This woodworking project was designed and built by Chris from Laneworks. His octagon planter offers a stylish way to showcase plants while providing excellent durability for outdoor use.
If you enjoy woodworking projects like this one, visit Chris’s YouTube channel, Laneworks, for more detailed tutorials and woodworking inspiration.
Watch the full video and subscribe to Chris’s channel:
Why Choose an Octagon Planter?
An octagon-shaped planter adds unique visual appeal to your outdoor space, setting it apart from traditional rectangular designs. Its eight-sided structure can comfortably accommodate standard five-gallon buckets, simplifying planting and maintenance.
The seamless leg design Chris incorporated provides additional elegance and strength, ensuring the planter withstands seasonal changes. It’s a practical and attractive addition that can enhance your garden or patio area significantly.
Materials and Preparation
Chris chose cedar fence pickets and pressure-treated wood to create a sturdy, weather-resistant planter. Cedar’s natural resistance to decay makes it an ideal choice for outdoor applications, ensuring long-term durability.
Before assembly, he carefully prepared each piece by measuring, cutting, and squaring edges. This preparation is essential for achieving tight joints and a seamless final appearance.
Constructing the Seamless Legs
The legs are a key feature of Chris’s design, crafted from durable, pressure-treated lumber. By using thicker, stronger materials, he ensured that the planter’s legs would support substantial weight and resist splitting.
Chris emphasizes sourcing materials economically, recommending checking local home improvement stores for discounted or surplus lumber. After selecting the wood, he carefully shaped the legs to fit precisely and snugly into the planter’s structure.
Creating the Octagonal Shape
Forming the octagonal shape required precise cutting of the picket boards at exact angles. Chris cut each piece at a 22.5-degree angle, which ensures the eight sides align perfectly when assembled.
Attention to accurate measurement and careful cutting was essential for the overall symmetry and stability of the planter. This meticulous process helped ensure all sides fit tightly, resulting in a clean and professional appearance.
Assembly and Reinforcement
Once all pieces were cut, Chris began assembling the planter using wood glue and brad nails. Clamps played a crucial role during this stage, holding the pieces firmly in place to guarantee the planter remained square during glue drying.
Ensuring secure and accurate assembly was critical for maintaining the structural integrity of the planter. Proper alignment and reinforcement allowed the final build to be robust enough to withstand outdoor conditions.
Finishing for Appearance and Protection
To enhance both aesthetics and durability, Chris applied a solid black stain to the legs, complementing the natural wood tones of the cedar pickets. Staining provided extra protection against weather elements, preventing moisture penetration and wood deterioration.
He also suggests exploring variations in finishes, such as smoother, polished looks, if you’re considering selling these planters or simply prefer a more refined appearance. Customizing finishes allows woodworkers to cater to different tastes and applications.
Optional Design Adjustments
Chris designed two variations of the planter, offering one version with a bottom and another without. This flexibility lets you tailor the design to your specific gardening needs or the preferences of potential buyers.
The raised feet design is another thoughtful touch, providing stability and preventing direct ground contact. These optional design elements make the planter both versatile and adaptable to various outdoor environments.
Final Thoughts on the Octagon Planter
Chris’s octagon planter is both functional and visually striking, making it a valuable addition to any garden or outdoor space. Whether for personal use or as a woodworking product to sell, it effectively showcases craftsmanship and attention to detail.
This project offers woodworkers the opportunity to create something beautiful, useful, and long-lasting. Its stylish, seamless-leg design truly highlights woodworking skills and can become a standout feature of any outdoor area.
Watch the full video and subscribe to Chris’s channel: