Homemade Wooden Planter

Materials

• A planter box can be placed anywhere in or around the home and is a fairly simple building project. The materials necessary are simple--lumber and nails. A saw, nail gun, electric drill and sandpaper are all the tools you'll need, along with goggles for safety.

Assembly

• Choose your wood carefully. You can build your planter using any wood you wish, but some are better able to deal with the damp earth conditions than others. Hardwoods work well for outdoor planters; while indoor your choices can be a bit broader as the wood won't be exposed to the natural elements. Common wood choices include juniper, white cedar, cyprus and bamboo. Once you've chosen the wood that's to your liking, purchase it in board form; deck boards or 2 x 4s are easy to work with.

  Cut your boards to the desired size. A planter is basically a box without a top, so the length of your boards largely depends on the size planter you want, as well as the design you've chosen. Sand all board pieces before assembling them.

  Assemble the front and side walls of your planter first. Assemble each wall completely, and then join the two using the nail gun. Continue with the other two walls, joining all four before moving on to the base.

  As with the walls, create the base completely, nailing the planks to form a level surface. Drill several holes in the completed surface for drainage if it will be used outdoors. You should add several additional boards along the sides of the base to create runners that will hold the planter off the ground a bit and aid in drainage. Attach the base to the walls, runner side down, nailing it securely into place.

  At this point your assembly is complete and requires only a few finishing touches. You can add stain to the wood at this point, followed by a sealant to help preserve your planter for a longer length of time. When the sealant has dried completely just add a planter liner, soil and plants.

Decorative Touches

• One of the reasons for creating a homemade wooden planter is to control the look of your planter. You can add any decorative touches you wish, from a bright wood finish to scrollwork. Decorative edging can add to the beauty of your planter without altering the strength of the wood through cutting. Edges of the wood can be shaped through sanding. Anything you can imagine you can do to create a one-of-a-kind wooden planter that should last for years.