DIY Plant Stands Made with Recycled Wood

Power Tool Challenge – Repurposed Edition

It is that time again… This month’s theme for the Power Tool Challenge is “Repurposed”. I bought two ceramic planters that I was crazy about but needed stands for them. You see, we have cats and they love nothing more than kicking my planters off of the porch or knocking them over in my flower bed. I figured if I made stands for the pots, the cats might have to work a little harder to destroy my plants (maybe)! These DIY plant stands are made with recycled wood that I got from work and went together so easily!

I found the plans for these DIY plant stands over at Hey There, Home. Corey did a fabulous job on them and I knew they would be perfect for my pots! I constructed mine using a biscuit joiner instead of a pocket hole jig or dowels but if you are not comfortable with a biscuit joiner, follow Corey’s instructions for using a pocket hole jig and dowel pins!

Materials:

• #10 Biscuits (<– affiliate link!)
• Wood Glue
• Sandpaper (80 & 120 grits)
• Spray Paint (I used Aged Bronze Metallic)

Tools Needed:

• Miter saw, Circular saw or Jigsaw
• Biscuit Joiner
• Sander

I got the wood used for these plant stands from work – they are called “stickers” and are used to separate loads of lumber or other material. They are similar in size to a 2×3 but have a groove in one end for polypropylene strapping. They are heat-treated similar to pallets. Once the loads are broken down, the stickers are thrown away and I couldn’t stand to see that happen. I now have a huge stash of these under my carport (hoarders, unite!).

I used two stickers and started by ripping the grooved side off of the stickers on the table saw. (Please have all safety practices in place when using power tools!) The stickers are 1″ thick so I ripped one of the stickers into 1″ wide pieces. I left the other sticker at its original width – approximately 2-1/2″.

I cut the 1″ pieces into 12″ lengths with my miter saw – 8 pieces total. I cut the remaining sticker into two 10-1/2″ pieces and four 4-1/4″ pieces.

I laid out the center X (the portion where the plants will rest) and made a mark at the center of each end of the shorter pieces, as well as marked the position of the shorter pieces on the longer pieces. I used my biscuit joiner to cut a slot in one end of the shorter pieces as well as on each face of the longer pieces at the center. Check out this super-easy tutorial on using a biscuit joiner.

For the legs, I measured up 3-1/2″ from the bottom of each leg. This will mark the position of the top of the X where the pot will sit. I butted each X piece (long and short) against a corresponding leg and made a mark at the center of the X piece that carried over to the leg. I lettered each mark to make assembly easier. I cut a slot in the ends of the X pieces I just marked, as well as on each leg.

I applied glue to the slots cut on the longer X pieces and inserted biscuits. Then, I applied glue to the slots on one end of each shorter piece and assembled the center X. I used long clamps until the glue dried.

I applied glue to the slots at the ends of the X pieces and inserted a biscuit, then applied glue to the slots in the legs and assembled the planter. I used clamps to keep everything together until the glue dried. This is also a perfect opportunity to set the stands upright to make sure that all four legs make contact with the work surface.

I filled the visible ends of the slots and any imperfections with filler and sanded once the filler dried. I used two coats of spray paint on the stands – the wood soaks up the paint like nobody’s business!

As a side note, the stands can be made from any width of wood desired (1×2, 1×3, etc.). 3/4″ or 1″ square hardwood dowels can also be used.

I love how the stands came out and want to give a huge shout out to Corey for the awesome idea! Hopefully, the cats won’t knock them over – the main culprit, Albie, is pictured below.

Take a look at the other awesome repurposed projects from the Power Tool Challenge team:

1 Hanging Picket Pendant Light by Designed Decor

2 Garden Bench by Create and Babble

3 Bed Spindle Pedestal Bowl by H2OBungalow

4 Industrial Cart Coffee Table by Refresh Restyle

5 Mid Century Headboard Bench by My Repurposed Life

6 Framed Wall Spool Rack Upcycle by Kim Six

7 Vintage Tennis Racket Table by Virginia Sweet Pea

8 Recycled Wood Plant Stands by Designs By Studio C

9 Rustic Coffee Mug Holder by Interior Frugalista

10 Repurposed Cabinet Door String Art by Domestically Speaking

So awesome! I always love the other projects from the group! Have any questions about the DIY plant stands made from recycled wood? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2016-04-28 07:00:24.