Hey guys! Today I'm going to share a super basic DIY project that I completed this week. This is a VERY easy build and it cost under $25 for each planter!
DIY Porch Planters Under $25
Lets start with the before. I hate gardening and yard work. Well, practically anything that has to do with home maintenance outside. That includes porch decor. It's just not my thing. Sorry neighbors, I keep trying to get better!
The thing is, you can see right into my living room from the front door. And at night, anyone in the street or on the sidewalk has a clear view of what is happening. Blinds for those small windows were a fortune, and curtains there aren't really my thing. Then I realized that a tall planter would block everyone's view from the sidewalk, but I could still let natural light it and see out if needed. NOTE: I DO NOT want full privacy. I want to see out, and seeing in from the porch is fine. I just don't want people looking in from 40 feet away. Since the porch is elevated, I only needed to block the bottom few feet to accomplish this. I found this planter on Pinterest and decided it was perfect for my space. http://www.remodelaholic.com/vive-la-france-tall-wooden-planter/
I went to Lowe's with a basic plan. I knew I wanted 1x2 furring strips for the inside posts. At only $1 for 8 feet, how could I not? Then I remembered the rolling shoe storage I made for my mudroom (http://www.targetandtory.com/diy-laundry-room-makeover/). I used tongue and groove planks there, and decided this is practically the same and bought some more.
I purchased a planter from Lowe's and then started winging it. I cut the furring strips to 35" with my miter saw. I then placed them on the sides of the planter to get an idea at how long I needed to cut my planks. I ended up needing 12.5" on 2 sides (I made sure there was enough overhang so the side pieces would fit up against it) and 10.25" on the other 2. I attached all of the planks with my Ryobi Nail Gun.
Once it was built, I stained it with my current favorite color. Minwax Dark Walnut. I always use a sock when staining. I finished it off with a top coat of spray poly in satin.
I needed a place for the planter to sit on, so I added a few furring strips 9.5" down and nailed them in as well. The original post that I was following on Pinterest added a lot more work (pocket holes, etc). I could (should?) have done that, however I didn't feel it was necessary for my purpose.
I went to JoAnn's and bought items to fill the planters at 50% off, which I swear is still so expensive! Each planter cost $20 each to fill.
Once I had them up I thought they looked a touch boring, but I liked it, but I was torn. I decided to make a template out of cardboard and add gold screws.
I then decided to see what it would look like for the holidays if I added some red to the decor. I love it! (Pic was taken before the gold screws were added)
There's a few more DIY projects over at the blog if you want to check them out!
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Questions on this post
Have a question about this project?
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Angela King on Oct 23, 2019
I like it but I am not a builder. Any ideas?
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Chloie Coffey on Oct 23, 2019
What color paint did you use on the door?
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Melody Hill Kelley on Oct 29, 2019
Yes what is the door color?!? An I love this idea!
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Comments
Join the conversation
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Helen on Oct 23, 2019
Yes,I would put them on the inside though
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Kathryn Mellinger on Oct 23, 2019
This is a wonderful idea. I love it. I have the same problem. Mine would definately have mine on outside. There are registers under windows on inside. I had sheers up for awhile but like the more lite without them.
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Sharlene clair on Oct 24, 2019
I took a designer decal and placed in corners of windows, then I sprayed the windows with frost spray. I was going to remove the decals so their image was see through, but liked the look of them being white so much, I just left them on.
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E95656 on Oct 15, 2020
Really nice!
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Gail Cooley on Oct 15, 2020
Oh My Gosh. This Idea is perfect for in front of my patio wall. I kept trying to think what to put in front of the patio with height and availability to put plants on/into but kept drawing a blank. My Question is do I need to seal this planter and the gold racks if I use real plants. P.S. YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
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Marie on Oct 16, 2020
Really nice job! We have a similar door and so to add privacy we used window film with a floral pattern, just enough privacy without obscuring light and it changed the entire look and feel of the door! Affordable and easy to do 😁
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Carolina on Oct 16, 2020
Those are really nice!! and easy to make. Looks awesome. I have the same windows and door, but I just spray painted the windows with frost plastidip
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Carol Dydowicz on Oct 16, 2020
Nice solution, and a lot of possibilities for switching up in holiday seasons.
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Jan Carpenter on Oct 16, 2020
You didn't mention filling the planters; ie, using waterproof membrane or similar to stop your precious creations from rotting....
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Patty on Oct 18, 2020
Looks really nice fixed up for the season's.
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Looks really good you did a mighty fine job! maybe paint them ? If you get bored
Thrift stores hold a multitude of sins!
We used a spray can of frost. Easy to remove with fingernail polish remover if you want it gone. Our little dog scratched it up a little, but just a quick spray and the marks disappeared.
Great idea and I love the style and finish you chose.
I had and similar situation and bought a piece of translucent plastic (Like plexi-glas). I unscrewed the inside frame to the window, measured and cut the plastic to size, replaced the inside frame to hold it in. I couldn't see out clearly, but I could see an image if someone was there. They couldn't see inside clearly either. Since it was in a foyer, it worked for me at that time.
foller her directions, they aren't hard