Cabinet Door Planter

A chance encounter with a wood working friend provided me with a small windfall of several factory fresh cabinet doors. My wife wanted to expand her yard plants provided the spark, and so was born the idea of a planter made from simple cabinet doors. Easy to make, and their simplicity and factory finish give a project with eye-appeal and service.

4 - cabinet doors of the same size and finish. (some kitchen restorations in the neighborhood might provide them for free!)

4 - 2'x2' pine cut to suit the vertical measurement of your door choice

1 - 1/4' plywood panel cut to fit the bottom dimensions of your planter design.

wood glue (outdoor type), air nails, pain for the raw wood.

Cut all parts and take the time to check fit before actual construction. Sand all wood surfaces on the raw wood smooth to insure good glue bonds and fit. On the doors themselves, select those edges that will be the vertical edges on the back of each door and lightly sand them so as to make a good bonding surface for the glue up as shown. On two of the doors carefully glue a 2'x2' along the vertical edge on each side as shown, and once dry, air nail the panels to the 2'x2' to insure solid construction. Nail from the panels into the 2'x2' boards for best appearance. Using the prepared door panels with their 2'x2' edges, align the other door panels along the 2'x2' as guides and glue and nail the two remaining panels to form your box.

Now, paint the bottom panel (1/4' plywood), and glue and nail it to the bottom of the planter on the corners. DO NOT nail it along the edges in anyway, as this small gap is the wrap-around drainage for the planter. If you want to used these in the house, set them in trays to catch any drainage.

Congratulations, you now have the first of your easy planters for the patio. Remember that to keep it simple is the best design goal, in the arena of cost, construction,and usage.