Items You Will Need to Build a Subwoofer Speaker Box

This article should not be viewed as a step-by-step tutorial but rather a simple guide about what one needs in order to be able to design and construct sub woofer boxes. If you have purchased a subwoofer already you can build your box according to the manufactures recommendation (which usually comes with the sub, or you can check out their website for their subwoofer box instructions), or you can use free subwoofer box building program to completely design a box of your own that will give you massive audio!

Custom sub boxes differ from stock boxes, or wholesale subwoofer boxes, in that these types of boxes come pre-made from the manufacture. These are nice if you have the room in your vehicle, and you don’t really have the know-how or ability to make your own. But if you want something unique and you have the ability and the tools to build things out of wood, then a custom built sub enclosure would be great for you. Subwoofer systems hand built by you can be pretty rewarding and could also turn into a lucrative business. There are many types of subwoofer box designs and you have to choose the appropriate one for the subwoofer that you have chosen or have in mind.

It would be nice if every sub woofer sounded good in a single sized box or enclosure, but each and every subwoofer, even those of the same brand and style, require their own unique size to maximize bass performance. So if you have the ability to measure the subs parameters I recommend that you do so in order to get the most out of your sub. Continue reading on how to make a speaker enclosure.

The basic items needed to build a custom wood sub box are MDF (medium density fiberboard), glue, screws, table saw or skill saw, a jigsaw, a drill, a caulk gun, clamps, a square, a compass, safety goggles, and a tape measure.  Other possible items that you may want to have at your disposal are a power sander and a router, but these are not totally necessary.  In addition to the items needed to build the sub box, you will also need a sub woofer, speaker wire, the manufactures specifications (or if you use subwoofer enclosure software you can measure the parameters yourself), speaker terminals (or you can just drill small holes to feed the speaker wire through), speaker grill(s), poly-fill, material to cover you box (carpet, fabric, paint, fiberglass, or even Formica), spray-adhesive, and a razor blade.

If you are qualified to operate the power tools involved then you can be well on your way to building a custom sub box.  You will need to figure out the proper size and volume that your sub needs for maximum bass output and then cut your MDF to make your top, bottom, front, back, and sides.  You will want to use plenty of wood glue along the edges of the wood so that it will bond well.  Use your clamps to hold the pieces in place while you install screws into pre-drilled holes.  Allow the glue to setup completely before continuing.

After you glue has setup, you will then need to make the cutouts for your subs.  Oftentimes, the manufacture sends a template for this, but if you don't have one you will need to use a compass to draw a circle and then use your jigsaw to cut the holes.  Also cut the holes for your speaker terminals or connectors next.  After this is done try to remove as much saw dust as you can from inside the box.

Now use your caulk gun to seal all the edges and corners inside your box.  Allow this to dry.  Once your caulk is dry, mount your speaker terminals and use silicone to seal them from the inside.  And then use some spray adhesive and poly-fill to cover all your internal walls.  This will cut down on internal noise and vibrations.   Next, wire the terminals to your sub woofer(s) with speaker wire.  Make sure you observe the proper polarity while doing this.  Mount your sub woofer(s) and if possible do a test run to make sure they sound good.  If they do, then all that is left is finishing the exterior of the box and then mounting it into your vehicle.

I want to state again that this is only a simple guide to use.  If you want to get very detailed on how to construct sub boxes, or if you are interested in making sub boxs using acrylic or fiberglass, you can find all that information on the Internet.  Also, if you are interested in building sealed, vented (ported), bandpass boxes, etc., you will need to also do additional research to learn about these as well.  But I can't stress this enough, always remember to take necessary safety precautions and wear safety goggles in your design and construction of your custom sub box.  Good luck!