How to Build a Simple Bench for Plants

Plant benches enable you to set plants off the ground, making them a little easier to water. Outdoor benches can add to your yard's appeal as well, making the raised plant more of a focal point. Simple benches can be made out of plywood in a design reminiscent of an overturned box. These benches will be fairly stable and less likely to rock than a table built on legs. And, if you tire of them as benches, you can flip them over and make them planting boxes instead.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood
• Saw
• Hammer
• Nails

Instructions

1. Cut a rectangle for the top of the bench to whatever dimensions you desire. For a small bench, you could cut your rectangle to 18 inches by 40 inches.

2. Cut out the sides. Using our example dimensions, the shorter sides would be 18 inches long by as tall as desired. For this example, we'll make the bench 12 inches high. So cut two boards 18 by 12 inches. These will be for the two sides of the bench's bottom. Then for the front and back sides, cut a board that will fit across these. Assume the plywood is 1/2-inch thick. This means we'll need sides that are 41 inches by 12 inches. (40 + 1/2 + 1/2 = 41)

3. Nail the sides to the bench top. You'll work on this project upside down. So place the top on the ground. Line up one of the smaller sides and nail it to the edge. Repeat with the other side. Now place one of the longer boards across the front edge. With the two sides added, the full length is now 41 inches. Nail the longer board to the bench top and to the side boards. Repeat with the back side, completing the open box.

4. Turn the box over for the finished plant bench.

References

• Birdhouse Planter Bench
• Plant Bench