Building a great planter for your deck or backyard is simple with just an old plastic barrel and a couple of pallets or some other scrape wood.
You can cut the barrel to any size you like and then wrap it with your wood, stain or paint it and you have a beautiful DIY barrel planter.
You will need:
Plastic barrel
Scrape wood: 2×4’s, 1×3’s and some 1×4’s.
Some nails or screws, Nail gun or screw gun. You can of course do it by hand.
A circular or jig saw. A hand saw will also work
Some sand paper and sanding device if you want to take the rustic look away.
Some stain or paint depending on the look you desire.
Start with deciding on the height you want your planter, then mark a line around the top of the barrel 3 inches shorter then the finished height you want your planter. Cut the barrel along that line.
Drill some holes in the bottom of the barrel so water will drain through and not saturate the plant roots.
Cut 2 – 2×4’s on angles and attach them to the bottom of the barrel for feet.
Then cut your side planks ( 1×3″s) 1/2″ shorter than the height from the ground to the top of your barrel, this will allow you to keep them 3/4″ off the ground and your top will fit nicely.
Place a scrape of 1x on the ground, under the planks as you install them for a spacer and to keep them even. Secure them to the barrel with nails or screws.
Then you will need to cut 8 – 1×4’s to make the top, cut each end on a 22.5 degree angle one left and one right on all pieces. The length of the boards will depend on the size of you planter.
Before you install the wood or after you have finished assembly you can stain of paint you planter is you desire.
Photos courtesy of Do It Yourself.
Happy planting!