DIY Privacy Planter / DIY Privacy Sceen

Do you ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels and getting nowhere?

Do you ever NOT feel that way?

I apologize for being lax on the blog lately, but it’s not for lack of working – in fact, I have a giant project for you today.

Rather, an easy project that I made giant by building three.

Check out my DIY Privacy Planters!

This summer has been project after project getting ready for our new hot tub. Hubby laid a new patio, wiring is being done today, planting is on my to-do list and these privacy planters were completed last weekend.

I’m not going to lie, this is one of the more expensive builds I’ve done – with the largest box (3.5′ wide by 2.5′ deep, not including the privacy screen portion) coming it at $135 Cdn. The screws were pricey, but were enough to finish all three boxes, so the box itself would have come in around $100 for pressure treated lumber.

Want to build your own?

I’ve got some easy-peasy DIY privacy planter plans for you – and all you’ll need to change would be the length of the cross beams if you want a longer or shorter box!

DIY Privacy Planter

You will need:

outdoor screws at 3″ long
outdoor screws at 2″ long
mitre saw
2×4 pressure treated lumber at 8 feet long
1×6 pressure treated lumber at 8 feet long
hammer
1 1/2″ finishing nails
landscape cloth
staple gun (and staples)
table saw
jig saw

Cuts:

2×4 pressure treated wood

2 @ 72″ (6 feet)
4 @ 35″
2 @ 30″
4 @ 25″
9 @ 28″
1 @ 44″ (45 degree angle on each end so that the long side is 44″ and the short is 37″)
2 @ 27 1/2″ (45 degree angle on one end only)

1×6 pressure treated wood

10 @ 28 1/2″
10 @ 43 1/2″
4 – 5 boards cut to 42″ long, then ripped down to 1 3/4″ wide (for screen)

Cut two pieces of 2×4 wood to 6 feet long (72″) and four pieces at 35″ long. Attach together with 3″ screws as below. Use a 2×4 spacer to easily mark the height of your lower board up from the ground.

Cut two pieces of 2×4 to 30″ long and screw them in place using the second pair of 35″ boards (from step 1) as cross beams.
Cut four 2×4 boards at 25″ long and connect the front of your DIY privacy planter frame to the back. All of the frame pieces should be screwed together using 3″ screws.

Note that the lower 25″ boards are placed higher than the front cross beams and perpendicular – this is important because this will be the base of your box.

Cut 9 pieces of 2×4 to 28″ long. Line them up along the bottom of your frame with a slight space in between each board for drainage. Drill in place using 3″ wood screws (outdoor screws).

Hard part is done!

Now it’s time to clad your DIY privacy planter to create your planting box.

Cut 10 pieces of your 1×6 to 28 1/2″ long. Cut another 10 pieces to 43 1/2″ long.

Using your 2″ outdoor/wood screws, attach your shorter boards, beginning at the top of your DIY privacy planter, and screw into place along one side. Repeat on the other side. Your boards should sit flush with the front and back of the frame.

Your last board will be too wide to fit the gap – that’s okay – it needs to be ripped down so that it sits flush with the boards above it, about an inch off of the ground to prevent rot.

Next attach your 43 1/2″ boards along the front and back using your 2″ screws. These boards will cover the ends of your side boards for a nice front finish. For an even better look, make sure your screw holes fall in a straight line down either side. Again, the bottom board will have to be ripped down to leave a 1″ gap between the wood and the ground.

Line your DIY privacy planter with garden cloth/landscape fabric so that it is completely covered and staple into place with a staple gun. Don’t worry about overhang and the top edge at this point, it will be covered over shortly.

Cut 1 piece of 2×4 to 44″ long. Add a 45 degree angle to each end by either using your mitre saw or cutting so that the shorter side is 37″ long. Cut two more pieces of 2×4 to 27 1/2″ long with a 45 degree angle on one side only.

Set your 2×4’s on top of your DIY privacy planter with a slight (1″) overhang on all sides. Mark where your 27 1/2″ boards bump into the screen posts and cut out notches with your jig saw.

Once you have a snug fit, screw into place using 3″ wood screws.

You can use another 2×4 piece to fit along the back of your DIY privacy planter or, what I did, was add a small shelf using leftover 1×6 for us to set our drinks etc.

You will have to cut a small notch for a snug fit around your screen posts and then screw into place with 3″ wood screws.

To create the privacy screen section you can purchase 1×2 firring strips or, what I did, was to rip (on a table saw) down 1×6 pressure treated boards to three pieces – each approximately 1 3/4″ wide. Depending on how you like your spacing, you will need between 12 and 16 of these boards.

The above photo shows the boards spaced using a second board (1 3/4″) as a spacer. Below you can see how the spacing is if you turn that same board on it’s side and use it as a spacer that is 3/4″ wide.

Nail into place using your 1 1/2″ finishing nails – do not countersink.

Hubby is going to dig a bit of sod out still so the DIY privacy planters won’t side right on the patio, but instead instead frame it.

I made the mistake of lining the bottom of my planter with large rocks and then 10 bags of soil before having it in place – now I’m not so sure we can move it at all. I’m guessing it comes in well over 200lbs filled and planted; which is great if you’re worried about it tipping in the wind, but not-so-great if you need to move it.