How to Build a Flower Box Planter Tutorial - H2OBungalow (2024)

Today’s tutorial is how to build a flower box planter. Window boxes or flower boxes are the perfect way to spruce up a plain house or add some style to a fixer upper. They look great from the street and they look pretty from indoor as well, which is a huge bonus when it’s too hot to work outside like it is here in FL this time of year!

Seriously friends, I can’t think of a better way to add curb appeal to the front of a house than an overflowing window box filled with color and cascading greenery. Except maybe also learning how to make DIY shutters with sailboat cutouts. Those definitely add curb appeal. Don’t you think so too? This is our house before we changed out the windows. Even with the old windows in place my flower box added charm. You can see the entire house in my Coastal Home Tour Post.

It’s OK if window boxes aren’t your thing though. I’ve also got a medley of outdoor decor projects to share with you from the Power Tool Challenge Team. As usual, they came up with some awesome DIY outdoor garden projects to inspire the DIY’er in you!

Scroll down to the end of this post to see how to build a flower box planter for your home too.

First, let’s take a look at the great summer garden ideas the Power Tool Challenge Team came up with. Can you imagine any of these projects in your yard? I definitely see some of them in my future! Click on the link to go to that project and tutorial!

Repurposed Toddler Bed into Potting Bench Thrift Diving

DIY 2 x 4 Swing Virginia Sweet Pea

Shutter Privacy Screen The DIY Bungalow

Shed Window Flower Box Designed Decor

How to Build a Window Box Planter H2OBungalow – that’s me!

Old Drawers into Porch Planters My Love 2 Create

Reclaimed Wood Potting Bench My Repurposed Life

DIY Concrete Paver Planter Domestically Speaking

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How to Build a Flower Box Planter Tutorial

Supplies needed to make a DIY flower box planter. I use affiliate links to help you find the supplies I used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

• pressure treated wood
• miter saw – This handy tool makes using the table saw easy.
• drill
• brad nailer
• Kreg Jigpocket hole system
• 1 1/4″ outdoor pocket screws
• paint
• combination square
• Gorilla wood glue

Step 1: Rip each board to 7” wide and use the miter saw for the cuts. Remember to always square one end of a board before measuring the length to cut.

Flower box cut list:

3 sides and bottom – pressure treated wood 1” x 7” cut to 45 inches long

2 ends – pressure treated wood at 1” x 5 ½ cut to 6 ¼ inches long

Optional trim – measure finished project and cut trim to exact length

front trim – two pieces, 1” x 1” cut to 45 degrees at both ends

side trim – four pieces, 1” x 1” cut to 45 degrees at one end, square at the other

Step 2: Put each board in place as they are cut to size. If there is a measurement off or one of the ends needs a little trim, you’ll see it right away.

Step 3: Make pocket holes with a Kreg Jig in the two side pieces. Side interior, three pocket holes to attach the front panel, 2 sets of pocket holes to attach the bottom panel. Side exterior, three pocket holes to attach the back panel. See photo for placement.

Step 4: Make pocket holes with a Kreg Jig on the bottom inside panel. There will be four sets of two pocket holes to attach the front panel. See photo for placement. Use 1 ¼” pocket screws, attach the bottom panel to the front panel. Attach the side pieces to the bottom and front panel.

Step 5: Make pocket holes with a Kreg Jig on the exterior bottom panel. There will be four sets of two pocket holes to attach the back panel. See photo for placement. Use 1 ¼” pocket screws, attach the back panel, attach the two side pieces to the back panel.

Step 6: Optional trim. Use the Miter saw to cut upper and lower 1” x 1” trim. Attach trim by placing a bead of wood glue along the planter edge and securing each piece with the Airstrike gun.

You may want to drill a few drain holes in the bottom of the window box at this time.

Step 7: Fill pocket holes with wood plugs or wood filler. Fill any other nail gun holes or gaps. Sand any rough spots if needed and paint with exterior grade paint.

Step 7: Install support brackets with appropriate mounting hardware for your home exterior. I built brackets from my scrap wood pile. Place your window box on the brackets and secure if desired. Plant some colorful flowers and enjoy your beautiful new window box!

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We’ve done a lot of work in the front yard since I first made this DIY window box planter project. Here’s another picture from when I shared my paintedDIY faux Pavers for Concrete.

It’s changed since then too…of course!

The window looks a whole lot better with a cheery flower box at the front of my house. Even better is the fun in picking out flowers and greens that compliment the colors of our house and the butterfly garden we put in which is lush and full of tropical growth and flowers now.

Other outdoor garden projects I’ve done that you may enjoy

Key West Wood Planter Box

DIY Umbrella Stand Planter Tutorial

$10 Easy DIY Patio Table Plans