How to Make a Wood Planter Box With House Numbers

Looking for a stylish way to display your house numbers? Or need to add more greenery to your entryway? Try this easy woodworking project that you can make in less than a day. You can customize the size of the planter box (ours is 20" wide x 21-3/4" tall, the color (ours is a bold fuschia) and the font of the numbers (we went modern).

Measure and Cut Cedar Planks

You will need three planks for each side of the planter box, 12 in total. Use a tape measure and pencil to mark the 12 planks at 20” each. Use a miter saw to cut a 45-degree angle on all the ends so that when assembled the planks will neatly fit together.

Measure and Cut Support Pieces

Measure, mark, then use a miter saw to cut the 2x2 into four 15” pieces. These will be the interior, vertical corner supports for the planter box.

Assemble the First Side

To assemble the first side of the planter box, lay three planks side by side on a flat surface. Then lay two vertical support boards perpendicular along the inside of the mitered edge. Determine which side will be the bottom of the box — leave a 3/4" space on that side so you'll be able to fit the bottom planks within that space. Attach the support pieces to the planks using a nail gun. You can also run a bead of wood glue along the edge before nailing for extra strength.

Assemble Remaining Three Sides

Working from the bottom of the box up, continue adding planks and 2x2s to build out the remaining sides. Fasten the sides together with a bead of glue and a nail gun until the box is complete.

Add Interior Bottom Rails

Measure, mark and cut two pieces of 2x2 to serve as bottom support rails. Flip the box on its side and secure these rails in between the vertical supports on the inside of the planter box 3/4" from the bottom of the box.

Attach Bottom Planks

Flip the box upside down and attach three planks to the bottom rails using a nail gun. Be sure to leave a little space between the planks for drainage.

Sand and Paint Box

Once the bottom planks are in place, flip the planter box right-side-up and lightly sand with a fine-grit sandpaper. It’s best to paint or stain the planter box at this time. If painting, use an exterior paint that includes primer so the wood takes the paint well and is protected from the elements.

Prepare for House Numbers

Decide on the placement of the numbers. If they came with a template, affix it to the planter box using painter's tape for better accuracy. Then pre-drill all holes using a 1/8” drill bit or whatever size works with the fasteners you'll be using to attach the numbers.

Attach House Numbers

When all holes are pre-drilled, remove the template, then secure the house numbers to the planter box using a drill and the provided fasteners.