Have a Master Builder at your house? Then he or she needs a good place to store all of those Legos, and we have the best idea EVER. Behold: the Lego Locker. Keep reading to find out how to make one for yourself!
First things first, you’ll need to gather the necessary materials:
- 1 small used locker
- 16 4-inch PVC knockout caps (you may need more or less depending on the size of locker you’re using)
- 2-3 cans of spray paint
- Masking tape
- Liquid contact cement
Besides the locker, you should be able to find everything you need at your local hardware store for a decent price. When it comes to acquiring a used locker, why not check out the selection available from our sister division, buyusedlockers.com? They have a warehouse full of lockers just waiting to be turned into Lego storage. ;) For this project, we recommend using either a 1-tier locker, 2-tier locker, or even better, a kids locker. The one used in this DIY demo is a 4-foot tall yellow locker, but no matter what size you choose, make sure to pick one that has flat doors and sides. The color isn’t a big deal because you’ll be spray painting over it.
The Transformation Process
Now to the fun part. Transforming a seemingly ordinary locker into the coolest locker on the block!
Step 1
Because most used lockers are, well, used, you may have to deal with some minor wear-and-tear issues. Before you do anything else, hammer out any dents you come across and sand rusty areas or places where the paint has chipped. Don’t sand hard enough that you remove all of the paint, just make sure to get the spots with chips, rust and any residue. Remove anything that you don’t want on the completed Lego locker (number plates, other attachments, etc.).
Step 2
Next it’s time to figure out the configuration of your Lego pegs. The locker used in this demo is 1-foot wide by 4-feet tall and is split into two Lego bricks, each brick having eight pegs each. (The number of pegs you do is totally at your discretion and will be dependent on the size of your locker.) Each peg needs to be completely on the locker door, so it’s easiest to begin by placing a peg in each corner of the door with the outside edges of the pegs tight against the edges of the door. Measure the halfway point of the locker (in this case, 24 inches), and make a light line so that your bricks will be exactly the same size. Once you’ve done that, do your best to evenly space out the pegs onto each brick. The spacing will of course vary for different locker sizes, but in this case each row of pegs ended up being about 1.5 inches apart.
Step 3
Once your pegs are spaced out correctly, mark a circle around each one of them with a pen or sharpie. NOTE: If you use a sharpie, make sure and limit the number of marks you make—spray paint doesn’t cover up sharpie very well. ;)
Step 4
Now it’s time to glue the pegs on! We used liquid contact cement for this project because it’s cheap, strong, quick and dries clear. Put a thin coat on the edge of each peg, and also apply the cement onto the locker door where the peg will be placed. Let the cement on both the door and peg get a little bit tacky before sticking the pegs on. If you coat one peg, then the door, then another peg, the timing should be just about perfect for sticking your first peg to the door. Keep following this pattern until you’re done with all of the pegs.
Step 5
Once you’re done with the pegs, it’s time to paint! We used Rustoleum 2x Spray Paint with Primer for our locker because it covers well and doesn’t require a primer coat first. We used a paint with a gloss finish to make our locker look just like those shiny Lego bricks. You should be good with two or three coats, but keep in mind that lighter colors (like yellow) require more coats. You may want to stick with darker colors like red, blue or green if you want to avoid lots of spray painting time.
If you’re doing multiple colors on your Lego locker like we did, use masking tape to provide a clean line between bricks. Paint the top brick first in case any paint runs so that it will just end up on the bottom (still unpainted) brick. Wait roughly 20-30 minutes in between coats of paint of the same color, but let the final coat dry for several hours or preferably overnight before you move on to a different color. You’ll probably need to put masking tape on top of your new paint when you switch colors, so wait until the paint is completely dry before doing so to save yourself on smears and touch-ups.
Once the paint is completely dry and you’ve peeled any masking tape off, you’re ready to unveil your beautiful DIY Lego locker to your favorite Master Builder. ;) These make such fun storage solutions in bedrooms, play rooms, game rooms, daycares or classrooms!
What room would you love to have a Lego locker in at your house?
