Garden & Balcony Plant Stand / Bench Seat

We have a nice little balcony at our unit that is big enough to grow things on but small enough that we need to be very space conscious. My wife is the gardener and wanted a way to raise our bamboo screen to help block the neighbours out so I designed this hardwood plant stand that also could be used as a bench seat.

To keep construction easy and cost down I made it entirely of decking material and utilised pocket-hole joinery so there are no fasteners showing and all the faces look clean and modern. Mine is made from Spotted Gum, a notoriously tough Australian wood. It is beautiful and will outlast most woods in terms of durability, but it's hard as concrete and difficult to work with at times. As this is dimensional timber most of the cuts are very simple, use whatever decking is local to you. Even pine would work for a cheaper and lighter weight option.

My stand is approximately 1200mm wide x 450mm deep x 500mm tall (48" x 18" x 20") but could be scaled to suit any space. Please note the rolling storage crates underneath are not included in this build, there will be a separate Instructable for those soon!

For this exact version as per the plans: (You can scale the materials up and down to suit)

Materials

• Approximately 12m (40') of 19x90mm (1x4") Decking (I use hardwood, but any outdoor decking will do)
• 32mm (1-1/4") Pocket Hole Screws - "F" Class for Hardwood, "C" Class for Softwood, and preferably stainless steel or blue coat for outdoor use.
• Decking Oil
• Water Proof Wood Glue
• Figure 8 Mounting Clips
• 6x Rubber Feet

Minimum Tools Required

• Circular Saw (or Hand Saw)
• Speed Square
  
• Power Drill, Drill Bits, Driver Bits
• Pocket Hole Jig (I use a Kreg K5 Pocket-Hole Jig)
• Clamps (I use Pipe Clamps, Kreg Face Clamps)
• Tape Measure (Imperial) or Metric (Aust)
• Sand Paper
• Paint/Decking Oil Brush
• PPE - Ear Defenders, Safety Glasses, Dust Mask

Alternative / Optional Tools to Make Life Easier

• Mitre Saw and/or Table Saw
• Impact Driver
• Countersink Drill Bits
• Speciality Pocket hole Clamps & Corner Clamps
• Combination Square
• Router / Router Table with 1/4" Round-over Bit
• Power Sander
• Shop-Vac

(NB: The links above will take you to Amazon.com where you can source some of the gear I use if you can't find it locally. It won't cost you any more than normal Amazon, but purchasing via that link gives me a small commission and supports my work. Thanks!)

To kick off you can download the PDF plans I made in Sketch-up and watch the video above that works hand-in-hand with this build. Between the video, plans and this Instructable, it should be a moderately easy build for anyone with woodworking experience and intermediate level build for brand new beginners.

TIP: To save money and make your life even easier with joinery, use pine decking instead of hardwood. Just keep in mind the durability and longevity of your project will be less as well.

No dimensions are critical, there is a very good chance you are going to have to adjust it to fit your deck, garden or space. As such, only the cutting list has the dimensions to give you an idea of how much material is needed to make my exact version of the plant bench. The actual joinery plans don't have the measurements on them. If you spot an error or have any questions, drop me a line. I am Australian, so material prices are in Aussie Dollars and estimate only. (AUD$).

PHOTO TIPS: During each step, check my photos for further hints and tips tagged in the pictures.

This build is the cutting is (mostly) very straight forward crosscuts. Once you have your lengths sorted either off the plans or modified for your space you can knock out (almost) every cut. Consistency is more important than complete accuracy. If you are off by a tiny amount it won't matter... as long as EVERY cut for that type of piece is off by the same amount.

TIP: Carefully measure your long pieces of decking and plan out your cuts to minimise wastage.

Don't forget your PPE before making any and all cuts!

(Check Out my video on choosing the correct dust mask here)

If you are using a mitre saw, set up a stop block for each type of piece. If you are using a circular saw and Speed Square, you should be able to clamp up to 3 pieces together and cut them all at once. A speed square is also handy at rough-cutting very long boards to make them easier to handle on the mitre saw.

Step 2a: Mark up and label your boards (which board going to give what pieces with minimal waste?).

Step 2b: Dock off the ends (cut a tiny amount off) to remove the rough cut or sealant parts.

Step 2c: Cut your pieces to length. As per the plans you should have -

• 5 Main Slats (Cut these a little oversized, we can trim them at the end.)
• 3 Leg Braces
• 4 Stretchers
• 6 Leg Pieces (will be ripped in two later)

TIP: Pick the nicest boards and faces for main slats.

A rip cut is cutting a piece of wood along its length (Making wide boards thinner). This can most easily be done on a table saw, and if you have one go for it! However, this can also safely be done with just a circular saw and edge guide as I will demonstrate here.

Step 3a: Set up your saw. The easiest way is to use the edge guide that would have come with your circular saw. You can freehand it, but these are long cuts and will be very tricky to keep straight. I find a Combination Square set to half the boards' width makes setting the blade guide a breeze.

TIP: See the first photo, and don't forget to account for the blade kerf (thickness).

Step 3b: Set up for ripping. A bench with dog holes and low dogs or track saw docking station would be perfect, but if like me you have a limited workshop, see pictures 2 and 3 for my super quick ripping jig. Basically, you can screw an "L" of thin scraps (I used 6mm (1/4") MDF) at one end of a spoil board (I used an old pallet piece) and some guide pieces down the length of the board to make a support to push your decking boards against. Get it close to 90 degrees, but no need to be pedantic, your accuracy comes from your saw guide.

Step 3c: Make your rip cuts! You will need to cut your 6 Leg Pieces in half (45mm / 1 3/4") using this method.

That's the majority of the cutting done. We can now begin the joinery and assembly steps.

To keep things simple we will make the main panel by edge joining the decking slats with pocket-hole joinery. There are other ways you could do this, but for a DIY'r with limited tools and/or a tiny workshop like mine, it is hard to beat the speed and simplicity of pocket holes. There are a number of good jigs around (you can also make your own) but I am a fan of the Kreg K5 Pocket Hole Jig. This is not a tutorial on how to set up or use pocket holes. (Plenty of good YouTube videos for that) but I will also include a video of mine on the two most popular Kreg Jigs, the K4 and the K5 and the difference between them.

Optional Video: The Kreg K4 vs K5 Pocket Hole Jigs

Step 4a: Layout your five slightly oversized Top Slats on the ground or workbench and choose your 'good' sides to be the top of the bench/planter. To help counteract cupping over time, try to arrange them with alternating grain directions (see Photo 1).

TIP: Once happy with the look and layout, line them up and mark your panel with a "Carpenter's V" so you don't forget what goes where! (Photo 2)

Step 4b: . Flip everything over, the pocket holes will go along the long edge of 4 of the 5 slats and in the back naturally. Mark the spots on the back where you are going to drill the holes with a pencil or chalk so you don't get confused later. I space mine every 200mm (8") or so starting 50mm (2") from each edge. (I alternate my spacing but there is no real need to do so).

Step 4c: Set up your pocket hole jig for your material thickness (19mm / 1 1/4" in most cases but check your decking thickness carefully).

Step 4d: Drill out your marked pocket holes using the jig. I used an incredibly tough Aussie timber called Spotted Gum. 95% of decking out there will be much easier to drill, I had to take it nice and slow. Don't forget the dust extraction, it really helps.

Step 4e (Optional): I applied a thin coat of polyurethane glue along the edges of my boards before screwing them together. As usual with pocket holes, this is not really needed as the screws are more than strong enough. However, as I didn't joint the edges of the boards and I wanted the top to be very waterproof, I decided to take this step. Spotted Gum is very oily so regular wood glues are not as effective. In most cases, regular waterproof wood glue will be fine.

Step 4f: Securely clamp your slates together with whatever means you have available to you. Pipe Clamps are ideal for this task. This can be tricky if you've not made a large panel before take your time. Use clamping cauls or Face Clamps to keep things flat and aligned.

Honesty Time: I used normal Fine Thread Zinc coated screws. As I'm also using waterproof glue, they will be hidden from the elements and oiled over, plus my bench won't see direct rain as it is half covered so I didn't bother getting the more expensive stainless ones. For full outdoor use, Stainless or BlueCoat would be the best option.

Step 4g: Set the clutch on the drill and drive in your pocket screws to secure the slats together. Don't forget to use "C" (Course Thread) screws for pine and "F" (Fine Thread) screws for hardwoods. If you used glue don't forget to remove the excess squeeze out before setting aside the panel to dry. (Polyurethane glue especially as it expands and is hard to get off once dry! If you can keep the panel in the cauls while the glue dries all the better.

TIP: If like me you are using ridiculously hardwood, you may be at risk of splits. Normally pocket hole screws are self-tapping. However, if your test pieces split like mine did, it is worth the time pre-drilling with a long 3mm (1/8") drill bit after clamping up and before driving your screws to help avoid this.

Now let's move on to the frame.

This frame design has 3 leg assemblies with a total of 6 legs, separated by 4 stretchers (two front and two at the back). We previously ripped down and cut to length all the components. In this step, we'll turn those 12 half-pieces of decking and 3 leg braces into strong supports then join them together to complete the bench frame.

Step 5a: Assemble 4x L-Shaped Corner Legs by drilling 4 pocket holes in each and securing them together with pocket screws. Ensure the bull-nose (rounded) outside edges remain facing outwards (See Photo 2).

TIP: Kreg Face Clamps are ideal here but really most clamps styles will be fine, whatever you have on hand.

Step 5b: Repeat the assembly for the 2x T-Shaped Middle Legs, again ensuring the bull-nose edges are away from the joint face and that the "T" is symmetrical (See Photo 3).

Step 5c: Do a dry run positioning your new legs on your top panel separated by the Leg Braces. By design, the leg assemblies should be exactly the same width as the panel. However, if you'd like a slight overhang, you can quickly trim the leg braces down until you like the look. When you are ready to commit, drill the pockets in the braces, 2 at each end, and connect them to the legs. You should now have 3 completed leg assemblies.

TIP: Now would be a good time to add a single pocket in the middle of each of the 3 Leg Braces that we'll use to help attach the top later on. In the video I did this later in the build with the portable pocket hole block but it is easier to do this pre-assembly now. (See Next Step for Photos)

Step 5d (Optional): I used a router with a 6mm (1/4") round-over bit to take off the sharp edges. Not only does this make them feel better, I like the shadow-line it will create when we add the stretchers in the next step. If you don't have a router, you can use sandpaper.

Step 5e: Grab your 4 stretchers, choose the best faces to be the outsides and once more drill 2 pocket-holes at each end of each stretcher on the inside. Again, any clamps you can make work are fine, but a pair of Corner Clamps will speed up lining things up and driving the screws in to complete the frame assembly considerably.

That's the majority of the work done! Time to protect the timber and apply the finishing touches.

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Using solid timber we have to be aware that over time changes in temperature and humidity will cause the wood to expand and contract. So the way we attach the top to the frame has to allow for this movement to avoid cracks and splits in the future. What we will do it hold it tight in the middle, but give it room to move in each direction.

Step 6a: If you followed my tip after Step 5c you will already have a pocket hole drilled in the middle of each of the 3 leg braces. If like me in the video you assembled you frame first, grab the drilling guide out of the jig, clamp it down and drill these holes now.

Step 6b: Now we can mark out and cut the eight little mortises for the Figure 8 Mounting Clips. 3 ways you do this. I used my router set to exact thickness of a clip to quickly make these cuts. If you lack a router, a forstner bit in a drill can work if you are careful. Otherwise the good ol' hammer chisel can also achieve this with care.

TIP: If using the router, clamp a couple of scraps either side of the stretcher to give you a more stable platform to work on.

Step 6c: Drill the pilot holes for the Figure 8 screws in the stretchers while you are at it too.

Step 6d: After one last dry fit, decide how much overhang you'd like on the top. I have about 12mm (1/2") each side on mine. I used my Kreg Accu-Cut saw track, but honestly a straight bit of wood will do as a guide to trim off the excess and square up the top.

Step 6e: Give everything a good sand. I only went up to 120 grit on the frame and underside of the main panel then 240 grit on the top of the seat.

It's starting to look like a planter seat! Let's make it shine.

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While you could call this whole step optional, your bench planter will last much longer with a coat of something on it. You can paint it, stain it, oil it, do whatever finish takes your fancy. As this is decking material and it will live outside, I went with water-based decking oil, Cabot's Aquadeck. (A similar product I can see in the USA is Cabot's Australian Timber Oil).

Step 7a (Optional): I used new Spotted Gum decking which is a very tough Aussie hardwood it is resinous but doesn't leach colour so I skipped this step. If you use Merbau or other tannin-rich woods that are prone to leaching for a long time when wet unless pre-treated, this is something you need to consider. Click here to check out my video on how to Pre-treat resinous woods before proceeding. You'll thank me for it later as tannin stains are nearly impossible to remove.

Step 7b: Stir your oil or finish well. (A stick will do, but I like these cool drill stirrers.)

Step 7c: Apply the recommended number of coats of your chosen finish as per the instructions on the side of the can and set it aside to dry. Clean up any runs and drips so the colour is even and smooth.

TIP: Decking oils should be reapplied with a touch up coat every year to maintain their protection, so don't worry if you have leftovers, you'll need it in 12 months to keep your hard work looking its best.

When everything is dry we can quickly finish it off!

Step 8a: Grab your Rubber Feet, drill a pilot hole in the base of each leg and screw them in. These will keep the end grain of the legs out of any puddles that may form and prolong the life of your bench.

Step 8b: Screw you Figure 8 clips into the frame mortises. When tight, back the screw off a 1/4 turn to give the clip a tiny bit of movement. Angle the clip off centre slightly as this will again help with expansion and contraction of the wood.

Step 8c: Carefully position the frame upside down on the top. Centre it ensuring the overhang is even on all sides (if you have one, otherwise ensure it is flush). Drive in the pocket hole screws first, then pilot hole and drive in the screws into the Figure 8 clips.

Your top is now secured to the frame in a way that will be solid, but allow seasonal wood movement.

Flip it over, step back an admire your handy work!

I love the classic lines on this bench and the small shadow-lines around the joinery. The decking oil sets off the Spotted Gum beautifully and although it was murder on the tools being so hard, the result is worth it (though I do think a softer wood would make this project even easier!).

I hope you enjoyed my second Instructable and found it clear and useful. I had great fun with this project and it came out really well. Wifey loves it too and while it did have a brief stint as purely a seat, it has now taken up it's intended usage as a planter stand to raise our bamboo screen up higher.

You may also notice there are some nice storage crates on wheel underneath... that my friends, will be a story for another time when I publish a separate Instructable for them! (Although the video is already online here :P).

If you have any questions, need clarification or spot an error, please don't hesitate to contact me.

I release regular woodwork and DIY content on my YouTube Channel - Fixit Fingers including lots of content for beginners. I'd love to have you come check it out and join me.

Otherwise, you can see what I'm up to in between videos on my Instagram @FixitFingers and Fixit Fingers on Facebook.

Cheers! James