All aboard! (Can I get a choo choo?)
As promised in our Instagram and Facebook preview, here’s the story of how we built a train board for Clara. Why a train board? Clara is completely obsessed with the large fixed track display at Barnes & Noble — a mounted track on a pedestal that draws kids from all directions. If we pull into the parking lot near the bookstore, Clara will start shouting “we’re getting to play with the trains!” before the car is even off.
When John suggested making our own version using the wooden train set Clara received for her second birthday, I remembered a DIY train board I’d seen and looked for a few more for inspiration. We set a few clear goals for our build:
- Use all the Melissa & Doug train pieces we already owned and create a large, satisfying track.
- Build the board from solid wood instead of MDF or plywood to avoid off-gassing and keep it lightweight and affordable.
- Paint a playful background on the surface to spark imaginative play (beach, forest, ocean, hills, etc.).
- Use low-VOC paint and sealer, and fasten the tracks with screws from underneath rather than gluing them to limit fumes.
Here’s how we did it for about $28, using three small sample pots of paint and a single plank of 12″ whitewood. John bought a twelve‑foot 10″ x 1″ board of whitewood at Home Depot and had the store cut it into three equal 10″ x 1″ x 47″ boards. He joined the boards with a Kreg Jig — you can also use flat braces along the back — then sanded the assembled board to remove rough spots and splinters. The seams are barely visible after joining and sanding.
We experimented with track layouts for a long time before settling on one that includes hills, an elevated section, a bridge, a tunnel, and a ramp where the train can roll off the board — a feature we thought Clara would love.
On paper we sketched a background layout: light green for grass, blue for ocean, a narrow sand stripe, and dark green for forest.
I transferred the sketch to the board with a pencil to mark boundaries between water, beach, and forest.
We picked three $2.95 sample pots of Behr Ultra in Japanese Fern, Mirage Lake, and Shamrock — all low‑VOC. Before painting, I photographed the chosen track configuration so we could reassemble it later. I painted the ocean first, then the grass, leaving time to dry before painting adjacent areas to avoid smudging.
We chose not to prime because we liked the look of painted wood with a little grain and knots showing through. If you prefer a solid, uniform finish, a stain‑blocking primer is a good option. Once the blue and green areas were dry, I painted the forest and then added sand using leftover no‑VOC white paint to create a bright white beach between the ocean and grassy plains.
After the paint fully dried, I applied several thin coats of an eco‑friendly poly (Acrylacq by Safecoat), brushing quickly and evenly to avoid gummy spots. We let the finish cure for 48 hours before reattaching the track.
We decided to fasten the track temporarily for a few reasons:
- At Clara’s age, assembling loose track repeatedly led to frustration and tantrums, which made play less enjoyable.
- The fixed displays she enjoys at the bookstore inspire long, imaginative play sessions where she narrates stops, tunnels, and crashes without getting upset when pieces come apart.
- The track can be removed later if she wants to build her own configurations — we secured everything with small screws driven from the underside so the top remained clean and the track removable.
To attach the track without visible screws, John laid out the sealed board, placed the track, and removed each track section one at a time. He drilled a pilot hole from the top through to the underside, then fastened the track by screwing up into it from below. Counter‑sinking screws into the back kept the surface smooth and prevented the board from scratching floors. We also added felt pads to the underside.
For elevated sections, we attached wooden blocks beneath the track the same way — pilot holes from above and screws driven up from the back to hide hardware. To secure track grooves to those blocks, we used small finish nails through the groove into the block; the connection is discreet and sturdy.
To make the track look like it ran off the corner of the board, John traced the board’s outline onto the bottom of the track, cut along the line, sanded the edge, and then reattached it the same way as the other pieces.
We tested the board upside down to confirm everything was solid. It’s held up well — Clara has kicked the elevated section and it still stays put. The finished board is both playful and durable, and the attached track reduces frustration while encouraging imaginative storytelling.
Choo‑choo! Here’s the completed project in action:
Clara loves it. She chatters about people traveling to the beach, exploring the forest, and racing over hills. Contrary to our guess, her favorite thing is rolling trains down the center hill into a dramatic pile‑up — and sometimes she even invites us to join the chugga‑chugga fun.
One major advantage of a flat board over a table is storage: the board slides completely under the sofa when not in use. That ability to tuck it away and bring it out for special play makes it feel extra special to Clara.
All told, the build cost about $28 and delivered a durable, low‑VOC, kid‑friendly train surface that sparks imaginative play. What have you been building, painting, or sanding lately? Any fun kids’ projects in progress?