Post # 1

Member
6124 posts
Bee Keeper
Something like these where the vertical posts can go in the ground and there’s a little ledge for sitting. The bottom stays open for draining.

We got a landscaping bid and they want ~$1000 per 5’x5′ planter box (and 4 are in the design!) for building, installing and adding the garden soil so they are ready to go. Just wondering if anyone did this themselves. I really like this style.
Post # 3

Member
2551 posts
Sugar bee
I like those alot! We recently made our own planter boxes but they are a bit different/cheaper…. We just used fenceboard on sale at our hardware store for it so it was super cheap & only took about 1 hr to put together… We didn’t really bother making them nice as we’re in a rental now & not sure how things would match when we decide to move….

We put the supporting posts on the inside rather than the outside, didn’t bother with a lip, and ours has a bottom but it’s two fence boards laying flat with about 2-3″ space between them for drainage…. I can’t remember what size they are, pretty small width-wise as I wanted them to fit within the rock border on my patio, but they are maybe 3.5ft long… I just put landscaping fabric down in it & haven’t had any issues. With some nice materials I think you can do it for $100 or less each box…
Post # 4

Member
223 posts
Helper bee
FH JUST built me a huge one- 3′ x 7′. He built it to look almost identical to the picture you posted, but the four vertical posts extended up some so that he could put some decorative copper caps on them. He built it for under $100. It took him just a few hours. He took the four corner posts and cut them each down to size. Then, on each post, and 2 on 2 of the sides, he put smaller pieces of wood to “hold” the larger boards into place. Then he cut the 7′ to size and slid those into the front posts. Cut the 3′ to size and slid them into the side and then did the back. It turned out awesome!
Post # 5

Member
6124 posts
Bee Keeper
@BCPDmrs: Just like the ones above for $100 wow! What kind of wood did he use? They say cedar and redwood are the most rot resistant. We actually have some spare tigerwood (a hardwood) that are leftover from our new deck. Not enough to make a planter box, but probably would work as the seating area to top off the edges.
I think we’re going to need a nail gun.
Post # 6

Member
223 posts
Helper bee
@sienna76: Honestly..it wasn’t anything fancy. It was just plain deck wood I think and then I planned on staining it to match the fence. I love it!!
Post # 7

Member
6124 posts
Bee Keeper
I do want them to be fancy-ish (like the 1st photo), look well put together, and last a long time (no rot).
Post # 8

Member
412 posts
Helper bee
I modified old drawers from our old kitchen cabinets and made them into planter boxes. Literally, it’s just a box…
Here is a cute tutorial for a fancier one I found on Pinterest a little while ago – http://www.flamingotoes.com/2012/04/stencilled-centerpiece-planter-box/
Post # 9

Member
351 posts
Helper bee
My husband builds furniture and he recently built us put outdoor Daybed for our porch so I know a little about the wood. You may find it difficult to locate cedar or redwood and it will be more expensive than pressure treated. You definitely should use something that’s rated for moisture. Because we needed a lot of wood for the Daybed, we used a combo of cedar and pressure treated and painted it rather than stained it.
You might want to google Ana White. She has a lot of DIY furniture plans posted on her website and may have something similar to this. I think my husband would probably say that if you have the proper tools, it shouldn’t be that hard.
Post # 10

Member
6124 posts
Bee Keeper
I would think the drawer idea is cute and I have seen it on Pinerest, but not as beefy, sturdy or big as I’d want. Pine will just rot, so cedar or redwood is what we’d like. I see our Lowe’s does have it. I’d like to be able to sit on the ledges.
H is convivced we’re going to do this oursevles, but we are so busy that projects go by the way side! However, for $1000 a pop I think we’ll make it work with our schedule!
H and I built a very nice climbing wall in our garage, like the over hanging angled kind. We should have all the tools!