Introduction: Installing a Planter/window Box.......... the Easy Way

About: I live in the UK, and own a small business designing and building: Cargo Carrying Bicycles, Bike Trailers, Pedal Powered Utility Trucks & Vans, Pedal Racing Cars and Human Powered Vehicles, lightweight Pony Ca…

This is another of my Reclaimed Pallet Timber projects. This is about the easiest way to install a planter or window box to other structures such as  fences, sheds, garages, and other walls, etc. This method allows easy removal and installation of the planter box when carrying out maintenance, cleaning, replanting, etc.

It is not my idea, but one that I got from a (UK) Channel 4 TV programme about rented properties back in about 1984; if you fix something to the wall of a rented property it becomes part of the fixtures and fittings. I have installed kitchen wall units in this manner, and when we left that property, to the absolute dismay and utter disgust of our then landlord (who thought he was getting the almost new kitchen wall units) only a set of timber rails were left fixed onto the wall. The most successful use of this angled rail for me, was to fit the bowl boxes to the sides of the kennels that my lurchers had, as it meant the bowl boxes could be removed on a regular basis for cleaning. I now have three planter boxes fitted to two of my IBC water tanks using this method:  https://www.instructables.com/id/Cladding-a-1000-ltr250-gallon-IBC-water-tank/ and they are currently filled with various small Alpine Succulents, Pansies, Violas, and Petunias.

I have used reclaimed pallet timbers throughout this little project, but there is no reason you cannot use better quality wood. A word of advice; if you paint these rails with gloss paint, be sure to cover the mating surfaces of the angle cuts with some tape; electrical tape, gaffer tape, duct tape, etc. as this will prevent the two painted surfaces sticking together.

Step 1: Marking Out and Setting Up.

Use a 4" X 2", 6" X 3" or other suitably sized piece of timber, where one face is twice the size of the other (or thereabouts), and mark the centre (I am using a length of reclaimed pallet stringer).

Set the saw to cut at 45* and then set the rip fence/cutting guide so the saw blade cuts along the mitred line. Please remember to have the saw unplugged when setting up, or in my case the battery removed from my cordless circular saw ... wood is a lot cheaper than fingers!

Cut the full length of your chosen piece of timber at 45*:

Step 2:

One piece of timber is screwed to the planter/box/unit, etc, and the second piece is screwed to wall,/fence/ shed, etc.

Step 3:

You will need to add a packer, of the same thickness as the mitered rail so that you planter, etc. will sit correctly, in this case the packer has been fixed to the wall of the water container. Here is a photo  of my small planter for succulent plants fitted to the front of our 1000 litre water container. The planter can be very easily removed and refitted whenever any maintenance, cleaning or re-potting is required. The additional packer has been left untreated so that you see it clearly in the photo.