Tools and Materials

Tools

Circular saw
Jigsaw
Straightedge
Half-round file (optional)
Cordless drill with driver bits
1/8-in drill bit
Random-orbit sander and 150-grit sandpaper
Wood clamps
Hacksaw
Caulking gun
Painter’s tape
Carpenter’s square
Electronic stud finder

Materials

1 x 8 x 8 pine board (1 per window box)
5/4 x 6 x 8 treated deck board per window box
3 - 3/8 x 2 x 3 pine boards per window box
3/4 x 36 square poplar dowel (1 per window box)
2 x 12 x 12 pine board (enough for 3 window boxes)
2-in deck screws
2-1/2-in deck screws
9.8 oz. silicone caulk
1/4-in fender washers
1/4-in hex nuts
1/4-in x 4-in eye bolts
1/2-in x 4-in zinc screw hooks
Valspar exterior latex primer, quart, #165218
Valspar Ultra exterior semigloss paint, quart, Pantone Universe Palm (#PN11030)

Note

Items may be Special Order in some stores. Product costs, availability, and item numbers may vary online or by market. Paint colors may vary slightly from those shown. Availability varies by market for lumber species and sizes.

Instructions

These boxes hold potted plants and provide drainage so they can hang around for a long time. The box is easily adapted to your window. Add or subtract to the length in 3-inch increments up to 39 inches. The window boxes are centered on the window and can be slightly wider for a single window or slightly narrower for multiple windows.

Cut the Sides

Cut 22-inch-long 2 x 12s to make a blank for each planter end (A). Mark out the circles using a compass on one. Then draw the connecting lines and make the cuts with a jigsaw (Project Diagram, Drawing 1).

Good to Know

Use the appropriate jigsaw blade for the material to be cut. Very small teeth like a hacksaw blade cut metal, and larger teeth cut wood. In general, the thicker the material, the wider the blade you will need so it won’t flex around curves. Next, count the teeth. More teeth make a cleaner cut, but they can burn the wood. Fewer teeth remove wood faster, but leave a rougher cut.

Sand the cut edges of the ends. If the shape is very rough, a half-round file can be used to help shape the curves and make them flow smoothly. Use the flat side for the outside curves and the round face for the inside curves. Then sand the finished shape. Set the finished end on top of the remaining end blanks and align the edges. Trace the shape and cut the remaining ends along the traced lines.

Good to Know

Each side will be a little different because they are traced and shaped individually. Using the original as a template will help keep all of the sides close to the same shape.

Secure the ends to the front, back, and bottom using screws

Flip the box on to its top and raise it off the work surface with 1/4-inch-thick spacers. Now rest the ends against the box, mark out the screw locations, and drive screws through the ends into the front, back, and slats (Project Diagram, Drawing 3).

Good to Know

Note the locations of screws securing the ends to the front, back, and slats. Wood will expand and contract as the humidity changes. The screw positioning allows the sides to change width through the season without splitting the ends.

Finish and Install

Apply an exterior primer and two coats of exterior paint to the planter box. The planter boxes can be attached to wall studs, the structural sheathing that makes up the outside of your home, or to brick. Your installation may be slightly different from those shown in the illustrations (Project Diagram, Drawings 4 and 5).

Good to Know

When drilling holes in the outside face of your home, locate the studs underneath. To find studs beneath material like vinyl siding or wood shingles, use a stud finder and transfer the locations to the siding surface.

Make and Install Window Boxes

Tools and Materials

Tools

Materials

Instructions

Cut the Sides

Finish and Install

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