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$20 Raised Planter Box

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Build your own raised planter box for about $20!  This is a kid friendly build, a perfect family project. Free plans from Ana-White.com

Raised beds for gardening can be so expensive!  Here's a quick and easy DIY to build your own for about $20 each!  The secret? Use inexpensive cedar fence pickets for the sides.  

Video Tutorial

Watch our quick video on building this planter for lots of tips and tricks, and see it come together.

 

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$20 Raised Planter Box

Dimensions
raised garden bed
Dimensions shown in diagram for cedar garden box

Preparation

Shopping List
  • 1 - 1x2 @ 8 feet long (furring strips are fine)
  • 4 - 5-1/2" wide cedar fence pickets (can be dogeared)
  • 1 - 2x2 @ 8 feet long (furring strips are fine)
  • About 50 - 1-1/4" self tapping wood screws (I used these)
  • landscaping fabric for the bottom
  • About 3 cubic yards of soil
Cut List

4 - 2x2 @ 23-3/4" - legs

4 - 5-1/2" wide cedar fence pickets @ 35-1/2" - sides

4 - 5-1/2" wide cedar fence pickets @ 17" - ends

2 - 1x2 @ 34" (recommend cutting this one to fit as the length could change slightly depending on board thicknesses) - bottom supports

2 - 1x2 @ 14" - inside slat ends

4 - 5-1/2" wide cedar fence pickets @ 17" - main slats

Tools
Tape Measure
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Drill
Miter Saw

Instructions

Step 1

Build the two ends with 1-1/4" screws, two per joint, attaching the shorter cedar fence pickets to the legs.  Everything is flush to outside edges.

Step 2

Attach the longer cedar fence pickets to the legs with all outside edges flush.

Step 3

Measure and cut the cleats.  Attach to the legs with 1-1/4" screws, two screws per joint.

Step 4

Lay the slats evenly inside the planter box.  Attach with a single screw per joint.

Project Type
Outdoor Projects
Planters, Garden Beds, and Greenhouses
Room
Outdoor

Comments

kine97

Sat, 04/11/2020 - 16:32

I made this today. Thank you for sharing your plans! I'm looking forward to planting a little bit with my grandchildren. I used deck boards, fence pickets, and ripped down a 2 x 4 for the legs that I had on hand.

GBev44

Fri, 04/09/2021 - 13:35

Built two of these for my wife this afternoon. Very simple project. Perfect for beginners.

I highly recommend investing in a battery powered brad nailer for projects like this. I was able to complete both of them in just under an hour and a half. Screwing things together can be cumbersome and take forever.