DIY planter

Build an attractive wooden planter box for your garden.

Build a wooden planter box for your garden

You will need

Tools

65mm exterior screws
Clean cloth
Drill with 20mm drill bit
Exterior filler
Paintbrush
Pencil
Putty knife or similar
Sanding block
Sandpaper
Saw
Screwdriver
Tape measure

Paint

Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Double Dutch White
Resene Quick Dry

Wood

25mm treated plywood measuring 430mm x 430mm
12 pieces treated tongue and groove landscaping timber cut to 480mm
4 pieces 90mm x 20mm treated timber cut to 550mm
4 pieces 70mm x 20mm treated timber cut to 550mm
4 pieces 70mm x 20mm treated timber cut to 580mm
4 pieces 70mm x 20mm treated timber cut to 410mm

To get the look: The background wall was painted with Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Dutch White.

Here's another idea: Leave out the plywood base and this planter could also be used as a mini raised bed. Simply fill with topsoil or potting mix and position directly on bare soil.

How to build a planter box

Step 1 Step one
Measure, mark and cut the timber and plywood to the dimensions listed above.

Step 2 Step two
Mitre the ends of the four 580mm lengths of timber to 45 degrees, as shown.

Step 3 Step three
Assemble the 12 pieces of tongue and groove landscaping timber to form the main body of the planter, as shown. Fix at each corner with 65mm screws, countersinking the screw heads.

Step 4 Step four
Fix each layer of tongue and groove together at each corner with a 65mm screw, driven in at an angle, as shown. Again, countersink the screw head.

Step 5 Step five
Turn the planter over so that the ‘groove’ edge is uppermost and attach the four mitred pieces of timber to the top, as shown. Fix with 65mm screws, countersinking the screw heads.

Step 6 Step six
Attach the eight 550mm lengths of timber along each corner edge of the planter, as shown. Fix with 65mm screws, countersinking the screw heads.

Step 7 Step seven
Attach the four 410mm lengths of timber along the inside bottom edge of the planter, as shown – this will support the plywood base. Fix with 65mm screws, countersinking the screw heads.

Step 8 Step eight
Fill the screw heads and any other imperfections with exterior filler and allow to dry.

Step 9 Step nine
Sand the filler and smooth any rough edges on the planter and plywood with sandpaper. Wipe off any sanding residue with a clean cloth.

Step 10 Step ten
Drill five 20mm drainage holes in the plywood, as shown, smoothing any rough edges with sandpaper.

Step 11 Step eleven
Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry to all surfaces of the planter and the piece of plywood. Allow to dry.

Step 12 Step twelve
Apply two coats of Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Double Dutch White to all surfaces of the planter and the piece of plywood. Allow two hours for each coat to dry.

Step 13 Step thirteen
Place the piece of plywood in the base of the planter. To finish off we filled the planter with good quality potting mix, planted a standard Loropetalum chinensis ‘Plum Delight’ and topped with white gravel mulch.

DIY planter

You will need

How to build a planter box

Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.com