DIY Modern Outdoor Planter

This is part of our continuing series of making DIY outdoor furniture!! You can check out all the other projects in our profile or on our YouTube channel here!

Audible helped make the project possible and we are so grateful for them! Audible is a new obsession of mine while in a coffee shop, in the car, or even on a long run. Audible is the place to go to listen to Audiobooks because they have the largest selection on the planet. This is a small detail but something I really love. When you move from device to device whether you are on your phone, laptop, or computer it doesn’t matter your audiobook starts right where you left off.

My friend recently recommended I listen to "Can’t Hurt Me" by David Goggins and lets just say I’ve been listening every second I can get over the last few days. His Audiobook is all about mental toughness and redefining what you thought was possible for your self. It’s an amazing listen and highly recommend it. You can get your first audiobook for free plus 2 Audible Originals when you try Audible for 30 days. Visit https://adbl.co/2kshMAmor text Woodbrew to 500 500! Thanks Audible!

Supplies

- (13) 1x4s

- (2) 4x4x8

- small pieces of 3/4" plywood

Step 1: Cut 1x4 Material to Length

Let’s go ahead and cut everything down to length. The 1x4s are for all the sides of the planter, so we need 2 different sizes of those. They will be placed horizontally in the final product, so we will need to make lots of the same length pieces. And of course, using a stop block to make all those repeating cuts.

The miter saw we love and use: https://homedepot.sjv.io/VDMrO (affiliate link)

Step 2: Ripping and Cutting 2x4s

We need to make the skeleton, if you will, of the planter, so we are going to rip down a few 2x4s because those at full dimension would just be too much. After that, cut them down to length.

Step 3: Assemble "Skeleton" of Planter

For assembly we are going to do one side at a time, so using those ripped 2x4s, we are putting together the front and back of the planter, so this will be the longer two sides. We are pre-drilling, countersinking, and screwing down the screws. Repeat that process for all the screws.

Milwaukee Drills: https://homedepot.sjv.io/BdvW

DeWalt Atomic Drills: https://homedepot.sjv.io/n65OA

Countersink Bit: https://homedepot.sjv.io/k2rnL

(affiliate links)

Step 4: Attaching the Middle Piece

This middle piece here is for the bottom of the planter to sit on and get drilled into. You’ll see that in a minute. After the first side is down, you can go ahead and do the other side the same way.

Step 5: Stapling 1x Material

Now to put on the 1x material slats around the outside. We are using our stapler and these slats are going to hold together the two sides.

We didn't really thing about this before, but for the long slats we didn't want a gap behind them when they got stapled to the 2x4s and so dirt wouldn't fall down, so we just cut a piece to fit in this space and screwed it in.

Step 6: Add in the Bottom Piece

Last thing to assemble is the bottom of a planter with just a piece if 3/4 plywood. Don’t forget to drill your drainage holes!

Step 7: Spraying Finish

We did sand this down really well and rounded off the corners, so now time for finish. We are using the Total Boat Halcyon Amber Varnish (get 15% off using the code "WOODBREW15" , click here! ) and yes you can actually spray this stuff, so this was super easy and fast to finish. We did 2 coats and covered everything from the inside, the outside, and underneath. Here's the sprayer we use: https://amzn.to/2QjF2j4 (affiliate link)

Step 8: Plant Your Plants!

So. The planter was a little too deep for what plants we ended up picking, so with some empty plastic bottles we lined them against the walls to take up some space.

All that’s left is to plant our cute little plants and water them and this project is a wrap. This turned out so cute. I love the horizontal slats to give it a more modern look. We only have, I think, 1 more project for this outdoor space and it will all be done!