Ginger Snap Crafts: DIY Cedar Planter Box {tutorial}

Good morning! Spring is here. Yay! It’s time to start thinking about what you’d like to plant in your flower beds & containers. This DIY Cedar Planter Box is the perfect project to tackle this time of year. It’s easy to put together and since it’s cedar, it should last for years to come. Annnnnd the wheels make it easy to move around your porch or patio. I actually made these for our last house, you’ll notice our porch is not bright blue in these pictures. ha! I actually had two of these, and before we moved I gave theses boxes to my neighbor. We just rolled them down to her house! ha! I loved the wheels. Anyways, let’s get started! I’ll show you how easy these are to make! :)

This planter box is a great first time project to tackle. It’s fairly easy to put together and everything is a straight cut, no fancy angles. ;) First, you will need to gather a few supplies. I chose to use cedar wood for this project because it is very resistant to rotting, and my planter boxes will look great for years to come with little upkeep. Cedar is rather expensive though! You could use regular pine boards. Just remember if you do, you’ll need to paint or stain them to protect them from the elements. If your porch has a roof, even better! They should last a long time, too! :)

Supplies:
4 1x6 8 foot long cedar boards
1 2x4 6 foot cedar board
1 inch brad nails
2 inch brad nails
4 L brackets
4 wheels
1 1/4 inch wood screws
wood glue

Tools:
table saw
miter saw
drill
nail gun
rubber mallet

Remember safety always comes first. Please use eye protection, ear plugs & follow all safety precautions when using power tools. They can be dangerous!

First, you’ll cut the boards you’ll need for the sides of your planter. You will need to cut the 1x6 boards into 12 sixteen inch pieces. You’ll need 3 of these pieces for each side.

Using wood glue, you’ll attach these three pieces together.

Next, you will cut eight trim pieces using a 1x6 board cut into 3/4 of an inch strips. Each trim piece will need to measure 16 1/2 inch long. Using a nail gun & 1 inch brad nails you will attach a trim piece to the top & bottom of each side. Don’t forget to add some wood glue between your trim piece & side boards before you nail your side together. The wood glue is what actually holds this planter together. The nails are just holding everything in place until the glue dries.

To make the legs of your planter, you will cut a cedar 2x4 board in half. Then cut four legs 18 inches long. On two of your sides that you’ve already made you will attach the legs using a nail gun and this time 2 inch brad nails. Don’t forget to add your wood glue before nailing your legs on.

Next, you’ll assemble the four sides using wood glue, the nail gun & 2 inch brad nails. You can use some scrap wood underneath to hold your planter up as you attach the sides.

When you have all the sides assembles, your planter box will look like this.

To give your planter a little more strength, you can attach L brackets in each corner using the supplied screws about 3/4 an inch down on the inside of your planter. If I made this project again, I would attach a few more L brackets to make it even sturdier.

Next, you’ll need to make the bottom of your planter. Dirt & water are both super heavy, so you wouldn’t want to fill the entire planter with dirt. We chose to go about 7 inches deep with our support braces. You’ll need 2 of these support braces. To make the support braces you’ll cut a piece of the 1x6 cedar board into 1/2 strips and then cut them into 16 1/4 inch long pieces. Using wood screws attach these two brace pieces to opposite sides of the inside of your planter box.

Next, you’ll cut one of your 1x6 cedar board into three 16 1/4 inch pieces. Place these pieces inside the bottom of your planter. The fit will be snug. If desired, you could nail the boards in place using a nail gun. We opted to just set ours inside. Do not wood glue these pieces together like you did the other pieces. These unsealed seams will give your planter plenty of drainage later on when you begin to water your plants.

If desired, you can add wheels to your planter box. This will make it easier to move around your porch or patio. So the last step is to add your wheels to the bottom of your planter. To do this drill a hole in the middle of each leg with your drill.

Then with a mallet put your wheel inserts into each leg.

Then you’ll snap your four wheels in place.

Flip it over. You will need to wait 24 hours for the wood glue to dry completely. Then fill your new planter box with dirt & your favorite flowers. Remember these cedar planter boxes would also be perfect for strawberries or your favorite vegetable.