NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
Use your browser's Print (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and choose Save as PDF. This page works offline once you've opened it with a signal.
Two picket-clad planter boxes joined by a 4-foot bench seat — the planters ARE the bench legs, and the soil in them is the ballast that keeps it planted.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planter legs | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 22 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Planter horizontal supports | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 20" | — | ☐ |
| Planter cladding pickets Tops beveled 45°, long-point measurement — sheds water off the end grain. | 32 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 24" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Planter top trim Ends mitered 45°, long-point measurement. | 4 | 5/8" × 2 1/2" × 24" | Ripped picket or 1x3 | ☐ |
| Bench frame rails | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 48" | — | ☐ |
| Bench frame crosspieces | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 19" | — | ☐ |
| Bench seat pickets | 4 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 48" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Planter bases Set at liner-pot depth on cleats or blocking. | 4 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 23" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ft Planter frames and bench frame. | 6 each | ☐ |
| Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared (Cedar) Cladding, seat, trim, and planter bases. | 16 each | ☐ |
| Self-tapping construction screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive All the 2x4 framing. | 60 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 1-5/8", self-tapping, star drive All the picket work. | 200 each | ☐ |
| Plastic liner pots Drop-in liners beat filling the cubes — unless you want maximum ballast. | 2 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Self-tapping construction screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive
Screw the planter legs and horizontal supports into four identical open frames with the 2-3/4" screws. These frames are the structure of everything — the planters' skeletons and, later, the bench's anchor points. Check them against each other, not just the tape.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-5/8", self-tapping, star drive
Bevel the tops of the cladding pickets at 45° (long point), then screw pickets to each frame with the 1-5/8" screws — bevels up and facing out, shedding water away from the box.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-5/8", self-tapping, star drive
Join each pair of clad frames into a cube with the remaining pickets across the open faces. Two finished planter boxes, chamfered rims all around.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver, Table Saw. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-5/8", self-tapping, star drive
Miter the trim pieces at 45° and cap each planter's rim — ripped-picket trim for the all-one-material look, 1x3 if you're skipping the table saw. The mitered cap is what moves the planters from 'fence offcuts' to 'furniture'.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Self-tapping construction screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive
Build the 48" bench frame independently — rails and crosspieces, 2-3/4" screws. Then attach it between the planters, screwed into the INNER 2x4 FRAMES, never just the picket cladding: the pickets are skin, the frames are bone.
Seat height not landing on a frame member? Add 2x4 blocking inside the planters at the right height and fasten to that. Sit-test with two adults before trusting it to a party.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-5/8", self-tapping, star drive, Plastic liner pots
Screw the four 48" seat pickets across the bench frame with the shorter screws, even gaps, edges sanded generously — bare legs sit here.
Set the planter bases at liner-pot depth on cleats or blocking, drop in the liners, and plant. Soil is the final structural component: once the planters are loaded, this bench isn't going anywhere, which on a windy deck is exactly the point.