DIY Window Boxes

I've been working on a little something that has taken me out of the kitchen and into my "workshop." My workshop is nothing fancy, just a storage shed full of the kids bikes, scooters and toys. When I manage to haul all of their junk out, I can do a little woodworking. Springtime is just around the corner, well here in Texas it's 80 degrees already and it's only mid-January, and that has me wanting to do some gardening. Our front porch was in desperate need of some sprucing up and some inviting color so I wanted some flower boxes.

After months of looking online and in stores for flower boxes that I could hang from my front porch railing, I couldn't find what I wanted, so I decided to make my own. The pre-made options just didn't have what I was looking for, they were either too small or way too expensive. I found a great tutorial on building your own here and made my own adjustments for length and a very simple trim. The materials only cost $75 and that's for 2 very large flower boxes.

Here's what lumber you will need to make two 4 foot long and 8 inch wide window boxes:
1 - 1 x 6 @ 8 feet long
2 - 1 x 8 @ 10 feet long
6 - 1 x 2 @ 8 feet long or other trim/molding
exterior wood screws like decking screws (1 5/8 inches)
wood glue
trim nails or finishing brads
hammer
miter box and hand saw or power saw
Carpenter's square
drill
1/2 inch drill bit
wood filler
putty knife
sandpaper
1/2 plastic tubing
Primer
Paint
Heavy duty plastic sheeting (4 mil or thicker)
Staple gun and staples
6 universal railing brackets

To start, cut the 1 x 6 x 8ft in half so you have two 4 foot sections, set one aside for the second window box. Next take the 1 x 8 x 10ft. and cut two pieces at 5 1/2 inches and two pieces at 49 1/2 inches. You should now have the main pieces of the box cut. Fit pieces together and using the deck screws assemble the box.

Using the 1 x 2 x 8ft fit the trim around the front 3 sides of the box. Cut each trim piece to fit and at a 45 degree angle so the corners will look professional and square. For more information on how to do this, go to the tutorial here. Attach trim to top edge and bottom of edge of box with finishing nails and wood glue. Add wood filler to any cracks or nail holes, sand smooth when dry.

To the right is a close up of the trim. I chose a very simple and clean trim, however, ornate baseboard and quarter round make a beautiful trim.

The nail holes have been covered with wood filler and sanded smooth. When ready to paint, vacuum the box and wipe down with a damp cloth to remove all dust.

Using the drill and 1/2 inch drill bit, drill 5 holes in the base of the box for drainage. Prime and paint your box. Alternatively, an outdoor wood stain and an outdoor polyurethane would look great for a more rustic look.

Measure out the plastic sheeting to hang over the edges of the box so there will be enough sheeting to fold over and staple once down inside the trough of the box. 

Line the inside of the box with the plastic sheeting, leaving a small amount at the top to fold over. 

Fold the edge over and staple into place. Take your time and check that the sheeting is flat along the sides, corner and bottom of the trough so when it is filled with dirt it does not rip the plastic sheeting at the staples. Take extra care on the short edges and trim any excess plastic so it folds nicely, if necessary. 

Get the tubing and serrated knife ready to push through the drainage holes in the bottom of the box.

Make a small hole in the plastic sheeting at the first hole with your knife, Then push the tubing from the inside of the box through the hole until it is flush with the outside/bottom of the box. Trim the excess tubing with the knife. Only put tubing in 3 of the 5 drainage holes, allowing any moisture to drain if water gets underneath the plastic lining. 

Fill with potting soil and your favorite flowers taking care to plant what will grow in your space. My porch is very shady so I can only grow plants that love low light, but if you are lucky to have full sun the options are endless. Try planting a few tall flowers like these Calla Lilies to add height and some shorter flowering plants like Primrose to fill in the spaces. Also, leave room for growth most of the plants at the nurseries are still in a very immature state and will grow substantially over the season.