DIY Floating Shelf Planters
After building cedar frames to go around the windows of our garage, I sensed it didn't feel done, it needed something more.
I've forever wanted some kind of planter box to liven up the garage face but without creating a million un-repairable holes in the siding and never quite could figure out an idea. Well, honestly, I was too busy with other projects to think about it.
Until I framed the windows in cedar....then it hit me: a floating shelf!
I picked up one piece of 1x8 by eight foot cedar and a box of 10 grow pots.
You don't need a fancy program for this, just some math skills and a calculator, but it was hot and I'm no longer good at math.
I set the right and left cups at 4" on center in from the edge then divided the rest of the distance for three more cups, a total of five per planter.
Be sure to swing by the blog for all sorts of fun and not so fun math errors I've made over at Flipping the Flip!
Next I cut the wood in half (hot tip: measure the length of the wood before dividing in half as it's rarely exactly what it should be and that can mess you up).
Here I measured out a 3 1/2" diameter hole for the grow pot cup and scored it with a compass.
Drilling a large starter hole gives you room to work with your jigsaw to cut out the circles.
Not my finest work, eh, but that's ok. The little grow pots (which are lightweight and small meaning they won't get heavy and pull on the shelf) fit right in and stop at the top lip.
See? Perfect.
For extra details about this project and the cedar frames I built, be sure to check out the blog post here.
After cutting out all the holes for the grow pots, it was time to install.
I pushed the 1x8 piece up against the siding as tight as it would go then drilled a hole through it into the cedar frame I built. I then sunk a pole barn screw in to secure (only because I had them and no other outdoor screws).
A few more screws, and voila! Done!
If you'd like, feel free to seal up the cedar to eliminate or slow the graying effect. I used Watco Teak Oil + Stain in Greystone.
Can't wait for next spring to plant these lovelies up!
Won't it be nice with oodles of flowers and trailing plants?! Oh I can't wait.
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Valerie Burge on Aug 05, 2022
Love it!
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Aprile on Aug 05, 2022
great project; a little confused of phrase "grow pot in hole" - ha ha
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Becky at Flipping the Flip on Aug 05, 2022
Thanks! Sorry for the confusion!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
So if my house is stucco (around the front facing window); do you think it is possible to anchor / drill into that stucco in order to mount the wood frame? (or is it too weak to hold that weight)
Do you have a drip water system? Here its 92 today, id be watering those pots every few hours.
What happened to the tray that fits underneath pot that catches water??