I started by laying out all my cut lines according to the plans I made for this project. If you’re interested in these plans, be sure to click on the link above. 

Next, I used my circular saw and a straight edge to cut out the sides of the planter boxes. I should mention - I started with my circular saw, but then switched to my table saw and a table saw sled because I was getting a lot of chip out with the circular saw. 

Once I had all the sides cut out, I began assembling them using glue and brad nails. 

Once I had all four sides glued and nailed together, I came back with some screws for reinforcement, making sure to pre-drill and counter-sink the holes first. This ensured that the screws sat flush or even a little below the surface. 

The main shape of the box is assembled now. Next, I wanted the plastic planter insert to sit flush with the top of the wooden box so it looked like the plants were growing out of the wooden box. So I cut a bunch of small strips about an inch wide and offset them from the top of the box by about an inch.  This provided a lip for the plastic insert to sit on. I just used glue and brad nails to attach these strips.

Since these are hollow boxes with the majority of the weight (plants, dirt, water) sitting at the top, these planter boxes would be pretty tippy without some counterweight. So I added the small strips of wood to the bottom of the box as well to provide a lip for a shelf to rest on. Then I could place a heavy block of concrete on this shelf to weight the whole planter box down.

This step isn't completely necessary but I wanted really smooth and seamless edges on these boxes, so I mixed up some Bondo and applied it to the seams, edges, and the screw holes. I let the Bondo cure, and then I came back with my sander and sanded everything smooth. 

The final step was to paint these planter boxes. I went with an exterior grade latex paint from Home Depot and applied four coats of paint - to the inside and the outside of each box. I've found that no matter what paint you use, the weather and elements outside always "win" in the long run, so I plan to apply a fresh coat of paint every couple of years. Just mark the can of paint and put it on the shelf :)

One last comment - I forgot to film this part but I did add a flat head nail to the underside of each corner of the boxes. That way any water that soaked through the soil and out the bottom holes in the plastic insert had a way of escaping out the bottom of the planter boxes. 

Again, if you want to make a few of these tapered planter stands yourself, be sure to click on the link below or at the top of this page. Thanks!