from
MAGAZINE
A Versatile Planter
As I finished building a new deck (see the Showcase Deck Plan in
PlansNOW s Outdoor Plans), I wanted to add more color and personality,
and soften the yard-to-deck transition.A matching planter was just what I
needed.
A planter stationed near the steps
proved to be a great solution. Built
from the same materials as the deck,
the planter will stand up to years of
weather, and the design was the per-
fect way to use up short cutoffs left-
over from the deck construction.
The first planter turned out so well
I ended up buying additional ipe
(the tropical hardwood used on the
deck) to build a few more, three of
which support sitting benches on
the raised tier deck.
SLAT-WRAPPED FRAMES
Even though the planter is built
from weather-resistant lumber 
cedar, ipe, and pressure-treated pine
 I wanted to keep the soil con-
tained and away from direct expo-
sure with the wood. By designing
#8×x 1%/8" screws
1
Exterior glue and screws hold each
frame together. Be sure to check each
assembly for square.
plans N O W page 1 © August Home Publishing Co.
PLANTER CONSTRUCTION VIEW
MATERIALS LIST
OVERALL SIZE: 213/"H x 221/"W x 221/"L
4 4 4
PLANTER BOX:
A (4) Frame Sides 3/ " x 31/ " x 163/ "
4 2 4
Plastic tub planter
B (4) Frame Ends 3/ " x 31/ " x 151/ "
4 2 4
(18"W x 18"D x 14"H)
C (2) Floorboards 3/ " x 51/ " x 163/ "
4 2 4
D (20)Slats 3/ " x 31/ " x 17"
4 2
LEGS:
E (4) Wide Legs 3/ " x 3" x 21"
4
F (4) Narrow Legs 3/ " x 21/ " x 21"
4 4
Cap J
G (4) Splines 3/ " x 1/ " x 21"
4 4
BANDING:
Leg assembly y Frame side
A
Frame end B
H (4) Lower 3/ " x 5" x 141/ "
4 4
Spline G
S Slats D
I (4) Upper 3/ " x 3" x 141/ "
4 4
Upper banding I
CAP:
J (4) Sides/Ends 3/ " x 31/ " x 221/ "
4 2 4
Frame side A
Wide leg
E
Floorboard C
Frame end B
Narrow leg F
Lower banding H
the planter around an 18" square VIEW). Starting with two pressure- Next, add two floorboards to the top
plastic tub I found at a local home- treated frames (that give the planter edge of the lower frame (FIG. 2).
center (Countryside Patio Planter by its shape), you add a layer of ipe slats, After cutting the slats to length, I
Novelty Mfg., 1-800-442-7336), the and wrap that layer with cedar legs realized it would be easier to apply
wood stays clean and dry. This also and banding. Screws hold the various the oil finish to them before they
makes it easy to replace the old layers together. were installed. Once the oil dried, I
plantings and potting soil at the start Building the pressure-treated secured four slats to the two frames,
of each growing season. frames is the place to start on this centering these slats on the frame
Construction is simple  you project. Cut the frame pieces to size sides (FIG. 3).Then I used 1/ "-thick
8
build the planter from the inside out and screw them together, making spacers to position a slat on either
(PLANTER CONSTRUCTION sure to check for square (FIG. 1). side of each centered slat (FIG. 4).
Attach center slats
to box frame.
2 3 4
Screw the floorboards to the lower Mark centers on four slats and on the Use 1/ "-thick spacers to position slats
8
frame to provide support for the plas- frames. Align each slat on the frames, to either side of each center slat. Drill
tic tub and stiffen the lower frame. drill pilot holes and drive the screws. pilot holes and install #8×11/ " screws.
4
plans N O W page 2 © August Home Publishing Co.
CORNER DETAIL
(STEP 1)
(TOP VIEW)
Trim this slat flush Spline
with frames.
Leg assembly
5 6
!/4" groove,
NOTE: Two opposing sides of the planter Cut a spline groove Rout a 1/ "
4
#/8" deep
get five full-width (31/ ") slats, the out- into the edge of the roundover on the
2
(STEP 2)
side slats on the other two sides must narrow leg piece. Cut a three exposed edges of
be trimmed flush with the frames. groove in the face of the other piece. each leg as well the bottom ends.
The outermost slats overlap at Cut your leg material to size, bearing an outside project I used cedar. Rip
the corners (CORNER DETAIL). I in mind that like the outside ipe slats, splines to size, then glue and clamp
used full-width outside slats on two one leg of each pair is narrower each leg assembly together. Once
opposing faces of the planter. With (CORNER DETAIL).This is done so the glue dries, roundover the out-
the spacing I used they extend about the assembled pairs of legs appear side edges and the bottom end of
5
/ " beyond the frame corners. The symmetrical. each leg assembly (FIG. 6). Stain the
8
outside slats on the adjacent faces To ease alignment and avoid shift- leg assemblies before fastening them
have to be ripped to fit inside these. ing during the glue-up, I added a to the planter.
Don t worry about any small gaps at spline to each leg assembly. Cut Installing the legs is easier with the
1
the corners. They ll get covered by grooves for the splines using a / " planter upside down (FIG. 7). This
4
the leg assemblies. dado blade, and set the fence to cen- keeps the top end of the legs flush
ter the blade on the thickness of your with the top edge of the slats while
ADD THE LEGS stock (FIG. 5, STEP 1). First rip you drive the screws.
Adding legs to the planter accom- grooves in one edge of the narrower Now you can measure the dis-
plishes a couple of things. First, it legs,then,without changing your saw tance between the legs on each side
raises the planter off the deck so setup, cut a groove in the inside face and cut the cedar for the upper and
water doesn t get trapped under- of the wider legs (FIG. 5, STEP 2). lower banding pieces. Here again, I
neath. Second, the legs add muscle, For most furniture projects, I use recommend staining the pieces
echoing the look of the deck posts. hardboard splines, but since this is before the installation.
PLANTER ELEVATION (SIDE VIEW) (TOP VIEW)
3!/2" 3%/8"
3"
#/4"
1"
1"
14!/8"
21"
1"
5"
1&/8"
3" 14!/4" 3"
plans N O W page 3 © August Home Publishing Co.
Mark cap piece
WHAT YOU LL NEED
to length.
LUMBER (FOR ONE PLANTER)
(2) 8-ft. pressure-treated 1x4 s
(1) 4-ft. pressure-treated 1x6
(5) 8-ft. ipe 1x4 s
(1) 8-ft. cedar 1x6
(2) 10-ft. cedar 1x4 s
HARDWARE (FOR ONE PLANTER)
(24) #6×x 15/ " deck screws
8
(26) #8 x×15/ " deck screws
7 8 8
(24) #10 x×2" washerhead deck screws
Turn the planter upside down to posi- Miter one end of a cap piece, position (80) #8 x×11/ " deck screws
4
tion the legs, then drive in the screws. it on the planter to mark its length, (1) 18"x18"x14" plastic tub planter
You ll also want to drive screws then miter the other end. Clamp it to (1) Quart of clear oil finish
through the upper frame into each leg. the planter to fit the next cap piece. (1) Quart of colored stain
Like I did with the deck railing, I Start by mitering one end of any deck (BENCH CONSTRUCTION
chose to make the banding fasteners cap piece, then position it on the VIEW). A simple box frame made of
a design element on the planter. I planter to mark the miter for the 2x4 cedar rests on cleats fastened to
sprayed the same dark red paint on other end (FIG. 8).With both ends the planters and its length can vary to
the RSS screws from GRK (see the mitered, clamp this piece in posi- fit your situation. (The corner planter
PLANTER ELEVATION). At 2" long, tion, cut and fit the next mitered supports an end of each bench  see
these screws secure the cedar banding piece to the first one, and so on, inset photo on front cover.)
to both the ipe slats and the pressure- working your way around the top. A pair of retainers made from 1x4
treated pine frames. Pilot holes are Before attaching the cap pieces, ipe keeps the bench ends tied to the
required in the ipe and pine. apply the oil finish and let it dry. planters. The ipe seat planks are
When you drill the countersunk secured with another deck project
FRAME THE TOP pilot holes for the screws, position leftover  extra DeckMaster brack-
Capping the project is a mitered the holes so the screws go into the ets. Screw the brackets to the frame,
frame of ipe. For most projects I upper frame and upper banding. then drive screws from below to hold
take pains to get the miters to fit the planking (BENCH ELEVATION).
perfectly, but months in the sun and ADD AN OPTIONAL BENCH Filled with flowers, the planters
rain will undo that kind of effort As I mentioned earlier, I built a few add color to the already handsome
here. So shooting for reasonably more planters and used them to sup- deck and invite you to take a seat,
tight joints is good enough. port a pair of benches on the tier relax, and enjoy the view.
BENCH CONSTRUCTION VIEW
BENCH MATERIALS LIST
OVERALL SIZE: 41/ "H x 191/ "W
4 4
*Length depends on distance
A (2) Rails* 11/ " x 31/ "
2 2
Outer plank C
between planters.
B (3) Stretchers 11/ " x 31/ " x 151/ "
2 2 4
C (2) Outer Planks* 3/ " x 41/ "
4 8
D (3) Inner Planks* 3/ " x 31/ "
4 2
Inner plank D
E (2) Cleats 11/ " x 31/ " x 181/ "
2 2 4
F (4) Retainers 3/ " x 31/ " x 31/ " DeckMaster
4 2 2
Rail A
Bracket
BENCH ELEVATION (TOP VIEW)
!/2" overhang
Stretcher
B
Deckmaster
bracket
15!/4"
!/8"
gap
Retainer F
3!/2"
4!/8"
Cleat E
plans N O W page 4 © August Home Publishing Co.
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