How to Build a Window Box Planter

Window box planters can be both practical and beautiful. From a functional perspective, you can grow herbs and even fresh tomatoes, onions or radishes in a window box. If you want to add some beauty and color to your home, bright-colored flowers in a window box will do just that. You can add a window box to your home by simply buying one at a home and garden store, but making a simple window box isn't hard and all you need are some common tools and a little time and space to work. Here's how you can make a simple window box for your home.

Things You'll Need

• 1- by 8-inch pressure treated boards (or cedar or redwood)
• Power saw
• Power drill, drill bits
• Tape measure
• Wood glue
• Clamps
• 2 ½-inch galvanized screws
• Plastic sheet (6 mil)
• Exterior paint or stain
• Sandpaper

Instructions

How to Plan a Window Box

1. Decide whether you want to do your planting directly into your new window box or into a commercial tray you set inside the box. If you decide you want to plant in a tray, buy your tray before you start building the box, since the size of the tray will determine the size of your window box.

2. Building with standard sized boards will minimize the amount of work you need to do in building your box. A good choice would be 1- by 8-inch boards--this will give you a box that is 7 1½ inches high. You can choose pressure-treated wood, cedar or redwood boards to make your window box. All are weather resistant and stand up well to the elements, so choosing between them is essentially a question of appearance and price.

3. Traditionally, the length of a window box is equal to the width of the window and the surrounding trim. However, the beauty of building your own window box is you can make it whatever size you want.

How to Build a Window Box

1. Cut two pieces of wood the same length for the back and front of the box. Next, cut two pieces to serve as the ends of the box (if you're using 1 by 8's, this piece should be 4 ½ inches wide). Finally, cut a long piece to make the bottom of the box (if you're using 1 by 8's, this piece should be 3 inches longer than the front and back pieces).

2. Using a 1/16-inch drill bit, make two holes near the ends of the front and back pieces about 3 inches apart. Also drill two holes (one at each end of the bottom piece, again about 3 inches apart). Finally, drill three or four holes along the length of the bottom piece to serve as drainage holes.

3. Glue the front and back pieces to the ends, clamp them together and insert your screws into the predrilled holes.

4. Finish building the box by gluing the bottom piece to the sides and ends, then install your screws.

5. After the glue has dried overnight, sand off any rough spots or edges and paint or stain the box in the color of your choice.

6. You can line your box with a sheet of 6-mil plastic to help protect the wood from the soil that will be sitting inside the box.

Tips & Warnings

• Predrilling holes before you install your screws will ensure you won't get any wood splinters.