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What makes a great sandbox? The most important
feature of a sandbox is its size. There has to
be enough room for family, friends, and
toys. This will be where the kids play outdoors
for years to come, so you want to do it right! The Sahara™
comprises 4
main components; The Sandbox, The Toy Box, The
Cover Reel and The Oasis Water Station.
The
play area in The Sahara™ measures 10' x 12' x 22". There
is seating around the perimeter
of the sandbox with rounded corners for safety.
The seats also overlap the sides to help contain the sand in the sandbox. The
sandbox is constructed of tongue-and-groove
timbers which prevents sand from leaking out
the sides. All SANDigz™ sandboxes are built
with high-quality treated and sealed lumber and
all screw construction for years of play and
enjoyment. The bottom of the sandbox is
left open to allow for water drainage and it is
lined with a weed block fabric to prevent weed
growth. It also keeps the dirt and sand from
mixing.
The Toy
Box measures 2' x 6' x 16" and has two lids
for easy access. You can fit a lot of toys
in this storage area. The Toy Box is
designed to be accessed from ground level; the lids open
toward the center of the sandbox. This cuts
down the reach distance your child needs to get
to the bottom of the storage box which will help
prevent accidents. The toy box lids are
counterbalanced with two gas charged springs.
This allows any age child to have access to the
toys without the assistance of a parent. The
lids open with 80 degrees of clearance making it
easy to get out and put away toys. Since the lids are counterbalanced they
can be left open in any position. The Toy box
lids also double as steps for younger kids, and
are designed to be strong enough to support
adults. There are four heavy-duty zinc plated
strap hinges to provide smooth motion when
opening the toy boxes. The toy box
features a wood lined bottom with weed block
fabric. The Toy box is designed
to be an independent structure from the sandbox
for structural rigidity.
In the past sandbox covers have always been a
problem. My goal was to
develop a sandbox cover that was simple and
effective and could be operated
with little assistance from an adult. The
Sahara utilizes a reel system to easily cover
and uncover the sandbox. The cover is
secured with six elastic cords and hooks to provide
for easy operation. As you can see from
the video on the home
page, a 2 year old can easily operate this system.
The tarp is a heavy mesh which allows for water
drainage and also lets sunlight through, which
discourages mold growth and prevents insect
infestations. The cover overhangs the edge
of the sandbox which prevents animals from entering. Any debris
that has collected on
the tarp will fall off the back as you reel it
in, leaving the sand in perfect condition.
The elastic cords that hold down the cover can
also be tailored to meet the adult's preference.
Make the elastic cords tight and you will be the
ones to decide when the kids can play in the
sandbox. Make the cords loose enough and
you kids can be the ones to open and close the
sandbox. A sandbox is designed for years
of play and enjoyment and my cover design is
easily the best system available for protecting
your investment for the long term.
The Oasis is one of my kids' favorite features of
the sandbox. The Oasis water station uses a
self closing valve to prevent water from
continually running. An underground water
hose connects to your outdoor faucet to provide
the water to the station. The faucet is perfect for filling buckets
and washing toys, hands, and feet.
The bed of the water station is covered with river rock to prevent
erosion and is lined with weed block fabric.
Building experience is helpful when deciding
wither or not to install The Sahara™ yourself.
You will need around 40 hours to complete this
project if you are installing it for the first
time. For non-experienced builders SANDigz™ has outstanding service and support to
help you through your installation. You
can contact me at the email address listed
bellow if you need any questions answered.
The Sahara will cost you around $1400 to
install.
These do-it-yourself sandbox plans do not
include lumber or hardware.
SANDigz™ can supply you with any purchase items
that are difficult for you to obtain for an
additional charge. There are some items,
such as the sandbox cover and reel, that need to
be altered after your purchase. The
installation instructions fully explain and
detail the changes that need to be made.
If you are interested in purchasing items
through SANDigz™ you can email me at the address
listed below.
You won't find another sandbox like a SANDigz™
sandbox!
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Owners manual and Assembly Instructions. Six pages of
instructions that directly correlate to the drawings fully detailing the
steps required to complete construction of the sandbox.