instructables

Full Scale TARDIS Shed/Storage Build!

by Fatboyeats2221

I'd like to start o by saying the plans I used for this
build were made by Wood Working for Mere Mortals.
He did a fantastic job researching and guring 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 o ). 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 re my senior year. This
gave me something to look forward to every day and
something to help take my mind o of the
devastation of losing everything in 2019. This was a
really signi cant 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.

Full Scale TARDIS Shed/Storage Build!: Page 1

Step 1: TARDIS Build

For this build, you're going to need a planet's worth of 4. Pocket hole jig/ Pocket hole screws
di erent sizes of wood. While building this Beast™ I
created a google spreadsheet of what W idt h, 5. Vinyl cutter (Optional but SUPER useful)
T hickne s s , Le ng t h , H o w m a ny pie ce s , and what
the Purpo s e of each piece is. I've left a PDF copy Materials you'll need:
down below.
1. Lots of wood (see spreadsheet)
To o ls y o u' ll ne e d:
2. Lexan or Plexiglass
1. Table Saw
3. Vinyl sticker sheeting
2. Miter saw
4. Various paints
3. Either hammer and nails or Nail Gun

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 Download
https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FBR/NR8C/KB7XR51S/FBRNR8CKB7XR51S.pdf
…

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 1 2'
board.
was very useful but de nitely could be done with a
hammer and nails.
NO T E : put 1x2 spacers in before connecting each
section to each other to allow correct spacing.
To be cle a r, t he bo a rds y o u ne e d f o r t he
ba s e a re :

You're also going to need one 12' board of 1x2 for x2) 2 x 4 x 16'
the spacers.
x1) 2 x 4 x 12'
For each section of the base, it's important to make
each side of the frame alternate and overlap each x1) 1 x 2 x 12' (For the spacers)
other so that it stays square (like the second photo I
made in photoshop!). Using a pocket hole jig for this
Full Scale TARDIS Shed/Storage Build!: Page 3
 1 1 1 1

1. This is how the corners overlap!

1. This is how the corners overlap!
1. This is how the corners overlap!
1. This is how the corners overlap!

Step 3: Walls and Doors!!

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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 o . (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.
NO T E: This may cause some frustration while trying
to get in and out of your TARDIS.
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.
NO T E: 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 rst 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 nish 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 t into and glued them together.
The last thing I did was cut out 14"x16" pieces of
Full Scale TARDIS Shed/Storage Build!: Page 5
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 o 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 ush.
Lexan Plexiglass for the windows and painted the
back of them white. DO NT INS TALL BEFO RE YO U
PAINT YO UR TARDIS.
To be cle a r, t he bo a rds y o u ne e d f o r t he
w a lls a re :
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)
 1
1

1. One side of FULL panel 1. This is one FULL DOOR

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 2
1

1. This is 1x7 board

2. This is a 1x4 board

Step 4: Columns!

For the collumns, youll need are 4 x) 1" x 6 " x 8 ' NO T E: Failing to nail the wide board overlapping to
boards and 4 x) 1" x4 " x8 ' boards. the shorter board, di erent from the blueprint above,
will cause the columns not to t into the base.
First, you're going to need to rip the 6" wide boards
down to 4-3/4" boards. To be cle a r, t he bo a rds y o u ne e d f o r t he
co lum ns a re :
Next, each 8' board needs to be cut to 85.5" (or 7'-1/8") x4) 1" x 6" x 8' (1 for each corner)
lengths.
x4) 1" x 4" x 8' (1 for each corner)
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.

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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 ne.
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.
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 ush, then nail both pieces together. Repeat this
for all columns.
To be cle a r, t he s iz e s y o u ne e d f o r t he
Cle a t s a re :

For section #2 of the cleat, make sure the 3" piece Cle a t S e ct io n # 1
overlaps the 2-3/8" piece also like the picture above,
and nail them together. x4) 1" x 2-1/8" x 4"

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

Cle a t S e ct io n # 2
NO T E: M AKE S URE IT S LIKE T HE PIC T URE , it's
very easy to get confused (I know I messed up more x4) 1" x 3" x 5"
than once because of ignorance) Use it as reference.
x4) 1" x 2-3/8" x 5"
To add the cleats to the columns, start with the
smaller of the two sets (Section #1) and nailing it 6"

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Step 6: Roof Piece (Base) #1!

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Roof base #1 is the piece that ts into the cleats we 3" piece of scrap wood, ush with the inside trim so
just made and holds the doors and columns together, the next part of the roof base can lock on and not
much like the bottom base. move around when placed.

From the 8' boards, you're going to cut o 5" to create To be cle a r, t he s iz e s y o u ne e d f o r t he Ro o f
the 43" board for each side. Exactly like the base, you B a s e a re :
alternate and overlap the outside wall to make it
square. x4) 1" x 6" x 4' (The outside frame)

For the inside trim, Id recommends using the pocket x2) 1" x 6" x 4' (The inside frame)
hole jig but for the outside base, Id use hammer and
nails on the ends to secure them to each other. x4) 1" x 2" x 3" (Piece of scrap wood)

On the inside of to opposite corners, I added a 1" x 2" x

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

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Roof piece #2 is the piece that ts on top of the base the next part of the roof base can lock on and not
we just made and supports the nal top piece. move around when placed.

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, ush with the inside trim so
S IDE NO T E: 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 o of this piece and the top roof
piece.
To be cle a r, t he s iz e s y o u ne e d f o r t he Ro o f
M iddle a re :
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 nal roof piece.

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To be cle a r, t he s iz e s y o u ne e d f o r t he Ro o f To p a re :

x2) 1" x 4" x 6'

1 sheet of Laun.

Step 9: Signs!!!

To build the signs, you need to make a wood frame screws and washers to hold the signs up so I could
with t w o 40-1/2" 1"x1" sticks and two 4" 1"x1"sticks. easily take them down to store them when needed.
Do not alternate each side like you did the roof and
base to make it square, it will not work the same. To be cle a r, t he s iz e s y o u ne e d f o r t he Ro o f
M iddle a re :
Then you're going to cut out f o ur 5-1/2" x 40-1/2"
rectangles of luan for the back of the sign and staple x1) 1' x 6' x 12'
it to your 1"x1" stick frame.
Multiple 1"x1" sticks (window bars)
Lastly, You'll need to cut f o ur 1" x 6" x 35-3/4" boards.
These go on the back of the sign and ts right Laun sheet
between the two columns like a puzzle piece. I used

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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)

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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!)

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Step 12: Tidying Up!

There are only a few things left to do to make the Next, add hinges and a handle to the door and
TARDIS, really look like a TARDIS! column on the right side of the TARDIS.

The rst thing I did was cut out f o ur 4" x 39" pieces of I pre-drilled four holes into the windows we made
Lexan plexiglass and sanded one side for the top from a previous step, and screwed them directly into
signs. I sanded the back so when I put my LED lights the walls from the inside and weathered them too.
in, it'll defuse the light and look better.
Lastly, I cut out a 12" x 15-1/8" piece of Lexan and
I then used our vinyl cutter program to create a 4" x spray painted it white. Again, using the vinyl cutter
39" rectangle and add the "Police Public Call Box" program to create a 12" x 15-1/8" box, I used text to
lettering and cut out four signs on the machine. I create the little sign on the door that explains how to
applied the letters ONLY to the Lexan, spray painted call the police. I used masking tape to transfer all the
the sign black, removing the letters afterward. Make letters and stuck it to my sign, carefully peeling back
sure you clean the Lexan with alcohol before painting, the tape, leaving the letters in place.
otherwise you'll get a reaction from nger oils and
you'll get a crackle e ect like in my picture above.

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Step 13: Final!

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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). would like to thank him for his help)
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 nally get a
new house, were going to put it out in the yard as a
tool shed and some science ction 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
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!

WOW! So well done, and thanks for documenting it so well :)

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