My friends at The Home Depot asked me to design a vertical garden project for their DIY Workshop program. This vertical garden is made from a series of DIY stackable planters. The individual planters are easy to make and when they're stacked together, they create a dramatic vertical garden that can dramatically transform an outdoor space. Keep your eyes open for more free workshops hosted at your local Home Depot.

Click here to register for The Home Depot DIY Workshop in your area and keep check out The Home Depot Apron Blog for updates and variations of this project.

SUPPLIES:

2x4s
Available at The Home Depot
I used 2x4s to make the bottom of the planters.

2x10s
Available at The Home Depot
I used 2x10s to make the short sides of the planters. 2x12s can be used to make wider planters and 2x8s to make narrower planters.

Deck Boards
Available at The Home Depot
I used 1x4 tropical hardwood deck boards for the sides of the planters. The wood is similar to pine and is naturally rot and bug resistant. Cedar or redwood would have also been good choices that weather well outdoors. Regular 1x4s or 1x3s could also be used to make rougher and less expensive planters.

Screws
Available at The Home Depot
I used 1 5/8" long stainless steel screws. Coated deck screws would have worked fine and been cheaper, but I like the look of the stainless steel.

Wire Mesh
Available at The Home Depot
Wire mesh stapled to the bottom or the planter allows drainage, but prevents the plastic from tearing under the weight of wet soil.

6mil Plastic Sheeting
Available at The Home Depot
I stapled plastic sheeting to the sides of the planters to serve as waterproofing.

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill
Available at Home Depot








RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw
Available at Home Depot

INSTRUCTIONS:

Download the Stackable Planters Plan »





STEP 1: Layout Your Design
This design is really flexible and can be made in different sizes and configurations. You can make these planters up to 4 feet long and as deep as you want. Plan out the number of boxes and configuration that will work best for your space and don’t forget to account for how much wet soil can weigh.



STEP 2: Cut the 2x10s
I started by cutting the 2x10s for one of the long planters. I clamped a speed square to the board to guide the circular saw so that I could keep my cuts nice and square. A compound mitre saw works well if you have one, but a standard circular saw is totally adequate.









STEP 3: Cut the 2x4s + Deck Boards
I cut the 2x4s and deck boards with a circular saw. I didn’t clamp a speed square since these boards are narrow and the circular saw doesn't have far to travel.







STEP 4: Pre-drill Through the Deck Boards
Since I used hardwood deck boards, I decided to pre-drill holes before driving screws. This prevents the wood from splitting when driving screws near the edges.









STEP 5: Screw the Bottom Deck Boards to the 2x4s
I started assembling the planters by screwing the bottom deck boards to the 2x4s. I left 1.5" of space between the ends of the deck boards and the ends of the 2x4s. This space will accommodate the thickness of the 2x10s. I used scrap pieces of 2x4s as spacers for assembling.









STEP 6: Screw On the Sides
As you screw the deck boards onto the 2x10s, periodically use a speed square to make sure everything is square.











STEP 7: Cut the Wire Mesh
Cut a rectangular piece of wire mesh with tin snips or wire cutters. The wire mesh will line the bottom of the planter. Bend a groove in it that will create a drainage trough between the 2x4s in the bottom of the planter.









STEP 8: Staple in the Mesh
Place the mesh into the bottom of the planter and staple it to the 2x4s.





STEP 9: Line the Planter with Plastic Sheeting
I cut the plastic sheeting with scissors and then stapled it into the inside walls of the planters.









STEP 10: Poke Drainage Holes
I used a screwdriver to poke drainage holes through the plastic sheeting along the the wire mesh trough.





STEP 11: Fill + Stack!
I filled the planters with soil and added plants. The planters can be arranged in a number of different ways and making additional side panels can give you more options for stacking them.















Good luck making your own stackable planters and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

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