How to build a cedar planter box ..... or two with pocket hole joinery

Hi Folks,
With spring here and summer fast approaching I decided to build a pair of cedar planter boxes for the house.
I like working with cedar for outdoor projects but be forewarned, prices on lumber have really increased recently and that applies to cedar as well.
For materials (these are rough estimates as I had cedar on hand), I used the following for ONE planter box. Double the material if you intend to build 2 planters. Purchase materials based upon your sizing requirements.
LEGS - 1 - 4x4x8 cedar post
SIDES - 2 - 5/4x6x8 cedar boards (each board on the sides is 12" long. 3 boards per side x 4 sides = 12' of usable board. So any combination of boards to get to that length, i.e., 2 - 5/4x6x8, 1 - 5/4x6x14, etc.)
TOP - 1 - 5/4x6x8
1-1/2" pocket screws. I bought 2 boxes of 50. One box was the Kreg brand and the other was the Armor Tool brand. I used the entire box of Kreg screws and some of the Armor Tool. Be sure to purchase screws for outdoor use.
Rough measurements:
Legs - ~2-3/4" square x ~18" high
Sides - 12" long x 5-1/2" wide
Top Picture Frame - 4" wide x ~20" at the long end of the miter

[@plembonicities6263]

Excellent job. I appreciate the fact that when you made a mistake, you shared it with us. We all make mistakes from time to time and there is an old saying that the best lessons are learned from others' mistakes. Beautiful result!

[@DIYwithDennis]

Thanks! Mistakes? Every single project! :) And as you said, that's how you learn what works and what doesn't .... Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment!

[@j.frankparnell3087]

Nice premium cedar build. I'd expect these to last for years. Looks much more solid than the typical KZbin fence picket planter.

[@DIYwithDennis]

Thanks Blaine! Agree, it will be around for a long time. Appreciate the comment and thanks for watching - Dennis

[@barnegatbaywoodworks8728]

Like the use of pocket hole joinery on this build, nice job.

[@DIYwithDennis]

Thanks for watching and the comment! Much appreciated!

[@TheDadCave]

👍 Nice work Dennis! Planters like these have been on my to do list for a while. Don’t let my wife see this. 😂

[@DIYwithDennis]

LOL!! Thanks for watching and the comment - Dennis

[@TheDadCave]

@@DIYwithDennis absolutely!

[@michaelgovers8036]

Hello Denis, what a lovely project and so nicely put together. Thank you for sharing and including the mistake, my heart dropped when I saw what happened, but we are only human :) I appreciate the measurements :) and may your God go with you.

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi Michael, thanks for the kind words .... glad you enjoyed the video - Dennis

[@williammcnabb1354]

Nice work. I'll put this on my list of projects to complete for THIS summer. :-)

[@DIYwithDennis]

Thanks William!

[@pinelandgardens7180]

Nice build looks great

[@DIYwithDennis]

Thanks! Much appreciated!

[@michelefontana6957]

Bravo bel lavoro

[@DIYwithDennis]

Grazie!!

[@1dasok]

Great video and good looking planter box. I was wondering in you list of materials you suggest 3 8' boards for the sides, is this for two planters? As for the 4x4, it figures out to be enough for one planter. Thanks !

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi 1dasok, thanks for watching and the comment! I just corrected the details so that the lumber used represents 1 planter box. The sides are 12" long, 3 per side x 4 sides = 12' of usable lumber. So any combination that gives you 12' of usable lumber will do, i.e., 2 - 5/4x6x8, 1 - 5/4x6x14, etc. And as for the legs, you are correct, the 1 4x4 represented the wood needed for the legs for 1 planter. Also added the lumber needed for the top as well. Hope this helps. Thanks for pointing that out and good luck with your project! Dennis

[@user-jw8yf9yy6u]

Hi Denis. Great job and good video. Did you use anything to seal the cedar and if so, what did you use?

[@DIYwithDennis]

Thanks Rob! The irony is that in the end, my wife wanted them painted, so they are sealed with white paint. I'm currently building 2 more cedar planters made entirely of 3/4" material. Much lighter weight than what I built here. These will not be painted and so I may look to finish with either Danish Oil or Teak Oil. But also considering Odie's oil. The literature says it can be used outdoors, has some UV protection and is moisture resistant. Not sure if it's up to par with the others but I like the fact that it's all natural so may give it a try and experiment a bit. That video should be out over the weekend and I hope to have plans for the build as well. Thanks! Dennis

[@russellbraeuer2512]

How do you like the job site saw? I’m in a garage with a bunch of kids toys. So a small space saving table saw that I can also take outside to cut wood is what I’m looking for. Just not sure if I’d sacrifice precision with the job site saw. Got a cheap Ryobi mobile saw right now. Good enough, but it vibrates a lot.

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi Russell, I've been happy with the job site pro so far. I like that it's mobile and can take it outside if desired and when not in use i can fold it up and store it neatly against the wall. I haven't had any issues with precision. I'm working on a project now where I've used it to rip and cross cut drawer slides for a cabinet as well as all the drawer boxes and no issues. Haven't had to use my miter saw at all. The safety associated with SawStop was a big plus for me as is the dust collection which is a BIG upgrade from my last job site saw. See my First look on the SawStop pro video and I talk about my dust collection set up at the very end. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the purchase. A few caveats: 1) The miter gauge that comes with the saw is nothing special and I've upgraded to an Incra SE 1000 and I'm getting accurate cross cuts with that. 2) I don't use the saw to break down sheets of plywood .... I can't imagine trying to push a sheet across the table with any level of accuracy but I sure some do. For breaking down plywood I use a track saw and TSO Products. See my assembly table video for a quick look. The TSO setup is accurate beyond belief and IMHO a lot safer. Thanks for the question and good luck with your purchase!

[@russellbraeuer2512]

@@DIYwithDennis same with me and plywood. Track saw feels much safer. Thanks for sharing your experience with the saw.

[@wharfrat360]

The DeWalt DWE7491RS is a beast if you can swing it!

[@JoeL-zx2tl]

Just stopped by to view …..nice. Did you use glue with the pocket hole screws ?

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi Joe! Thanks! nope, I didn't use any glue - thanks, Dennis

[@veritas4us]

Hi Dennis, how long did this take to make ?

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi Paul, I completed these start to finish over the course of a weekend. I think if you really dedicated a full day to the project you can probably get it done, but certainly over the course of a weekend. Lots of repetitive cuts .... 8 legs all with the same dimensions, walls of the planter are all the same size, top pieces all the same dimensions as well. So that makes the cut list very straight forward and then it's just a matter of assembly. Thanks for the question and good luck with your project! Dennis

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi Folks, check out my newest planter box build - it's made of all 3/4" material versus 5/4" decking. It's a faster build and a much more lightweight planter. box due to using 3/4" material. Here's the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKeVYneCjKp1mLM

[@smattt]

So I'm not the only one who screws on boards with the pocket holes facing the wrong way. I just did that a few hours ago and figured I was the dumbest woodworker to ever exist.

[@DIYwithDennis]

LOL! Not at all! I just made the same mistake on another project I'm working on so you are not alone. Thanks for watching and the comment! - Dennis

[@jefferynordgulen4436]

What the heck you making a planter to survive the Apocalypse

[@DIYwithDennis]

LOL! Yes, it will be around for a while for sure!

[@user-xz4rk4le8f]

Это кашпо?

[@DIYwithDennis]

Hi, I don't speak Russian but with the help of google, the best i can tell is that you're asking me if this is a planter box for flowers .... if that is true, the answer is Yes. With the help of Google translation, here is the response in Russian .... Привет, я не говорю по-русски, но с помощью Google лучшее, что я могу сказать, это то, что вы спрашиваете меня, не является ли это горшок для цветов ... если это правда, то ответ - да.

[@user-xz4rk4le8f]

DIY with Dennis , o'key