12 DIY Planter Boxes You Can Make in a Day (2024)

Home Outdoors Planters

If you're short on space or don't want to dig up your yard to put in plants, planter boxes are a good option. Here are 12 DIY planter boxes you can make in a day or two at most.

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Raised Wooden Planter Box with Benches

This DIY wooden planter box features built-in benches for leisurely gardening. Having a raised wooden planter makes gardening easier on your back and knees and with these benches you can even sit while pulling weeds!

If you notice a bug problem in your garden, check out the 10 worst garden insects and how to get rid of them.

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Family Handyman

Easy Window Planter

You can build this wooden planter box in less than an hour. You’ll need to cut out holes with a jigsaw and attach the outdoor planter boxes to the house with some screws. Use the clay pots to add some color and up your home’s curb appeal.

Here are some more ways to add curb appeal for less than $50.

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Straw Bale Outdoor Planter Box

If you want to try straw bale gardening on a small scale, make a straw bale planter box. It does take 10 to 14 days to condition the bale, but after that you’ll have it planted in no time.

In case you’re wondering, here are the 11 best plants for container gardening.

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Family Handyman

Deck Railing Planter

If you have a deck, consider building this super-simple deck railing planter. With just a few materials and an hour of work you can learn how to make a wooden planter box like this. This planter adds color to your outdoor living space.

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Family Handyman

Mini Planters

What about everyone who doesn’t have a yard in which to put a planter box? This DIY air plant planter is perfect indoors or out.

You can also use recycled glass jars for simple mini succulent planters.

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Family Handyman

Self-Watering Planter Boxes

OK, this self-watering wooden planter box takes two days to build, but it is definitely worth the effort. Here are eight reasons to build it!

1. It saves your back and knees.
2. You’ll have fewer weeds.
3. It waters your plants while you’re away.
4. It saves water.
5. You’ll have fresh veggies steps from your back door.
6. It’s easy to create the perfect soil.
7. It protects your veggies from hungry critters.
8. It’s a handsome addition to your patio.

Find complete DIY how-to instructions here.

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Family Handyman

Bamboo Planter Box and Trellis

This unique planter will probably take a couple of days to build, but it’s worth it. The bamboo is beautiful, especially when your vining plants incorporate with the trellis. Put several of these planter trellises together and you have a living privacy screen.

Complete, detailed how to make a wooden planter box instructions are here.

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Deck Rail Planter Box

This sturdy deck planter has a clever design so it can rest securely on a 2×4 or 2×6 deck railing or sit on a patio, porch or deck floor without tipping. And, it’s easy to modify the plans to whatever length you want.

Here are the complete DIY how to make a wooden planter box instructions.

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Family Handyman

Raised Mini-Garden Planter

This attractive planter provides 8 square feet of planting space—enough for a bountiful salad garden. Need more planting space than that? Make multiple planters!

Check out the complete DIY how to make a wooden planter box instructions here.

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Family Handyman

One-Day Garden Planter Box and Pond

This planter box has space for regular plants and water plants. It may take beginners more than a day to build this, but it’s not overly complicated and requires only basic tools.

Learn how to build this planter pond with this complete tutorial.

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GRO Products

Cedar Planter Stand

This space-saving planter box stand is made in the USA from western red cedar. The 20-inch-wide removable planter boxes are made in Italy and they come in eight colors. All assembly hardware is included. Get all of the ordering information here.

Love the look of cedar? Here is a cedar potting bench project you’ve got to see.

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Pizza Club

DIY Planter with Stand

This project is inexpensive and will take you less than a day, once you have all your materials, plus it’s a great way to brighten up your outdoor living space or use it indoors.

Rachel Brougham lived through a major home renovation in 2019, knows the ups and downs of home improvement, and loves sharing tips with readers. A veteran journalist of both print and television, she’s won several awards for her writing and has covered everything from the environment and education to health care, politics and food. She’s written for several publications beyond newspapers including Bob Vila, Taste of Home and Minnesota Parent, and she currently writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column. Her memoir, Widowland, about the sudden loss of her husband, was published in 2022. She specializes in everything from home decor and design to lawn and garden, product reviews and pet care. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her tending to her garden (both vegetables and native plants), playing with her dog, watching sports with her family or getting some exercise. A native of Michigan, she currently lives in Minneapolis. An avid user of Instagram, you can follow her @RachBrougham.