5x5 box blind build

[TXcazador91]

I recently got on a new lease in west Texas so I decided to build a new blind. I am not a carpenter by any stretch of the imagination but after watching hours of YouTube videos and reading numerous posts on here I was able to do it. It ain’t perfect but I’m very pleased with finished product.

I decided to build the blind in pieces at home and transport them to lease to be assembled on site. I built the floor out of 2x6s and 3/4 inch plywood. For the walls I used 2x2s and 1/4 inch ply to make it lightweight for easy transport and assembly. I built a very nice roof of 2x2s, 1/2 inch ply, and metal roofing, but it ended up being too heavy for me to lift up the 6’ platform and on top of the 6’ blind walls by myself with the west Texas wind blowing full force. I ended up stripping it down to just the 1/2 ply and tacked it up, this will work temporarily but I will need to figure out a more permanent solution.

The exterior was painted with Glidden premium exterior, color Toy Tank. I stained the interior to waterproof and darken the inside of the blind.

I used elevator brackets and 6’ treated 4x4s for the platform. I ordered custom sized plexiglass for the windows, 10”x40” on three sides.

The assembly went pretty smooth, other than the roof situation. The wind was a b**ch but I was able to get everything put together by myself without sustaining any serious injuries.

I’m pleased with the outcome. It’s not quite finished, I want to add some awnings over the windows, paint the base, and finish the roof but I have time to do that. Can’t wait to get out and hunt.

[TXcazador91]

View from inside the blind

[TeamAmerica]

Nice progress! They are a lot of of work and skill. The roof on mine was definitely the hardest part. I did it last and used felt and shingles. Lot of bounce trying to nail in shingles into plywood on 2x2s!

Deerview windows?

[Pstraw]

Make sure and anchor it down or you will be doing it all over again. It looks very nice.

[TXcazador91]

Nice progress! They are a lot of of work and skill. The roof on mine was definitely the hardest part. I did it last and used felt and shingles. Lot of bounce trying to nail in shingles into plywood on 2x2s!

Deerview windows?

I definitely learned a lot on this build. Somethings I would change, some I wouldn't.

I was trying to stay pretty cheap, though I exceeded my budget by quite a bit. I ordered the plexiglass from Shapes Plastics, it ended up being around $85 for all three windows, which was the cheapest I could find. Below is a link for the video that I used for the sliding system. I wanted the windows to slide vertically instead of horizontally so I could have them open fully. I do plan to add some curtains so I can close parts off and still get a breeze. I think I would spend the money next time on the deerview windows, I'm sure they will keep the water out better than my DIYs.

Easiest Sliding Plexiglass Window for Deer Stand - YouTube

[TXcazador91]

Make sure and anchor it down or you will be doing it all over again. It looks very nice.

Thanks, I sunk t-posts and secured to each 4x4, it held up overnight with 30 mph wind. I do plan to add an anchor to the middle.

[mooch]

Nice build!

[kmack]

Looks good and solid. A couple things to think about that I learned...
I would make sure you paint the exterior edge of your floor really good. In your pics it appears to be bare & unpainted. My first blind was a similar build and I did not extend the plywood from the sides down over the floor edge to help protect it from weather. The floor rotted out before the rest of the blind did.
Also, I like the vertical sliding window idea. It's simple and easy to make & I have a similar setup in one of my blinds. Get you some weather stripping to stick onto the wood around your window opening. That will help keep bugs (wasps) out along with that cold breeze during a winter sit when you have the windows in the down position.

Now you just need to figure out where to put a couple shelves.

[TXcazador91]

Looks good and solid. A couple things to think about that I learned...
I would make sure you paint the exterior edge of your floor really good. In your pics it appears to be bare & unpainted. My first blind was a similar build and I did not extend the plywood from the sides down over the floor edge to help protect it from weather. The floor rotted out before the rest of the blind did.
Also, I like the vertical sliding window idea. It's simple and easy to make & I have a similar setup in one of my blinds. Get you some weather stripping to stick onto the wood around your window opening. That will help keep bugs (wasps) out along with that cold breeze during a winter sit when you have the windows in the down position.

Now you just need to figure out where to put a couple shelves.

Thanks for the input. I definitely plan to paint the edges of the floor and the weather stripping is a great idea. Shelves are also the to-do list so I have somewhere to set my beer!

[TeamAmerica]

Good eyes kmack. I would suggest unscrewing that bottom edge and trying to put some flashing (window tape would be easy) in under that wall to overhand the floor edge. Even with paint that looks like trouble down the road.

[smokeless]

If I may suggest, make your curtains the width of the windows. Sew a pocket across the top of the curtain. Then run an elastic band through the pocket. Attach the elastic to the wood frame with thumbtacks. You can move it up and down and also adjust the tension . The elastic will let you put your gun on the window sill, with the curtain remaining attached. When done, it moves back up to where it was before. You will be surprised how much wind it can stop.

[kmack]

Shelves are also the to-do list so I have somewhere to set my beer!

Nah...that's what dedicated cupholders are for!



Btw, in the above pic you can see my sliding window I built when I rebuilt this blind. It is aluminum channel with plexiglass sliding inside. The plexiglass has thin weather stripping on both sides of the ends for a tight fit inside the aluminum channel, and then more weather stripping along the top edge of the window opening to seal it all up. This blind is almost air tight. I haven't had wasps, spiders, gnats, mosquitoes, or any other bugs in it for 6 years now. And the insulation helps a lot!

[TXcazador91]

Nah...that's what dedicated cupholders are for!



Btw, in the above pic you can see my sliding window I built when I rebuilt this blind. It is aluminum channel with plexiglass sliding inside. The plexiglass has thin weather stripping on both sides of the ends for a tight fit inside the aluminum channel, and then more weather stripping along the top edge of the window opening to seal it all up. This blind is almost air tight. I haven't had wasps, spiders, gnats, mosquitoes, or any other bugs in it for 6 years now. And the insulation helps a lot!

Nice, I like those shelves.

[TXcazador91]

If I may suggest, make your curtains the width of the windows. Sew a pocket across the top of the curtain. Then run an elastic band through the pocket. Attach the elastic to the wood frame with thumbtacks. You can move it up and down and also adjust the tension . The elastic will let you put your gun on the window sill, with the curtain remaining attached. When done, it moves back up to where it was before. You will be surprised how much wind it can stop.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[kmack]

The shelves were covered with boat trailer bunk board carpet left over from fixing my boat trailer. They are glued down to stay in place and it is very nice having it.
The holes in the carpet that you see toward the left side of the window is for a piece of all-thread that I use for mounting my night vision when hunting hogs! This is a small 4x4 blind that I have made pretty comfortable for long sits, changes made over many years.