If you’re looking for an easy DIY project try out this DIY wooden planter box. My favorite thing to plant in them are succulents but you could use them for just about anything!
I have grown up in a family of very handy men and I’d like to say that at least a few of their wood working skills have been passed down to me.
My grandpa was a contractor as well as two of my uncles, and my dad welds, builds fence, and has built quite a few barns.
So between all of these guys, I’ve learned quite a bit! I just keep most of my projects smaller than houses and barns!
And my favorite thing to build lately has been these wooden planter boxes. I can put them together in no time at all and they are great for so many things.
I mentioned above that I love to use them to plant succulents in, but they’d be great for herbs, or some flowers as well.
They are not very deep and so in my experience flowers do not do very well because the roots cannot spread out much and they dry out too fast.
However succulents grow great!
So lets get on with how to do this!
Supplies Needed:
- Wood of choice, I use old Cedar Fence Pickets that are 5/8″ thick x 5-1/2″ wide
- Chicken Coop Wire or Hardware Cloth with 1/4″ mesh
- Coconut Coir Liner
Tools That I Prefer:
- Miter Saw
- Nail Gun
- Staple Gun
- Speed Square
- Tape Measure
- Wire Cutters
- Sharp Scissors
Additional Comments:
If you don’t have all of the tools above such as the nail gun, miter saw, etc. you can use whichever tools you have.
I am usually by myself when I make these boxes and so the above tools make the process much easier.
For example, I barely have to hold the wood pieces together for one second and a nail gun will shoot the nails right in.
Whereas if I were using a hammer and nails I would need a second person to hold the pieces together or clamps to hold the pieces in place for it to go together easily.
Steps in Making DIY Wooden Planter Box
Step 1:
Take a piece of wood and lay it flat down and use the miter saw to cut a 45 degree angle off one end.
You can choose to cut straight edges if you’d like, I just prefer the look of 45 degree edges that match up together.
Then use a tape measure and measure out how long you’d like the box to be. Then use the speed square to draw a straight line.
Note:
Say that you want the box to be 10 inches long, then the point at where you cut will be on the inside at about the 9-1/2″ mark so that the 45 degree angles get cut in the right direction.
The outside of your wood from end to end will be 10″ but on the inside of the box from the beginning of the 45 degree cut to the other side at the beginning of the 45 degree cut will be about 9-1/2.”
And tip of the 45 degree cut to the other tip of the 45 degree cut will be 10.”
If this sounds confusing, don’t worry it’ll all make sense as we get further into the step by step process.
Step 2:
Once you have one piece cut with both ends cut at a 45 degree angles, then cut another piece exactly the same length.
This will be the case if you are making a rectangle planter box. If you’d like to make a square planter box then cut 3 more pieces exactly the same.
If you are making a rectangle, then you will cut two more pieces (length of choice) to match each other for the other sides.
For example:
A square – (4) 10″ cut pieces of wood
A rectangle – (2) 10″ cut pieces of wood & (2) 5″ cut pieces of wood
Step 3:
Now that you have all of your pieces cut, take two pieces that will make your corner and hold them together matching them up at the 45 degree angles.
Then use your nail gun and put in 3 nails spaced out evenly.
If you’re using a hammer and nails, have somebody help you hold the two pieces together or use clamps to hold the pieces in place.
Repeat this for all sides until you have all of the sides nailed together.
Step 4:
Choose whichever side you would like to be the top of the box and flip it upside down so that the desired bottom of the box is facing up.
Now take either chicken coop wire of hardware cloth mesh and place it over the box. Then use wire cutters to cut it the size of the box.
Make sure to cut just on the inside of the wood so that the wire won’t stick out past the edges.
Step 5:
Use your staple gun and staple the cut piece of wire to the bottom of the box. (That’s why I like to have the bottom of the box facing up during step 4 and 5 because it makes it easier to measure and staple).
I like to add in a staple about every inch all the way around to make sure the wire does not fall off.
Step 6:
Roll out a section of coconut liner and set the box on top.
Now cut out a piece of coconut liner with sharp scissors that will fit inside the box. It is better to cut it a little big versus too small.
It’s going to go inside of the box and sit on top of the wire that you just stapled to the bottom of the planer box.
I like using coconut liner as the bottom of the box because it has great drainage and won’t rot out like wood eventually would.
Have Fun Making Your DIY Wooden Planter Box
I hope you’ve found this article to be helpful while you make your own planter box.
It’s a simple and fun project and there is so much you can customize. You can keep the wood plain, stain it, or paint it.
Then you can plant whatever you’d like inside!
Although I love to plant them with succulents which have always seemed to grow best.
So get creative and customize your wooden planter box to your liking!
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