Springtime Planter Box

Get ready for summer by building this clever wooden planter box for your outdoor space! It's eye-catching and easy to build. The idea behind this is that you don’t have to go shopping for any special sized pots to set inside. A regular 5 gallon bucket widely available at hardware stores and home centers will work perfectly. Just drill a couple holes in the bottom for drainage! 

Key Features of the Project:

• Wood choice: I used redwood to complement my redwood deck, but any wood is fine. Cedar is also a good choice for outdoor durability. If you wanted to do this project on the cheap, use 2x4 studs and protect the entire project with a coat of exterior latex house paint. 
  
  
• Slats: The slats are free-floating to allow for seasonal expansion and contraction. I used 1/4” thick redwood garden edging. It’s lightweight, inexpensive. If you can’t find something like this, make your own thin boards by resawing the 2x4s down.
  
  
• Simple joinery: The entire box is assembled with glue and 16 deck screws. These are all concealed with dowel plugs.
  
  
• Easy posts: I made the leg posts by laminated two 2x4s together. Another option is to use 4x4 posts, but I find that sometimes two 2x4s are less expensive and more abundant than a single 4x4. 
  
  
• Comprehensive Guides: My plans include clear, step-by-step instructions, complete with illustrations, making the building process straightforward and enjoyable.
  
  
• 5-gallon bucket: I sized this to hold one of those ubiquitous buckets they sell at big orange box home centers.
  
  

Recommended tools and materials:

• Table saw
• 3/4" Fortner bit
• Drill and driver (Drill press would be best)
• Sanders
• (4), 2x4 boards (8' long)
• (4) 1/4" garden edging boards (8' long)
• (16) 3" deck screws
• 3/4" diameter dowel (36" long)

Full video tutorial: