Build a Fruit and Vegetable Bin

Storing Fruits and Veggies in Style

This month’s Power Tool Challenge theme is Spring… If it hasn’t yet “sprung” in your area, it will be shortly and with Spring comes thoughts of gardening. For us, that means a vegetable garden and I figured we’d need a place to store all of the fabulous fruits, veggies and herbs we plan on growing. The DIY furniture plans to build a Fruit and Vegetable Bin is a super-simple build featuring spindle legs, casters and mesh bottoms in each of the bins. In all honesty, this piece took longer to paint than it did to cut and assemble!

Materials:

• 1-3/4″ brad nails
• 2″ brad nails
• 2″ casters with sleeves
• 8 – 2-1/2″ angle braces with 3/4″ screws
• 1/4″ hardware cloth (galvanized mesh)
• 1/2″ staples
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper (100, 150, 220 grits)
• Finishing supplies (primer & paint, or stain, sealer)

Lumber:

• 4 – 36″ spindles (I used treated spindles used for deck rails)
• 1 – 1×8 at 4′
• 1 – 1×8 at 8′

Cut List:

• 4 – 1×8 at 11″
• 4 – 1×8 at 18″

Step One

Cut the pieces for the bin boxes. Assemble the boxes using glue and 1-3/4″ brad nails. The longer pieces will overlap the ends of the shorter pieces.

Install the angle braces at the center of each joint on the inside. The braces help keep each of the bins square since there is no ridgid bottom.

Step Two

The spindles will be cut down to accommodate the boxes. They can be used as is, if desired, but I felt there would be too much space between the boxes. I cut 3-1/4″ off of one end of the spindles (for the top box), and 4″ off of the lower end of the spindle to allow for the casters and a space to attach the lower box.

Drill a hole in the bottom end of the spindles to accommodate the caster sleeve. See the manufacturer’s instructions for bit size and depth of the hole.

Step Three

Secure two of the legs to one of the boxes (with the top edges flush) using glue and 2″ brad nails through the spindle into the end of the longer pieces of the box.

Position the legs on the lower second box so they overhang by about 2-1/4″. Secure the lower portion of the legs to the box using glue and 2″ brad nails.

Secure the remaining two legs to the opposite side of the boxes.

Paint or stain the bin as desired. I chose not to paint the inside of the bins.

Step Four

Cut two pieces of hardware cloth at 17″ x 21″ (very important – wear gloves!). Cut a square out of each corner so that there won’t be any extra mesh in the corners. I forgot to measure the cuts at the corners but if you hold the mesh over the top of the box, it will be easy to determine what needs to be cut away. Fold the edges of the hardware cloth (approximately 1″ or 4 squares), then fold the sides into a basket-like shape so that the piece will fit inside the bin. Secure the hardware cloth in place with 1/2″ staples. A hammer can be used to flatten the fold at the top of the wire.

Install the casters.

I also added vintage drawer pulls (spray painted white) to the sides and a fabulous graphic from The Graphics Fairy.

Here are the projects from my fellow bloggers:

Chevron Wood Easter Egg by Kim Six Fix

Wooden Swing Shelf by Domestically Speaking

Wooden Easter Eggs by Create And Babble

Repurposed Easter Cross by Prodigal Pieces

Planter Box Centerpiece by Refresh Restyle

Upcycled Drawer Front Planter by Confessions of A Serial DIY’er

Rustic 3 Panel Wall Decor by Designed Decor

Key West DIY Wood Planter Box by H2OBungalow

Baseball Bookends by Virginia Sweet Pea

Chair Back Bird Feeder by Interior Frugalista

Wood Slice Rolling Plant Stand by My Repurposed Life

They always have the most awesome projects!

If the bin is constructed entirely out of treated wood, it can be used as a planter… I may make that next! Have any questions about the DIY furniture plans to build a Fruit and Vegetable Bin? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2016-03-17 07:00:55.