Toy Box and Blanket Box Lid Stays: What to Look For

 

Short answer: two features matter above everything else. Soft close, so the lid cannot slam on fingers. Lift assist, so the lid is light enough for a child to raise and does not need to be held. The stay should also hold the lid open at any point rather than only at full open. A friction hinge on its own is not enough for a lid a child uses.

Why this application is different

Every other stay on our site holds a door for convenience. A toy box lid stay is doing a safety job.

Think about the geometry. A toy box lid is heavy, hinged along its back edge and sits at roughly the height a small child leans over to reach in. When they let go, the lid is directly above their hands, arms and head. That is why the features to look for are the ones that control the lid rather than the ones that make it feel nice.

Blanket boxes and storage benches raise the same issue with a heavier lid again and often a lid that is upholstered so it weighs more than it looks.

The three things a lid stay should do

1. Hold the lid open

The lid should stay where it is put, not drift down. Ideally it holds at intermediate positions as well as fully open, because a lid that only locks at full open is unsupported for the whole travel below that.

2. Control the lid on the way down

This is soft close and it is the feature that stops a slam. A lid that closes under its own weight arrives with real force. A soft close stay slows the last part of the travel so it settles rather than drops.

3. Take some of the weight on the way up

Lift assist. It makes the lid light enough for a child to open without heaving at it, which matters because a child who cannot lift a lid easily will often prop it or lean into it.

Our toy box and lid stays are described as offering soft close and lift assist for improved safety, which is the right combination for this job.

Getting the force right

Force is quoted in newtons and depends on the weight of the lid rather than the size of the box. An upholstered lid, a solid timber lid and an 18mm board lid of identical dimensions all need different figures.

We have a toy box stay calculator on the site for exactly this. It works from the lid dimensions and the material, since those are what determine the weight.

Our IntAfit lift up soft close gas strut stays run from 50N to 150N, which covers most domestic toy box and blanket box lids.

Fit them in pairs

One each side. It shares the load so each stay works within its rating and it stops the lid twisting as it lifts. On a toy box that second point matters: a lid that racks can jam part way, which is exactly when somebody puts a hand in to free it.

What a friction hinge will not do

A friction hinge holds a lid by resistance in the pivot. It has no soft close and no lift assist. The friction can also ease with wear.

For a chest a child uses, that is not the right choice on its own. A proper lid stay is the answer, either instead of or alongside the hinge.

Also worth checking

• Ventilation. Any chest a child could climb into wants ventilation, independently of whatever stay you fit.
• Fix into something solid. A stay concentrates real force into two small brackets. Add a block behind thin material.
• Check the travel. Open and close the lid several times once fitted and confirm it holds at part open as well as fully open.
• Re-check on a heavy lid. If the lid is upholstered later, or lined, the weight changes and the stay may need to change with it.

Frequently asked questions

What stay should I use on a toy box lid?

A toy box or lid stay with soft close and lift assist. Those two features are what make the lid safe rather than just convenient.

Are soft close stays necessary on a toy box?

We would treat them as essential rather than optional. Soft close is what stops the lid slamming on fingers.

What force do I need for a toy box lid?

It depends on the weight of the lid, not the size of the box. Use the toy box stay calculator on our site, which works from the lid dimensions and material.

Can I use a friction hinge instead?

Not on its own for a lid a child uses. A friction hinge gives no soft close and no lift assist. The friction can also ease with wear.

Does the lid material change the stay I need?

Yes. Solid timber, board and an upholstered lid of the same dimensions all weigh different amounts and weight is what sets the force.

Browse the range

Toy box and lid stays, gas strut stays, all stays, soft close dampers and ventilation.

The safety guidance on this page is general good practice rather than a Eurofit specification. It is not a substitute for any applicable product safety standard. The product features and forces named are from the Eurofit Direct range. Always follow the fitting instructions supplied with the stay.