Porch Planters
PROJECT SARA MARTIN | PHOTOGRAPHY TARA CHATTELL & SARA MARTIN
Create a contemporary planter base that holds galvanized buckets full of plants and flowers. Display your planters at the front entrance or on the patio.
TOOLS & MATERIALS
1 sheet 4-by-8-foot, ¾-inch construction plywood.
2 galvanized buckets
Tape measure
Pencil
Circular or table saw
Exterior-rated glue
½-inch deck screws
Drill
Jigsaw
Hammer
Robertson screwdriver
Wood filler
Sandpaper
Solid stain
Stain brush
Rocks
Soil
Plants
TALL PLANTER
With a circular or table saw, cut two 17-inch squares and two 32-by-17-inch pieces from the sheet of plywood. You will make a box that’s open on two sides.
To assemble, apply a bead of exterior glue along the narrow edge of the 32-by-17-inch section, then place a 17-inch square on top, ensuring the edges of the two pieces align.
Drive and countersink three screws – one on each corner and one in the middle. If doing by hand, set the screws with a hammer before sinking with a screwdriver. Repeat this process for the second 32-by-17-inch piece, then for the second 17-inch square, which forms the planter’s bottom.
SMALL PLANTER
With a circular or table saw, cut four 22-inch squares from the sheet of plywood.
To assemble, glue two pieces of wood together and then drive and countersink three screws. If doing by hand, set the screws with a hammer before sinking with a screwdriver. Repeat the process to complete a square box with two open sides.
BOTH PLANTERS
Place the galvanized bucket on top of each planter and trace around the base with a pencil. Use the drill to make a small hole for the jigsaw blade. Use the jigsaw to cut a circle ¾-inch larger than your pencil circle, creating a hole for your bucket.
Fill the screw holes with wood filler. Sand when dry. Paint all sides of the planter, inside and out, with the solid stain. It will require at least two coats of stain.
Place a layer of rocks or gravel in the bottom of each galvanized bucket for drainage. Add dirt and your choice of plant. You can add a potted plant directly into the bucket. Place the planters in the hole of each stand.
Enjoy! OH
