Tutorial: How to Build a Ladder Plant Stand

I actually started to work a bit outdoors, since the weather it’s starting to be nicer here in Okinawa, Japan. But all we have is a small balcony with ugly concrete flooring, so I started searching the web for inspiration for makeovers and I am happy to say that I am in the middle of giving our balcony a makeover. So today I’ll be sharing a cute Ladder Plant Stand I made, it is super practical for a small space and will hold all our veggies and flowers.

Isn’t this ladder plant stand super cute? I would have loved to use a real ladder for this, but since we are overseas my options were limited. However, building it from scratch wasn’t as hard as you may think!

How to Build a Ladder Plant Stand
by Oh Everything Handmade

 

MATERIAL

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• Total 253″ of boards ( buy – three 6 ft x 3 1/2″  + one 3 ft x 3 1/2″ )
• 2″ square legs ( 3ft tall )
• Kreg Jig
• Screwdriver
• Electric Drill
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Saw (electric or handsaw)
• Clamps
• Nails
• Screws 1″ and 1 1/2″
• Corner brackets
• Stain or Paint
• Waterproof wood finish

INSTRUCTIONS

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Leg Assembly

• Cut all the ends of the 35″ boards at a 22.5º angle. Make sure they are both the same length after the cuts
• Cut the back legs at the same height
• Add glue to each board and secure with clamps.
• Use a Kreg jig drill bit to drill a sinking hole for the screw (see images 2-3 above).
• Screw both legs together with a 1 1/2″ pocket screw

To give the top board a better hold I attached corner brackets, the top boards are 16″ long and 3 1/2″ wide. Gluing the two boards together before assembly is recommended.

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Horizontal board assembly

• Measure 11″ from the top down on both legs
• Drill pocket holes on each end of the support boards (see image above and below)
• Align and level the horizontal boards between legs (TIP: to keep the boards in place use clamps but only tighten them slightly so you can still move the horizontal board)
• Use 1 1/2″ pocket screws to attach the boards onto the legs (additional gluing is optional)
• When attaching the front board make sure it is lowered by 3/4″ – measure 11 3/4″ from the top down

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Attach the shelves

• The boards for the second shelving measure 8.5″  x 3 1/2″
• Drill pocket holes at the bottom (one side only)
• Gluing the boards to each other is recommended (make sure to let them dry before continuing)
• Align, level and attach the boards with 1″ pocket hole screws
• Use scrap wood for the sides (this it to cover any gaps and to close of the shelving)

• Use wood glue and a clamp to secure the wooden piece on the side (as seen above). I also used two screws on the bottom to connect the pieces

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Bottom Board Assembly

• The boards for the bottom shelving measure 15″ x 3 1/2″
• For the sides I used 3/4″ thick scrap wood that I cut to 1 3/4″ x 15″
• Add pocket holes to one side of all the boards, including the side boards
• Once everything is attached, glue and nail the front piece on – my measurements are 1 3/4″ x 15 1/2″

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Sand, Stain, and Apply a Waterproof Finish

• I only sanded the corners and where I had written on
• Once sanded, dust the ladder shelves off and start applying the stain or paint
• I used black water-based stain, mixed with a water-based weathered wood stain
  • Stain mixture: 3/4 part black stain with 1/4 part weathered wood stain
• Let dry overnight and apply 1-2 coats of waterproof sealer

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Want more gardening ideas? Check out this garden fence from Betty over at Oh Everything Handmade:

DIY // HOW TO MAKE A GARDEN FENCE

 

 

 

and more garden ideas like these here on Remodelaholic: