Creating your own window box has never been easier. Many home improvement centers and lumber stores carry pre-made window boxes ranging in materials such as plastics, composites and natural wood. While these planters are very nice and easy to install, they don’t always fit all windows perfectly. They may overlap the window frame or be too short.
This is where making your own custom window box planter comes in handy. You can design one to fit your own window easily with the easy to follow contained in this article. In my window box planter I used an all cedar box with plastic inserts. Although you could use about any material, I find that cedar has a nice look and doesn’t rot from the soil and water inside of the box. It can be left to naturally fade gray in the weather or you can buy an inexpensive water seal to protect the wood and keep its dark red color throughout the years.
I made my window box planter four feet long. When I went to my local home improvement center, I bought two eight foot long pieces of 1×6 cedar. One side is finish and the other side was rough cut. The rough cut side can be either turned in or out when you build your window box planter, depending on how rustic you want your window box. I also bought a box of 6d galvanized spiral shanked finish nails.
Once I got my lumber home, I put it up on a pair of sturdy sawhorses. I got out an extension cord and my circular saw. First I made two measurements of four feet and cut the 1×6 on my marks. This will be the front and back of the window planter. Next I cut the last piece of 1×6 at four feet again. This piece I used as the bottom.
Now take the remaining 4 feet of 1×6 cedar plank and make a measurement of 5 ½ inches. Cut two of these pieces. Now you have a square 5 ½ x 5 ½ inches. These will be the ends of your window box planters.
Now that all your pieces are cut, it’s a good time to stain them with water sealant. This will protect the wood from weather damage that is caused by wind, sun and water.
Assemble the front to the bottom using the 6d spiral shanked finish nails. You can pre-drill the nail holes if you want to but it’s not necessary. Counter sink the nails with a nail punch. Having a helper hold the window box planter while you’re nailing it is an easy way to get the job done.
Now that the front is attached to the bottom, you can now attach the back to the bottom. Sandwich the front and back over the bottom piece and nail it with the finish nails. You want to drive a nail about every nine inches or so. This makes sure the wood will take the weight.
Insert the sides into their slot. You defiantly need to pre-drill the ends before you nail them in place. Only drive a few nails into the ends. Use some wood glue before hand to strengthen the bond between the end caps and the rest of the wood box planter. Carefully counter sink any exposed nails and wipe off any excess glue with a wet rag.
You can now attach you window box planter to your window. If you have a concrete block home, pre-drill some holes and insert a few Tapcons. For wood framed homes, you can use a few galvanized lag screws or wood screws. Just make sure they can be used outdoors or they will rot off.
