How to Make Snow Sleds

Barrel image by Chad Perry from Fotolia.com

Old barrels and pine wood are effective and cheap resources for building a snow sled. Dismantle the barrel and saw the staves for parts. With a wood barrel, you don't have to worry about sizing the wood. Each stave is the perfect length for this project. Once your snow sled is finished, gather your friends and family atop a slight slope and climb onto your snow sled for hours of winter sledding.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Wood barrel
Pine wood
Hacksaw
Nails
Hammer

Step 1

Break down an old barrel and pull off four staves. Check that each stave is equal in breadth and curve.

Step 2

Pull off two additional staves. Saw each stave in half; it will measure half the size lengthwise of the four staves you obtained in step 1. You will have four small staves in total.

Step 3

Lay out two of the four full-length staves on a work table or on the ground. Nail the four half staves across two long staves. Drive each nail into the outside of the staves.

Step 4

Obtain two pine boards and two additional staves, all of which must be relatively the same width as the long barrel-staves.

Step 5

Sit the pine boards upright on their edges.

Step 6

Flip over the top of the sled and nail the pine boards lengthwise to the two staves that are already in place.

Step 7

Nail the additional staves to the side of your sled; one on each side. The staves will function as your side boards.

Step 8

Secure your runners, which will increase the durability of your sled. Nail down the last two original staves to the top of the sled.

Step 9

Pass four wedge-shaped blocks of wood in between the runners and the top of the sled. Nail securely in place.

Tips & Warnings

A stave is a narrow strip of wood.

Use your winter sled for sledding and/or transporting snowballs.

You must be comfortable with sawing to perform this task.

Resources

KidsHealth: Safety Tips; Sledding

Article Written By Charlie Gaston

Charlie Gaston has written numerous instructional articles on topics ranging from business to communications and estate planning. Gaston holds a bachelor's degree in international business and a master's degree in communications. She is fluent in Spanish and has extensive travel experience.

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