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D.I.Y. stackable wooden planters

Six wooden planter boxes with plants stacked in a three-level pyramid

Overview

A vertical garden made from stackable wooden planters will create a fantastic feature in any size garden. Easy to build, you can use them to add a splash of colour to your backyard or even grow fresh herbs for the kitchen. 

Steps

1Cut your timber to size

We've designed our planters in two different sizes – 600mm and 300mm wide. The lengths of 84mm x 19mm blackwood decking timber for both are listed below.

You can either get the 600mm timber pre-cut at Bunnings, or for the 300mm option just measure and mark the pieces and cut them with a drop saw. Label each piece and put them in their groups, so you remember where they go.

Keep at least eight off-cuts to use as spacers.

600mm box

  • 600mm (front and back) x 6
  • 560mm (base) x 3
  • 275mm (sides and bottom blocks) x 8
  • 219mm (internal blocks) x 8

300mm box

  • 300mm (front and back) x 6
  • 260mm (base) x 3
  • 275mm (sides and bottom blocks) x 8
  • 219mm (internal blocks) x 8
A person cutting a length of timber using a drop saw

2Build the front of the planter

Prepare your workbench by clamping a 750mm wooden block along the back to use as a square. Lay the three pieces of timber for the front of the planter horizontally on the work bench. Place your 10mm plastic packers in between these horizontal pieces to make sure they are spaced evenly apart. Then place two internal pieces over the top, 300mm apart. Place two spacers against the wooden block at each end of your vertical pieces. Square up the horizontal pieces with another piece of wood. 

A person arranging three lengths of timber with spacers in between them

3Glue and fix the front of the planter

Apply PVA wood glue to the horizontal pieces of timber, to attach the vertical piece. Put the vertical pieces of timber in place. Use the nail gun to secure the vertical pieces to the horizontal pieces of timber. Mark where the top of each panel is after you have finished them. Repeat the above steps to build the second front for the planter.

A person applying glue to short lengths of timber

4Build the side and base panels

To build the first side panel, just follow the same process as before. The only difference is in the spacing between the internal timber blocks, which'll need to be closer together. Repeat this process to build the other side panels and base.

A person attaching pieces of timber using a nail gun

5Put the planter together

Apply wood glue to the vertical blocks where they will be joined to the side panel. Put the side panel in place and use the nail gun to secure the panels together. Repeat this process until all the sides are attached.

A person joining two panels of timber at right angles

6Insert the base

Once the front and sides have been secured, turn the planter over. Apply glue around the edges of the planter and put the base into position. Use the nail gun to secure the base to the front and sides of the planter.

A person attaching two lengths of timber to the bottom of a planter

7Finish off the planter

You can paint, stain or oil your planter, depending on the look you want. Remember, before you put any soil in, place weed matting down to protect the timber from rotting.
Six wooden planter boxes with plants stacked in a three-level pyramid

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Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.