DIY Cinderblock Plant Shelves
3 Materials
$40
1 Hour
Easy
This is such a simple project, and it's actually kind of a classic from 80's college dorms, but if you plop some plants on it, suddenly it looks a lot more chic and fits right into your backyard! I love these shelves to hold flowers, herbs, and gardening tools! You can see this project and more easy and affordable DIY ideas on my blog, Love & Renovations
Start by grabbing two of your cinder blocks and laying them out where you're working about 3 feet apart from one another. I highly recommend working wherever you want the shelves to be, because these babies are HEAVY! Add construction adhesive to the top of each block.
Take an 8-foot 1X12 cedar board and cut it down to two 4-foot lengths. Take one shelf and put it on top of the cinder blocks. Give it a bit to dry - you can use the extra cinderblocks as a weight if you want.
Next, take your other two cinderblocks, put some construction adhesive on the top of the shelf, and plop them into place directly above the other ones.
You know the drill - use your construction adhesive to apply the second shelf.
Let it dry, add plants, and enjoy! You can really get creative with the finish on this - you can paint the cinder blocks, paint or stain the shelves - go crazy! I left mine plain because I really like the look, but the possibilities are endless.
Resources for this project:

8-foot 1X12 cedar board
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2 of 75 comments
- Cpa28915644on Mar 26, 2020
yes
- Aleciaon Mar 29, 2020
I really like this idea! It also reminds me you can use this technique to make solid shelving in your basement. I used cylinder blocks and old doors to make them and this is much easier than fooling with tapcon screws in an unfinished basement. Just remember if this is around children to use safety precautions. Love this!
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Have a question about this project?
With all that weight of the plants why glue the boards? Then you can take it apart for any reason.
I probably wouldn't use glue as I move stuff around about every year. Make sure it's level and maybe put down a gravel base under the blocks so it doesn't sink into the dirt.
I have been looking for cinder blocks for years. Where do you get them?? They are not sold at Lowes or Home Depot.
Not with other landscape like blocks, look where they sell bags of concrete! You will find them there at Home Depot.
why didn't you put smaller plant pots within the block squares?
that's what I was thinking,