Three Picket Planter Box

I often build something and then forget how, maybe this post helps me re-build this planter box when I need another.

Massive shout out to Whos The Voss, the dudes video and free plans are super easy to follow and I love his Chicken prop 🐔. Everything I did here was based off watching his video and looking at his plans. Give the dude like and subscribe!

I dont have access to the same cedar fence pickets he does, its a shame because that wood comes in a thinner size and it has natural oils keeping the bugs out and making it food planter safe. I made due with Bunnings 150 x 19 x 1800mm H3.2 Fence Paling which is not planter food safe without a platic inner but I just plants and flower, Im not much of a farmer.

H3.2 is the hazard class / treatment level for treated timber in New Zealand. H3 means its treated for above-ground exterior use, where it will be exposed to weather, .2 means a higher level of treatment than H3.1, intended for situations with a greater risk of moisture. H4 means the wood should survive below ground but its actually the line where its level with the ground that normally rots. Meh Im not a builder so dont listen to me 🧌

Side note, apparently we get Macrocarpa here in NZ which is close to Ceder, you can get it from Cypress Sawmill

Cuts

Im a nerd so drew the part in onshape to try understand the cuts, I dont speak freedom units so could not follow Whos The Voss but I can convert them and best guess with my thicker 19mm Bunnings Fence Palings.

After drawing the cuts in onshape I went low tech and just snippet as images, this takes into account the curf of my drop saw blade @ 2.7mm and jigsaw blade at 1.3mm, I dont have a table saw. Lame.

Picket 1

The red is off cut, burn it! 355mm makes up the wider sides and 325mm makes up the slightly narrow sides and base.

Picket 2

Hey look its the same as 1, red is still fire wood!

Picket 3

Here I used colours to explain the differnce and noted the steps I took

• Rip the boards at 58mm and 58mm, these sizes take into account my blade curf
• The grey is the top lip, I measure those at the end and 45 degree mitre them
• The 410mm purple are the thicker (58mm) part of the legs
• The 410mm green is the thinner (31mm) part of the legs
• The 74mm orange are the base supports

Building

All steps used outdoor rated wood glue and screws, nails would would have been easier but I used what I had.

1. Stack the wider 355mm side and attach the thinner (31mm) legs
   

2. Attach the thicker (58mm) legs
   

3. Repeat step 1 and 2 creating another part
   

4. Attach the 325mm slightly narrow sides
   

5. Attach the remaining 325mm slightly narrow sides
   

6. Attach the two main parts, hey its looking like a box
   

7. Add the base supports, these go on the 325mm slightly narrow sides
   

8. Add the base supports to the other side
   

9. Pop in the base, I trimmed off a 2mm to allow it to easily fit
   

10. Finally pop on the top lip, I was too lazy to cut and mitre in onshape so heres the actual planter ❤️ Added some drainage holes