Outdoor

Planter Boxes

Learn how to make these easy DIY planter boxes for your front porch using the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 2–3.8 hours
Cost: $$

About this build

Learn how to make these easy DIY planter boxes for your front porch using the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720. The black painted legs and trim add a modern style with extra contrast.

Tools

Essential

Impact Driver
Miter Saw
Pocket Hole Jig
Random Orbit Sander
Staple Gun

Optional / nice to have

Bar / Pipe Clamps
Combination Square
Tape Measure

Materials

Item	Qty
Board, 1x4 96"	1 board
Board, 2x6 96"	1 board
Board, 2x6 120"	1 board
Board, 2x2 96"	1 board
Kreg Blue-Kote WR pocket screws (1 1/2")	100 each
Quart black exterior paint	1 each
Plastic Wood X wood filler	1 each

Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.

Cut list

Part	Qty	T × W × L
Top Trim	4	11/16" × 3" × 15"
Side Pieces	12	1" × 5" × 11"
Legs	4	1" × 1" × 20"
Slats on inside	3	1" × 1" × 11"

What to buy

Buy 5 boards at 8 ft.

1" × 5"

2 boards

11"11"11"11"11"11"11"11"
11"11"11"11"

1" × 1"

2 boards

20"20"20"20"11"
11"11"

11/16" × 3"

1 board

15"15"15"15"

Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →

Start building →

Instructions

1Cut wood to size
- Cut wood to size using miter saw. Refer to attached plans for cut list with sizes.
- Sand any wood that will be painted with orbital hand sander.
2Drill pocket holes
Using the Kreg Jig system, drill 2 pocket holes on the edges of each side piece.
3Assemble sides
Put sides together into box by attaching to legs. Prepaint legs before assembly if desired.
4Add top trim
The trim is made from cedar that is three inches side and cut at 45 degree angles at the corners and connected with pocket holes on the underside. Prepaint the pieces black if desired and attach with staple gun from the top. Fill all holes with wood filler, sand and repaint black.
5Add slats
The planter pots will sit directly onto the slats so it is easy to swap out seasonally. We attached the slats (1 inch pieces of cedar) 11 inches from the top of the planter.