How to Make a Flower Bed From PVC

Grow beautiful flowers in a PVC flower bed.

PVC pipe has many uses outside of the plumbing applications for which it was designed. One creative use for the material is to build semi-cylindrical flower beds. One piece of PVC pipe can yield two flower beds, which are large and deep enough to grow most varieties of flowers. All of the materials you will need for this project are available at your local hardware store.

Things You'll Need

• 12-inch PVC pipe
• Strap
• Hacksaw
• Marker
• Laser level
• Measuring tape
• Rotary tool (optional)
• 2 12-inch PVC end caps
• Sandpaper
• PVC glue
• Clamps
• 2-by-4-inch board
• Saw
• Drill
• Galvanized wood screws
• Screwdriver
• Potting soil

Instructions

1. Strap a piece of 12-inch PVC pipe down to a work table, then cut it to the length that you want for your planter with a hacksaw.

2. Draw a line along the side of the pipe section with a marker, using a laser level to ensure that it is perfectly straight.

3. Measure halfway around the pipe's circumference and draw another line on the opposite side.

4. Cut the pipe down the middle, using the two lines as a guide. You can use the hacksaw to do this, or use a rotary tool with a cutting blade.

5. Cut two 12-inch PVC end caps in half so that they will fit onto the half pipes.

6. Scour the inside of the cap lips and the outer edges of the pipes with 80-grit sandpaper. This will roughen the surface for glue.

7. Apply PVC glue onto the inner lip of the cap halves and attach them to the pipe halves. Use clamps to hold the pieces together as the glue dries.

8. Cut four 4-inch pieces of 2-by-4-inch board with a saw.

9. Set the bottom of each planter onto two blocks, which should be positioned near the ends to act as feet. The feet should be perpendicular to the planter's length, forming an "H" shape.

10. Drill a pilot hole through the bottom of the planters and into each block, then screw the planters and blocks together with galvanized 1 1/2-inch wood screws.

11. Drill 1/4-inch holes along the bottom of the planters every 4 inches to allow excess water to drain.

12. Paint the outer surface of the planters as desired, or leave them unpainted if the appearance is not important to you.

13. Fill the planters with soil and plant your flowers.

References

• PVC Workshop: "How Cut and Glue PVC Pipe"; Brooks Owen