8x8 Holiday Inn Box Blind

[Jeff H]

I've had a box blind in the only field on my property for years. It was in a good spot and we've shot a lot of deer from it over the years but I've had to rebuild it almost every year as it was built more like a tree house than a box blind. The trees were used as base supports and when the wind blows everything shifts, screws come loose and eventually the roof will blow off. So I decided earlier this summer that I would build a new blind. I placed the new, better in every way blind right next old decrepit blind. I'm calling this the Holiday Inn stand.
I started off with the platform. I came across a guy who had a sign company that had a bunch of old Real estate signs that he was getting rid of. They are 4x8 sheets of marine grade plywood with a vinyl coating (kinda like a wrap) with the advertisement on it. They were $10 each. I bought 5. Should have bought 15.
Here is the platform I built.

My friend Mike helping put the floor on the platform.

 

[Jeff H]

I built it at my home and would disassemble, transport to the property then reassemble on site.
Here is the blind with its first coat of paint going on.

I used someone else's idea of hinged windows with a pull string from the inside. I also have 4 or 5 links of plastic chain at the end of the pull string so that the windows can be adjusted from part-way open to fully open.

Second coat of paint...much better!

 

[lakngolf]

Looking good. I can envision a story in the future that ends with "no, but I did stay at a holiday inn express last night"

 

[Jeff H]

Here is an inside shot of the front windows. I have 5 windows total, 2 facing west, 2 facing south, and a bay style window that is 18x42 in the S.W corner. For the record the bay window is a challenge to build when you're a non carpenter with Harbor Freight tools.

Here it is loaded onto the trailer and ready to transport to the property. Loading would not have been possible without help. Unloading was a breeze. It's good to have friends.

 

[Jeff H]

Here is the first wall going up.

With the front end loader it was actually pretty easy to do. We put a strap on the top and nailed a 2x4 to the floor as a stop. when the FEL was as high as it was going to go Mike simply pulled the strap and the wall came right up.

 

[Jeff H]

Three walls up, and then the fourth. only thing left was the corner window and wall.

 

[kansas-Andres]

Looks great Jeff. The camo treeline paint job is sweet

 

[CTM1]

I am liking it. 8x8 madates a flip down mattress

 

[Jeff H]

I am liking it. 8x8 madates a flip down mattress

I've given that some thought. I originally planned on doing a 8x5 leaving me with a 3x8 deck but I figured the cost was not going to be that much more by enclosing the whole platform. Plus I wasn't sure how much use I would get out of the deck. With the entire platform enclosed I started thinking of a sleeping area on the back wall. You really can't have a Holiday Inn stand without a place to sleep ! My only issue is I've got my entry door on the back wall which cuts it down to a 6' length. I'm thinking about two hooks in opposing corners and using a hammock. I love sleeping in a hammock.

 

[Jeff H]

Looks great Jeff. The camo treeline paint job is sweet

Thanks. I've found that a light colored base is a great place to start with any camo. I did a flat roof with rubber pond liner. That stuff is heavier than it looks! I cut the rubber liner too large and it hangs over the front by 2 feet or so. It covers up my nice tree painting and I'm not crazy about the way it turned out but I was thoroughly pooped by the time the roof went on so I just left it as is. At least it will keep the rain off that first two feet of wall.

 

[OkieKubota]

That's a nice setup...

 

[Tenured Student]

Add some insulation and a Murphy bed and you would never bust deer going in.


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[Jeff H]

Finally got my staircase built. I used pallets to build it. they are both cheap and sturdy. I wasn't sure how it was going to work out but I like it a lot. It's nice and wide and the final pallet serves as a 40x48 landing.
Pardon the crummy picture. the light was bad for pictures but it wasn't going to get much better.

Here's a shot of the underside.

 

[lakngolf]

Love the pallet stairs!

 

[Kabic]

Finally got my staircase built. I used pallets to build it. they are both cheap and sturdy. I wasn't sure how it was going to work out but I like it a lot. It's nice and wide and the final pallet serves as a 40x48 landing.
Pardon the crummy picture. the light was bad for pictures but it wasn't going to get much better.
View attachment 3014
Here's a shot of the underside.

View attachment 3015

Are you paying the rental fee on that CHEP pallet?

 

[Jeff H]

Are you paying the rental fee on that CHEP pallet?

I don't know what a CHEP Pallet is. Our warehouse guy said take all that I wanted. So I did.
If someone wants there pallet back they can come and get it.

 

[Kabic]

I'm just joking around but FYI CHEP is that blue one on top with the 4x4 down the middle. ..they are more heavy duty than a regular white wood pallets...and they normally charge the warehouse fees for using them....I saw a lot or them in a food warehouse I fid a project in.

 

[CTM1]

Pallet stairs, now that is thinking outside the box.
Well done.

 

[willy]

now that's a redneck blind, I love it. You'll kill deer out of it.

 

[Flyfixer]

Great stand, and those pallet stairs are cool!