How to Build a Speaker Box

Listening to great sound doesn't have to come at a great price. With just a few materials, you can build a box to house your speakers with sound quality as good as anything you might buy. Follow the steps listed below and build your own speaker box.

Materials:

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  • Speaker driver
  • Wood
  • Wood Glue
  • Screws
  • Black speaker cloth
  • Braces
  • Insulation, such as fiberglass or polyfill

Here's what to do:

  1. Purchase six wood boards. These boards will be the sides of your speaker box. Before deciding what wood to buy, ask a sales' associate what wood provides the best acoustics [source: Anderson].
  2. Measure and cut the boards so they fit around your speaker driver. The measurements will depend on the size and style speaker box you want to build.
  3. Measure the face of your speaker driver. Cut a hole in one of the boards for the speaker driver to sit in. This board will be the front panel of the speaker box.
  4. Screw the speaker driver to the front panel of the speaker box. (Place the screws in the holes on the speaker driver's side.)
  5. Cut the black speaker cloth to fit across the entire front panel board. Glue the cloth to the edges of the board.
  6. Drill holes in all the boards. Screw five of the boards together, including the board with the speaker driver, creating a box. Leave the box open in the back.
  7. Screw a brace to the inside of each corner of the box. This makes the box sturdier and prevents the boards from shaking when the volume is high.
  8. Fill the box with insulation. Choose your insulation based on the sound you want to create. Experiment with different amounts of insulation until you perfect the acoustics [source: Sabin].
  9. Make a hole in the back panel for the speaker wires to connect to the electricity.
  10. Thread the wires through the hole.
  11. Screw in the back panel to close the speaker box. Your speaker box is ready.

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Frequently Answered Questions

What is the best material to build a speaker box out of?
The best material to build a speaker box out of is MDF.

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