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Flower boxes can be expensive to buy, but they are relatively easy to build yourself. In addition to the low costs, however, there are other advantages for a DIY flower box, because it can be perfectly adapted to your own ideas, both in terms of shape and color. A possible variant is an elongated flower box, which is ideal for planting on the balcony or terrace.
material
What equipment is required?
A wooden flower box can be built quickly and easily, provided the necessary equipment is available. This primarily requires the wood and the appropriate material for the interior paneling. Chicken wire or mole screens are great for keeping the drain hole from clogging. It also prevents soil or the drainage layer from escaping. A film, such as a commercially available knobbed film, offers additional protection. In addition, the following material is also required to build the planter:
- Cordless screwdriver/drill
- wood screws (about 60-70 pieces)
- glaze brush
- sandpaper or sanding pad
- screw clamp
- tool stapler
tip: Instead of a glaze brush, an ordinary flat brush is also suitable.
Which types of wood are suitable?
Since the flower box will most likely be placed outdoors, it should be made of robust and durable wood. A good choice would be larch or Douglas fir, for example, as these types of wood have a relatively high resin content. The wood itself is best purchased from a local wood or sawmill. Here it is worth sifting through the "remaining wood corner", as good bargains can often be found here. Many specialist dealers also offer free cutting when buying the wood. The following is required for a flower box measuring 80x40x40:
- 12 linear meters of wood
- 12x longitudinal parts: 80 cm long, 10 cm high
- 8x side panels: 40 cm long, 10 cm high
- 4x squared timber: 40 cm long, 10 cm high
- 4-6 feet (height about 15 cm)
douglas fir
notice: The size of the flower box should always be adjusted to the future planting! Perennials need a container that is at least 35 to 40 centimeters high and wide. A bucket for evergreen trees, on the other hand, should have a height and width of at least 50 centimeters.
DIY wooden flower box: instructions
If the boards have already been cut to size at the local specialist dealer, you can continue with step 1 of the instructions. If not, the boards must first be cut to size. Inexperienced craftsmen should take enough time for this, because the boards should be cut to the millimeter. Otherwise, it may be necessary to visit the specialist dealer again, which of course unnecessarily increases the time required. If the wooden boards have already been cut to size, you can now continue with the DIY instructions as follows:
1. Prepare wooden boards
The wooden boards are already available in the right dimensions, but they should not be processed directly. It is better to sand them first with the sandpaper or sanding sponge. To do this, simply pull the respective utensil roughly over the wood so that any splinters are sanded off. This step not only makes further work with the wood easier, but also embellishes it at the same time. On top of that, the wood can absorb paint and glaze better thanks to the sanding process.
2. Mark and drill holes
The best way to do this is to use something that can act as a template for the holes. This ensures that the holes are always in the same place. A simple drilling template can be made from a piece of cardboard, for example. It is best to use two different templates for this step, as the holes in the side panels should be slightly offset.
The holes are marked as follows:
- 4 holes in the corners of the long pieces
- 4 holes in the corners of the side panels
- Always hold the template to the corner
- Mark the drill holes for the squared timber slightly offset
notice: The wood drill bit should be slightly thinner than the screws. If the wood screws are 4 millimeters in diameter, the wood drill bit should be at least 2.5 millimeters in diameter.
3. Squared timber
To ensure that the flower box is also stable, squared timber is mounted inside. Because this wood is characterized by its resilience and load-bearing capacity. Ideally, the squared timber has already been prepared and the holes have already been marked. Fasten the boards for the outer frame to the squared timber, preferably with a screw clamp. Mount them in the inner corners of the flower box. If you don't have a screw clamp at hand, you can carry out this step without one if necessary.
4. Screw the construction together
After the holes have been prepared, the lower part of the construction can be assembled. To assemble the lower frame of the flower box, two longitudinal and side parts are taken and assembled as follows:
- Screw lengthways boards to the squared timbers with wood screws
- Hold the side part and also screw it on
Screw the squared timber to the frame
5. Assemble the floor and feet
The frame is now complete, so the floorboards and feet can be fitted at this step. It is important that the boards always finish cleanly with the edge. On the other hand, you should leave enough space in the middle of the floor, because this distance will function as a water drain in the future and prevent waterlogging. The boards are best mounted as follows:
- Draw and pre-drill the feet
- mount feet
- Attach and screw the floor boards
tip: In order to prevent the feet from rotating, it is best to additionally fix them. It is sufficient to simply screw in a second screw.
6. Finishing the flower box
The lower part of the construction is already finished, now you are basically working upwards. To do this, simply mount the remaining wooden boards on the construction, as already described in points 3 and 4. Don't forget: You must always attach the side parts to the squared timber. With the last board, it is advisable to first put it on the squared timber and only then screw it on.
mount floor
7. Apply protective glaze
The flower box is made of weather-resistant material, but additional protection can't hurt. In order for the construction to be even more robust and durable for several years, a protective glaze be applied. For this, the glaze brush is taken and proceeded as follows:
- Only paint the top of the interior
- paint everything outside
- preferably paint twice
- Allow about 24 hours between coats
notice: The protective glaze is available in different shades, so that it can be ideally matched to the balcony or terrace.
8. Cladding the interior
There is now a slot in the middle of the floor, which serves as a water drain. However, not only excess water but also the substrate and drainage can escape through this. However, this can be avoided with a simple step by incorporating wire mesh or mole mesh and foil:
- Staple wire mesh over water drain
- Cut 4 pieces of foil
- if it doesn't have any holes, then work some in
- the pieces of foil should be big enough to go around corners
- Also staple the foil from the inside
9. Work in drainage
Before you can plant the flower box, you should always install a drainage system. This prevents waterlogging and ensures that the roots of the plants do not rot. The height of the drainage depends on the size of the planter; a height of around four centimeters is sufficient for our DIY flower box. The drainage itself can consist of the following materials, among others:
- expanded clay
- crushed pottery shards
- gravel
