DIY Concrete + Wooden Plant Stand

It’s around this time of year, when things have been white & dead outside for several months, that I really start to crave the lush, vibrancy of green plants. There’s just something rejuvenating about their presence, don’t you think? Things may take awhile to green up outside, so why not manifest your own green inside? Usher a plant or two into your home with this surprisingly simple planter & plant stand. A little concrete & wood are all you need to make your new flora feel right at home.

DIY Concrete and wood planter
Concrete planter with wooden base
Modern concrete planter with wooden base on shelf
How to build a concrete wooden planter
Materials for concrete wooden plante

Materials:

  • quick drying concrete
  • 1.75L paper juice carton
  • pint sized paper carton
  • sacrificial mixing bowl & spoon (ones that can be ruined)
  • scissors
  • duct tape
  • sand paper
  • 5/8″ thick square wood dowel
  • hand saw or circular saw
  • connector plate + screws
  • 4 angle brackets + screws
  • electric drill

Part I: The Cement Planter:

Cut the top of large juice cartons

1. Cut the tops off both the small and large juice cartons.

Mix up concrete for planter

2. Mix up the concrete by adding 2 cups of concrete to 3/4 cup of water. Stir vigorously for about 1 minute. The package directions call for a 4:1 ratio, but we don’t need as much strength as this ratio provides. Plus using more water creates a smoother surface finish with less bubbles. Pour the concrete into the larger carton.

Place a smaller carton in the center

3. Place the smaller carton in the center of the larger carton, pressing it into the cement about 2-3 inches deep.

Tape the smaller carton

4. Tape the smaller carton in place with duct tape. Allow to dry about 2 hours, until completely hardened.

Concrete Planter ready for plant

5. Squeeze the smaller carton to compress slightly, and remove from the concrete. Cut away the larger carton from the outside of the planter.

Sand the concrete planter

6. Sand down all rough edges.

Add the plant into the planter

7. Add your plant into the planter and you’re halfway done with the project! Now onto the plant stand.

Part II: The Wood Plant Stand:

Materials for wood plant stand

1.Cut your wood dowel into the following pieces and sand down rough edges:

  • Qty 4: 5-1/2″ long pieces
  • Qty 1: 4″ long piece
  • Qty 2: 1-11/16″ long pieces
X shape wood planter

2. With the 3 smallest wood pieces, form an X shape. Position the connector plate so that it connects all 3 pieces by reaching over the perpendicular 4″ piece. Screw the connector plate to each of the 3 small wood pieces with an electric drill.

Larger wood pieces

3. On each of the 4 larger wood pieces, draw a guideline about 1-7/8″ up from one end.

Add the bracket

4. Position the angle bracket just below the guidelines made in Step 3 and screw into place. Note: If your connector bracket staggers its holes like mine, one of the angle brackets will need to be attached to the vertical post off center so that it will line up with the connector plate hole (see image below).

Attach the wood shaped x

5. Then attach the wood shaped X onto the top side of the angle brackets. The connector plate on the X should be facing downward.

Flip the stand

6. Flip the stand over and place the concrete planter inside. Enjoy!

Modern minimalist concrete planter and wood