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.
A 6-foot-tall fence-picket privacy screen with a built-in planter base — the soil is the anchor, so it stands without posts, concrete, or holes in the patio.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frame verticals Cut these first, one per 8-ft board. | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 71 1/2" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Frame horizontals, planter depth | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 22" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Frame horizontals, short | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 14" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Planter end cladding | 8 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 17" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Screen and front/back pickets Full-length, uncut — which is why not-dog-eared pickets matter here. | 17 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 72" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Planter floor Measure and cut to fit the assembled box. | 2 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 70" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared (Cedar) Screen, planter cladding, and floor. Sight down every board at the store — the screen face shows every bow. | 21 each | ☐ |
| 2x4, 8 ft The three frames. Cut the longest pieces from each board first or the cut list won't come out. | 4 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping Frame joints. | 25 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, 1-5/8", self-tapping All the picket cladding. | 100 each | ☐ |
| Waterproof planter liner Or heavy plastic sheeting. Punch drainage holes — sealed soil is a swamp. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Penetrating exterior stain Fence or deck rated. A penetrating stain, not a film finish — nothing to peel later. | 1 qt | ☐ |
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, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping
Build the two outer frames and one center frame from the 2x4s with the 2-1/2" screws, two per joint.
The detail that matters: the outer frames put their horizontal members to the OUTSIDE faces, mirrored left-to-right; the center frame carries its horizontals CENTERED. Lay the two outer frames side by side before screwing anything and confirm they're mirror images, not copies — a copied frame puts one skin plane 1-1/2" out of line.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, 1-5/8", self-tapping
Screw the 17" pickets across the outside ends of the planter box with the 1-5/8" screws — four boards per end, edges touching.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, 1-5/8", self-tapping
Stand the frames up and run the 72" pickets vertically across the front and back, centering the middle frame in the run. Keep the first picket plumb and the rest follow; check plumb again every four or five boards, because small errors accumulate across seventeen pickets and the last one announces all of them.
Two screws per picket per rail crossing.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, 1-5/8", self-tapping
Add the remaining short pickets to the back of the planter box with the 1-5/8" screws — the box needs all four walls to hold soil pressure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander, Tape Measure. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, Exterior screws, 1-5/8", self-tapping, Waterproof planter liner, Penetrating exterior stain
Measure and cut two pickets to fit the planter bottom and screw them in with small drainage gaps. Sand the whole piece lightly and stain with a penetrating fence-grade stain.
Line the box with waterproof liner and punch drainage holes through liner and floor gaps. Now move it to its final spot — final, because the next step is soil, and soil is the anchor. Fill deep, plant something that climbs or billows, and enjoy the neighbor-free sightline.