From Chris Baylor,
Your Guide to Woodworking.
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Every patio or deck can be made all the more attractive with the addition of plants and flowers. However, there are many times when one can't simply dig into the dirt and plant some flowers or shrubs.

A solution? How about building one (or more) planter boxes? A planter box is not difficult to make, but when it is well-built, actually adds to the beauty of the deck or patio.

In this set of free woodworking plans, we take you through the building of a typical planter box. The specific planter boxes we built for this set of plans are quite large, measuring 48" by 24" by about 27" tall. These planters will be housing some relatively large plants, helping to separate a restaurant patio from an alley. If you happen to be visiting the Hollywood, Florida area, stop by Lola's on Harrison, have a nice dinner and see first-hand just how nicely a row of planters can transform a common patio.

These planter box plans can easily be altered for smaller installations or different types of wood. This is a fun project to build, one that gives a lot of satisfaction when completed.

Download the Free Woodworking Plans to build this Planter Box (PDF).

Difficulty Level

• Woodworking: Easy to Moderate
• Finishing: Paint or Stain (and Polyurethane)

Time to Complete

• 6-8 Hours

Recommended Tools

• Miter Saw or Circular Saw
• Table Saw
• Power Drill
• Biscuit Cutter

Materials Needed
• 2 - 2x2 x 8 SPF Lumber
• 8 - 1x4 x 8 Pine or Douglas Fir
• 1 - 6' x 10' piece of 6-mil Plastic
• 1 - Lampholder Electrical Cover (1/2" Conduit Opening)
• 1 - 6" piece of threaded 1/2" PVC Conduit
• 1 - Lampholder Electrical Cover (1/2" Conduit Opening)
• 1 - 90-degree 1/2" PVC elbow
• PVC glue
• Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Woodworker's Glue
• 1-5/8" Wood Screws
• 2-1/2" Wood Screws
• Staple Gun
• Finish nails or Pneumatic Finish Nailer
• Painter's Caulk and/or Wood Filler
• Paint or Stain (and Polyurethane)
• Sandpaper