How to Build a Wood Container Planter
Most instructions for building wood container planters are more complicated than they need to be. Of course, if you are an experienced carpenter or woodworker, you will have little trouble completing the more elaborate projects. The novice builder, who has only minimal woodworking skills, is better off starting with a basic wood container project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 1 cedar or redwood board (1 by 8 inch)
- Tape measure
- Saw
- Wood glue
- Rust-resistant screws (1 1/2 inch)
- Drill
- Drill attachments
- Plywood (1/2 inch thick)
- Exterior sealer or paint (optional)
Instructions
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1
Measure the pot you will put into the container. For these instructions, we will use a 6-inch pot. If yours is larger, make the measurement adjustments.
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2
Cut two pieces of cedar or redwood lumber for the front and back, 8 inches long. Cut two side pieces of 6 1/2 inches each.
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3
Form the four cut pieces of wood into a box shape. Place the longer pieces in the front and back, parallel to each other. Place a shorter end piece at each end, inside the longer ones.
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4
Place glue onto the sides of the end pieces and glue them in place to the front and back pieces, creating a box, or frame. Let the glue dry for several hours.
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5
Attach the boards together, using the drill and screwdriver attachment. Drill in 4 to 5 screws at each end of the front and back pieces. Drill screws through the board and into the sides of the shorter end boards.
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6
Place your wooden, box-shaped frame onto a piece of scrap plywood. Mark around the outside, onto the plywood. Remove the frame. Cut the plywood around the marked area.
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7
Spread glue over the top edges of the boxed-shape frame. Put the cut plywood on top. Place a heavy object, such as a brick, to hold the plywood down. Let the glue dry for several hours.
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8
Drill in a screw every couple of inches to attach the plywood to the edges of the wood frame.
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9
Drill several holes through the plywood with a drill bit and drill, for water drainage.
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10
Turn the wood container planter over. Leave the wood in its natural state or use a clear exterior sealer or paint to finish, as you desire. When it is dry, drop your pot into the wood container planter.
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Tips & Warnings
Although, lumber may be called 1-by-8, by the lumber trade, it is actually only 3/4 inch thick and 7 1/2 inches wide after it is planed.
Cedar and redwood are the best woods to use in outdoor projects, as they are more rot-resistant than other types of lumber.
