Add flowers to your outdoor space with one of these DIY planter box designs! They all have woodworking plans so you can start building today!
Wooden planters are one of my favorite things to build. They're simple, cost effective and give you a huge bang for the buck! Store-bought planters can range in the 100's of dollars, but give me a few fence pickets and I'll make you a gorgeous cedar planter box in an afternoon!
Even if you only have a balcony or deck, planter boxes can fill your outdoor space with flowers. Container gardening is super easy, and there's less weeding to do! Add a trellis, and your planter can double as a privacy screen as well.
They're also a great beginner woodworking project, even if you've never built anything before. Most of the DIY planter box ideas listed below only require straight cuts and simple joints, so all you'll need is a saw and a drill!
DIY Planter Box Designs
Each of these DIY wooden planters includes plans, so you can make your own easily! Click on the button or image to go to the full tutorial.
This plant stand has it all! Two large planter boxes, shelves for potted plants, and an arbor across the top for hanging containers!
The base of this planter box is big enough for a 2 or 3 gallon pot, so all you have to do is drop it in and watch it grow! The trellis will help stabilize taller plants, or give climbing vines something to hold on to while it fills the back with flowers.
Don't have a garden, but want beautiful flowers on your balcony? These simple railing planters are made with a cedar fence picket, and are easy to install anywhere!
Pack a ton of plants into a tiny space with this DIY strawberry planter! It can hold up to 18 strawberry plants in a vertical tower, plus even more in the base.
For bigger plants or small trees, consider this modern planter box with PVC panel sides. It's big enough for a large pot, so you can keep the tree in its original container hidden inside.
If you're short on space, or want to hide an outdoor eyesore like pipes or conduit, this vertical planter will help! Each of the flower boxes is removable, so you can change the configuration as the plants grow. The bottom can be used for storage, or fill it with soil and plant even more!
This outdoor end table has a planter box built in! Best of all, you can swap it out for a clean box to serve as an ice bucket instead!
This pallet planter box only gets better throughout the summer! It may look a little bare now, but you'll be amazed how it fills with blooms over time!
This cedar wall planter would make the perfect herb garden! Just mount it next to your patio door for delicious herbs or beautiful flowers just a few steps away.
This wooden planter box hides a secret! Lift the lid and there's plenty of room to store a hose or other gardening essentials.
Turn your initials into a planter! This would look so cute on a front porch.
I'm a sucker for the two toned look, and I just love how the natural wood pops against the black frame!
You don't even need soil for this woodsy look! Just gather some clippings from nearby pine trees and arrange them in this simple wooden planter box.
This three tiered planter is perfect for the long, narrow areas of your porch or patio. Add different herbs or flowers to each section for lots of variety in a small space!
Add elegance to your outdoor spaces with these sophisticated X sided planters!
Are you always chasing the sun, trying to get just the right amount for your plants? This DIY rolling planter box makes it easy to move from shade to sun!
Going for a nautical or rustic look? Add rope detail like this to your DIY planter!
Want flowers right outside your window? Make these beautiful window boxes and enjoy their sweet scent all summer long!
Add visual height to your front porch with this tall outdoor planter! Create a false bottom midway up the inside so you don't have to fill it all the way with potting soil.
I love the sleek look of this modern planter! It sits on delicate hairpin legs to take up less visual space in your living room or patio.
This tall, tapered wooden planter looks like a million bucks, but only requires about $10 worth of cedar fence pickets to make!
Try this version of a tapered planter for a more sleek, modern look!
I'm always looking for ways to use up my scrap wood, and this little outdoor planter is perfect! You can also combine scraps from a variety of different wood species and paint them one color.
Want to block out your view of the neighbors? This trio of privacy planters is just what you need!
Need even more privacy? Use this tiered wooden planter with a large trellis to block the view and create a more intimate space.
Which of these wooden planter ideas is your favorite? I'd love to see which one you make! Send me a photo or tag me on Instagram to show off your project!
Check out these other outdoor project ideas!
mike funnell
Wednesday 20th of May 2020
Hi, thank you for your great plans , some will be used over the next few weeks , wow the costs for Cedar in the US are really good , Sawn Cedar 5/8 x 5 1/2 x 6 feet $2.50 , over here it is very nearly $20 for the same sizes Keep up the good work Regards Mike
Ruth
Tuesday 19th of May 2020
Your planters are almost as good as chocolate! I definitely want to try some of them since apartment living is so flowerless. Thanks for all your ideas. Lots of fun to read even if i would never make anything. My dad could make anything so your site brings back lots of memories.