Plants make for a beautiful addition to any home. The problem is, when you have many plants outside the house, it can be challenging to highlight their unique beauty and make them look more orderly.
Luckily, DIY outdoor plant stands provide a solution for this. With a dedicated stand, shelf, or ladder for your plants, you’ll be able to display them better. At the same time, you’ll get to elevate the beauty of your porch or patio, with your plants serving as great décor.
By making your own, you’ll also be able to tailor-fit your plant stand to the needs of your plants and outdoor space. Here are a few ideas you can check out in assembling your own outdoor plant stand.
DIY Outdoor Plant Stand
DIY Singular Outdoor Plant Stand
This outdoor plant stand is perfect if you’re looking to have a dedicated plant stand for each of your plants. It is an excellent choice if you have bigger plants you want to show off in your outdoor space. The bonus is that it is relatively easy to build and is a great place to start for beginners.
Here’s what you will need in making your own singular outdoor plant stand:
- 3/4” hardwood dowel*
- 1 1/2” x 3/4” hardwood lumber**
- 1/8” dowels
*Note: You may use red oak, walnut, rosewood, teak, or others.
**Note: This must be the same wood type as the dowel you chose.
You will also be needing the following tools:
- Wood glue
- Natural wood finish
- Drill press
- 3/4” Forstner bit
- Table saw or jigsaw
- Clamps
- Orbital palm sander
- Fine grit sandpaper
To create your outdoor singular plant stand, follow these steps:
Step 1: Prepare Needed Parts
- Cut down two 1 1/2” x 3/4”. Ensure the cut lumber is longer than the diameter of the pot you’re planning to place on the stand. These cut wood will serve as the crossbars.
- For each cut length, measure the midpoint and cut out a 3/4” x 3/4” notch using a table saw or jigsaw.
- Clamp the crossbars into the drill press. Then, mill out the ends of the crossbars halfway across the Forstner bit.
- Next, drill holes 1/8” wide at the center of the end of each crossbar. These holes must be 1/2” deep.
- Decide on how high you want your plant stand to be. Cut out four lengths of 3/4” dowel corresponding to your desired height.
- Then, drill holes 1/8” wide in each of the 3/4” dowels. The holes must be placed at your desired elevation from the ground—that is, how high you would want the base of your pot to be at.
Note: For best results, consider using a self-centering drill press jig.
Step 2: Assemble and Furnish
- You can now assemble the pieces. Use dowels to make sure everything fits. Also, check if you can place the outdoor plant stand firmly on the ground. If anything is amiss, use a belt sander to make adjustments for leveling. You can also widen the notches in the crossbars by using a coarse file or a table saw or jigsaw.
- Once everything is pieced together, you can then sand each piece.
- Next, use wood glue in each dowel hole and joint to ensure the sturdiness of the plant stand. Make sure to clamp everything tightly together and let it sit undisturbed for six to 12 hours before moving it.
- Finally, use your choice of varnish or paint to seal and protect the wood.
DIY A-Frame Outdoor Plant Stand
If you fancy creating something capable of holding many plants of different sizes, you can’t go wrong with this A-frame outdoor plant stand. Thanks to the A-base, this stand is both sturdy and classy. It also has its own planter boxes, which you can design depending on what look you’d like your plant stand to take.
To make this plant stand, here are the materials you need to prepare:
- (4) 2 x 2 at 36”
- (6) 2 x 2 at 30”
- (2) 1 x 4 a 12 ¾”
- (2) 1 x 4 at 29 ½”
- (2) 1 x 4 at 20”
- (2) 1 x 4 at 29 ½”
- (1) ¾” piece of plywood at 11.75” x 28.5”
- (1) ¾” piece of plywood at 19” x 28.5”
Other necessary tools to prepare are:
- Golden hinges
- Brad nails
- Wood glue
- 2 ½” pocket hole screws
- Varathane Golden Oak (or any other stain)
- Circular saw
- Brad nailer
- Drill
- Impact drill
- Kreg jig
- Right angle clamp
To create this outdoor plant stand, here are the instructions you have to follow:
Step 1: Build the A-Frame
- Start assembling the necessary materials for building the frame: four 2x2s at 36” and six 2x2s at 30”.
- Place two 2x2s at 36” parallel to one another. Connect these two pieces using three 2x2s at 30”, placed at the top, bottom, and midpoint of the 36” pieces. This will become the first piece of your frame.
- Repeat the steps above to create the second piece of the frame. Make this as similar and equal to the first piece you created.
- Use a right-angle clamp to hold the pieces in place. Then, using a jig on a 1 ½” setting, with 2 ½” pocket hole screws, assemble all sides.
Step 2: Add Golden Hinges to the Frame
- Use golden hinges to attach both sides of the frame. Place the hinges where you want them to be, and mark the places you will drill the screws into.
- Use a drill to create holes for the screw.
- Screw in the hinge, preferably using a screwdriver.
- Once the two frames are assembled, spread them out a bit to create an A-Frame.
Step 3: Build the Planter Boxes
- Connect the 1x4s to the plywood using wood glue and brad nails. Secure them in place using a brad nailer for added stability.
- Use the smaller plywood as a base for the planter box in the higher rung of the A-Frame. You will use the bigger plywood for the lower rung.
Step 4: Assemble and Furnish
- Finally, paint and stain both the frame and the planter boxes. Use paint, stain, or varnish to ensure the frame and boxes can survive the conditions outdoors.
DIY 3-Tier Outdoor Plant Stand
Spacious and easy to build, a three-tier outdoor plant stand can be the perfect spot to place plants of varying shapes and sizes. It is an excellent option for plant lovers with a variety of outdoor plants looking for the best spot to put them all in.
To build this outdoor plant stand, you will need the following:
- (4) 2 x 2 at 36”
- (6) 1 x 2 at 12”
- (3) 1 x 2 at 32.5”
- (3) 1 x 2 at 32.5”
- (12) 1 x 3 at 29.5”
- (2) 1 x 2 at 12 ¾”
- (6) 1 x 2 at 12”
You will also need the following tools:
- 2” wood screws
- Wood glue
- Power drill
- Exterior paint and paint sprayer, or varnish
- Polyurethane sealer
To make your own three-tier plant stand, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create the sides by laying down the 2x2s parallel to each other and then connecting them using three 12” 1x2s placed equidistant to each other. Do this for both sides.
Step 2: Then, to complete the frame, connect the two sides by attaching the three 32.5” 1x2s at the back.
Step 3: Afterwards, attach the three 32.5” 1x3s to the back, placing them directly on top of the attached 1x2s. This will be the railing for each shelf.
Step 4: Once done, you can proceed to adding the 12 1×3 shelf slats. Use four 1x3s for each tier, making sure you space them evenly. Start with gluing the first slat at the front, working your way towards the back. Do this for the top, bottom, and middle shelf.
Step 5: Add the two 12 ¾” 1x2s atop either side of the frame, connecting the two 2x2s at each side. These will become the handles for the final shelf.
Step 6: Finally, attach two 12” 1x2s at either side of the shelf, atop the slats and perpendicular to each 1×3 railing. These will serve as the railings for the shelf on its right and left sides.
If you want to paint the shelf, make sure to sand all rough edges and wipe away excess dust. You can opt to use varnish or paint the shelf using a sprayer. Once dry, use a sealer for added protection.
Conclusion
Plants are wonderful ornaments to have at home, but you can make them look even better by building a DIY outdoor plant stand specifically for them. With some effort on your end, you’ll be able to upgrade the aesthetics of your outdoor space by working on your outdoor plant stand project.