Plants are my jam… you might have noticed? Both inside and in the great outdoors, planters are such an important feature. It’s easy to see why they are perfect for your indoor beauties, but I adore using planters and pots outside as well to give interest and height to my plantings. In groupings on a patio or carefully placed throughout your landscape, there is no spot that wouldn’t benefit from something like this! This planter is perfect for that vacant spot in your family room that is just aching for something living and would be a stunner scattered throughout your patio living space to spice things up and provide beauty, aside from the beauty of your lush greenery of course. Duh… Now get building and let some sawdust fly! And if you find an online resource that has a great selection of teak, cedar or redwood (all ideal for outdoor uses), let us know in the comments so we can all take our projects to the next level here as well!
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- Tape Measure
- Saw – Jig Saw, Circular, Table, or Miter Saw
- Drill
- Multi-Square and Carpenter’s Square
- Sander
- Kreg Jig – if you build frequently, invest in this one.
- Nail Gun – optional
- Router with Patterning bit – or bit set – optional
For outdoor projects // Teak, Cedar and Redwood are recommended. These are typically more expensive, however this varies by region and of course each region has affordable alternatives that will work well if the previously mentioned ideals are not really an option due to budget. Which specie is best will depend on your regions climate among other things and may vary greatly from region to region. Which is the best choice for your project might be a great question to ask your local lumber supplier and regardless of lumber choice, just be sure to seal, seal, seal to protect from the elements for the greatest possible longevity and least amount of ongoing maintenance.
- 1 – 1×2 at 3’
- 2 – 2×2 at 8’
- 1 – 3/4” plywood at – 4’x4’
- 2-1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws
- 1-1/4″ Pocket Hole Screws
- 1-1/4″ Wood Screws
- Countersink Drill Bit
- Pocket Hole Plugs – Paint Grade, Pine, Oak – optional
- Clamps
- Safety Gear
- 3/4″ Edge Banding – optional
- Wood Filler
- Wood Glue
- Sanding Supplies
- Paste Wax
- Finishing Supplies
- 4 – 2×2 at 11” – Legs
- 8 – 2×2 at 15” – Upper and Lower Sides
- 2 – 1×2 at 15” – Planter Supports (could also use 2x2s scraps for this)
- 2 – 3/4” plywood at 11-3/4”x18” – Front and Back
- 2 – 3/4” plywood at 11-3/4”x16-1/2” – Sides
- 1 – 3/4” plywood at 16-1/2”x16-1/2” – Bottom
Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project, there are often tidbits on adjustments or helpful hints for the build and possible typos that should be accounted for. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques, and helpful hints for easier building. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a protective sealant type product such as a wax or polyurethane (spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly are extremely easy to apply and use) to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow proper safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Check back often for new tips, tricks, and helpful info for building as we will be adding to this section of the site quite a bit in the coming months. Holler at me if you need help and have fun!
Cut the pieces for the Legs and Upper Sides. With the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Upper Sides. Secure the Upper Sides to the Legs with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws.
Cut the pieces for the Lower Sides. With the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Lower Sides. Secure the Lower Sides to the Legs with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws.
Cut the pieces for the Planter Supports. With the Kreg jig for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Planter Supports. Secure the Planter Supports to the Upper Sides with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.
Cut the pieces for the Front, Back, and Sides. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in both sides of the Sides and along the bottom edge. Drill another set of pocket holes in the bottom edge of the Front and Back pieces. Assemble the Front, Back, and Sides as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. Attach the Front, Back, and Sides to the Upper Sides with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. Apply edge banding to the exposed edges of the plywood on the Planter if desired.
Cut the piece for the Bottom. Place inside the Planter as shown and attach to the Upper Sides and Supports with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws. The bottom image shows the Bottom attached to the Planter, with the Front, Back, and Sides removed for an easier view. For better soil drainage, you can drill a few holes in the Bottom!
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
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