39" pieces of Lexan plexiglass and sanded one side for the top signs. I sanded the back so when I put my LED lights in, it'll defuse the light and look better.

I then used our vinyl cutter program to create a 4" x 39" rectangle and add the "Police Public Call Box" lettering and cut out four signs on the machine. I applied the letters ONLY to the Lexan, spray painted the sign black, removing the letters afterward. Make sure you clean the Lexan with alcohol before painting, otherwise you'll get a reaction from finger oils and you'll get a crackle effect like in my picture above.

Next, add hinges and a handle to the door and column on the right side of the TARDIS.

I pre-drilled four holes into the windows we made from a previous step, and screwed them directly into the walls from the inside and weathered them too.

Lastly, I cut out a 12" x 15-1/8" piece of Lexan and spray painted it white. Again, using the vinyl cutter program to create a 12" x 15-1/8" box, I used text to create the little sign on the door that explains how to call the police. I used masking tape to transfer all the letters and stuck it to my sign, carefully peeling back the tape, leaving the letters in place.

Step 13: Final!

I decided that ill make another instructable in the future with how to do the electronics (the sound and lights) when I can get in touch with my old teacher. And I also want to go more in-depth about using vinyl cutters and how I made the signs in another instructable.

This is my favorite build I've ever done (I've done a lot). I learned so much, I worked hard, and I really focused on something productive.

Currently, my TARDIS is being used as a closet in my sister's small apartment, but when we finally get a new house, were going to put it out in the yard as a tool shed and some science fiction lawn decore.

Thank you so much for reading and don't forget to check out Wood Working For Mere Mortals video for some more visuals! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BaVax0cArg&t=369s (I take no credit for his designs and work but they were SO helpful and would like to thank him for his help)

If anyone has any questions or comments please contact me and ill try and update/edit my work or give as much help as I can! Thanks!