DIY Drilling Projects: Wooden Planter Boxes
For those with a green thumb, making a wooden planter box is a great way to put your wood drill bits to use. Gardening is a hobby enjoyed by many. If you don’t have the luxury of a large garden, you have to get creative to find ways to enjoy time spent getting your hands in the soil while enjoying fresh air. Luckily, there are a few ways that you can get your gardening fix, even if you live in a small home with only a courtyard or tiny patio as an outdoor space.
Whether you’re planning a herb garden, want to grow some veggies or you’re keen to plant some flowering plants to add colour to your outdoor space, planter boxes are fairly easy to make using basic wood drill bits. In this guide, we’ll share some tips to get you started.
How to Make Wooden Planter Boxes
Here’s how to make your very own wooden planter boxes with the help of your wood drill bits, a bit of patience and a few hours of your time.
Gathering your tools
Before you get started, make sure you have all the tools you’ll need on hand. Tools you’ll need for this project include a cordless drill, along with wood drill bits. Multi-material bits are a good choice for pilot holes and joining wood. If you want to make larger, round holes for drainage, wood flat bits will be useful. You’ll also need a tape measure and a saw to cut your wood (a circular saw will be the fastest but you can use a hand saw if your planter is small). To assemble the box, you’ll need screws, nails and wood glue. To finish off, sandpaper or a sander, a paintbrush, wood sealant or paint will be needed.
Choosing and cutting the wood
Once you’ve gotten all your tools ready, you can choose and cut your wood. First, decide on the size of your planter and the overall design. For a very basic, standard planter, planks of wood suitable for outdoor use will be ideal for the planter as well as the legs. When you’ve chosen your wood, cut everything to size, with panels for the sides, bottom and legs.
Assembling the planter
Next, it’s time to put everything together. To assemble the planter, here’s what to do:
- Start with the sides. Place two panels next to each other, then connect them using the shorter panels to form a rectangle or square, depending on the planter design.
- Drill pilot holes. Using your wood drill bits, drill pilot holes where you'll be joining the panels. This prevents the wood from splitting when you insert screws.
- Secure the panels. Apply some wood glue along the edges to secure the panels and then screw the panels together to keep everything in place.
- Attach the bottom: Place the bottom panel under the assembled sides and screw it in place after drilling pilot holes. Drill drainage holes in the bottom using your flat wood bit.
- Add the legs. Cut four pieces of wood to your desired leg height. Attach each leg to a corner of the planter box using screws, ensuring they're evenly placed for stability.
Adding the final touches
Now that your basic planter box is assembled, it’s time to add the final touches. Begin by smoothing any rough edges using sandpaper or a sander. If you’re not going to paint, use a wood sealant to protect the planter from damp and sun. For some colour, choose whatever paint works for your style and add a few coats. Make sure that the paint you choose is suitable for outdoor use to prevent peeling and flaking. Before you start planting, add some shade cloth or other mesh to the basis. Along with the drainage holes in the basis of the planter, this will keep your soil aerated, ensuring better growth for your plants without any waterlogged soil. Add a mounted pallet or shelf to a wall using brackets and you’ll have even more space for your plants and gardening tools.
From wooden planters to a wide range of other woodworking projects, Ruwag has all the wood drill bits you need to get the best results.
