Building Your Own Wooden Wheelbarrow Planter (Step-by-Step Guide)
Gardening and woodworking go hand-in-hand One great way to combine these hobbies is by constructing your own wooden wheelbarrow planter These charming planters evoke nostalgia for old-fashioned farm life. At the same time, they serve as a whimsical and rustic way to display your flowers, herbs, and other plants.
With the right plans and tools, you can DIY a wooden wheelbarrow planter in your own yard. This gives you the flexibility to customize the size and design for your specific needs In this article, we’ll walk through what to consider when making your own wheelbarrow planter along with step-by-step instructions Let’s dig in!
Planter Design Basics
When deciding to build a wooden wheelbarrow planter, the first choice is which design you want to follow. Here are some of the main options:
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Traditional wheelbarrow shape with one wheel, handles, and a tub to hold soil and plants.
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Simplified version without handles that looks like a wheelbarrow tub on a stand.
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Extra decorative options like spoked wheels, distressed paint, or custom scrollwork.
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Size – smaller for herbs or larger to hold bushes and small trees.
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Material – pine, cedar, redwood, cypress are good rot-resistant woods.
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Wheel design – solid wood or spoked wagon wheel.
The plans at MyOutdoorPlans show a traditional wheelbarrow shape in medium size. BobsPlans offers both traditional and simplified tub-on-stand versions, with the option of an ornate spoked wheel for advanced builders.
Once you select your preferred design, assemble a material list and make sure you have the necessary tools. Basic equipment like a saw, drill, and sander are needed at minimum. More complex designs require advanced tools like a scroll saw, lathe, and wood router.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now let’s walk through the key steps to building your own wooden wheelbarrow planter:
- Cut wood to size
Use the cutting diagrams in your plans to measure, mark, and cut your lumber to the required lengths and angles. A power miter saw makes cross cuts and angles quick and accurate.
- Sand edges smooth
Run edges over a power sander or by hand to smooth any rough cut marks before assembly.
- Assemble the legs and frame
Connect the legs and structural supports that will form the base according to the plans. Attach with exterior wood screws and glue.
- Build the wheel
For ornate spoked wheels, gather spokes into a central hub and attach the outer rim (additional tools needed). For simple wheels, cut two halves and sandwich boards together into a circle.
- Attach wheel to frame
Mount the wheel assembly to the legs/frame using hardware, epoxy, or other permanent fasteners.
- Construct planter box sides
Cut boards to size for the long front, back and side pieces. Assemble into a rectangular box using screws.
- Attach bottom boards
Cut boards to fit the width and length of the planter box walls. Nail or screw into bottom of side boards.
- Add handles (if applicable)
For full wheelbarrow shapes, cut boards to length for handles and attach to planter box sides.
- Apply finish
Sand entire planter box smooth. Seal the untreated wood with a natural stain, paint, or protective finish.
- Add soil and plants
Fill bottom 2/3 with potting soil. Plant flowers, herbs, or small bushes. Fertilize and water.
The advantage of DIY projects is customizing details to your liking. Add a woodburned name or decorative accents with trim. Or leave the wood plain for a traditional weathered look.
Position your wheelbarrow planter in the yard, porch, or garden and admire your handiwork!. Refill as needed each season to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
Building your own wooden wheelbarrow planter is very rewarding, but here are some helpful tips to know:
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Review plans and instructions fully before starting. Gather all materials needed.
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Wear safety goggles, gloves, etc when operating power tools.
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Use exterior glues and corrosion-resistant fasteners suited for outdoor use.
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Apply wood sealer/finish prior to planting for enhanced weather resistance.
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Check soil drainage by watering the empty planter before planting.
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Use coarse sand or gravel in bottom below soil to improve drainage.
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Add casters to the bottom so you can move the loaded planter.
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Layer landscaping fabric over soil before adding mulch to reduce weeds.
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Consult local garden guides on best plants choices for sunlight, climate, and size.
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Remove dead annual plants after frost and replant each new season.
While building your own wheelbarrow planter requires some woodworking skills, almost anyone can do it with proper plans, materials, and tools. Customizing your own design is half the fun. The end result is a handmade planter that makes gardening a pleasure for years to come.
Assembling the Wheelbarrow Tub Sides
The tubs side panels are assembled as shown in the drawing to the left. Use 1 1/4 in. coated exterior screws to attach the braces to the side panels. Note that the bottoms of the braces must be 3/4 in. above the bottom of the side panels.
Build a Wooden Wheelbarrow Planter
Cedar Wheelbarrow Flower Planter with a Spoke Wheel
With our free plans, you can make a wooden wheelbarrow planter that looks old but is actually very easy to make. It will look great in any flower garden or landscape! Use good potting soil, some fertilizer, and water to fill these lovely planters with flowers that reach the sides.
We offer two different styles to choose from. The heart wheel style is a very simple project that is designed with the beginning woodworker in mind. The spoked wheel style is designed for the more experienced woodworker. Either style will make the gardener in your life happy and will give them years of beauty and pleasure.
Wheelbarrow Planter Loaded with Flowers
Speaking of wheels, this one has a spoked wagon wheel that is a little harder to make than the heart wheel shown below. The handles and legs of this design are made of 1 1/2 in. thick wood. The tub and spokes are made od 3/4 in. thick wood.
There are over 20 pages of detailed drawings and instructions in the plans, as well as patterns for pieces that need to be cut with a scroll saw.
To complete this project, Youll need:
A table saw, scroll saw, and router.
A drill press with a 5/8 in. round plug cutter for the ends of the spokes and a 5/8 in. forstner bit for spoke holes in the rim sections.
A tapering jig to cut the tapered sides of the spokes.
A tenoning jig to make the necessary cuts on the spokes.
Finished size is Approximately 53 in. by 19 in. by 19 in.
Wheelbarrow Planter with Heart Wheel
The design of this wheelbarrow is a lot like the one above, but the wheel and handles are much simpler. I call it the Heart Wheel design, which is easier to make than the Spoke Wheel design. The handles, legs, tub and wheels of this design are made of 3/4 in. thick wood.
There are over 20 pages of detailed drawings and instructions in the plans, as well as patterns for pieces that need to be cut with a scroll saw.
To complete this project, Youll need:
- An electric saw, scroll saw, and router.
- A pocket hole jig and basic hand tools.
As with any woodworking project, choosing the correct materials is essential. These planters needs to be weather proof and decay resistant. For that, you should choose either treated lumber, cedar, cypress, redwood, or other decay resistant wood.
The planters pictured in the top and lower s are made of solid cedar. One is made of pressure-treated wood that has been given a worn-looking finish. It is filled with flowers.
Check out the following sample pages from our free wheelbarrow plans. Since the plans are free, you can download and read through them before deciding to build the project.
Download instructions for the complete plans file are at the bottom of this page.
The Top View drawing above shows how the leg components fit together as viewed from the top.
Assemble the legs, cross member, and back brace as shown above. The legs are attached to the cross member using 1 5/8†coated deck screws as shown. The 11-and-a-half-inch edge of the cross member is level with the 83-degree part of the legs.
Since there is nothing on the 11-inch side of the cross member, it doesn’t need to be flush with the legs. Next, fasten the back brace to the legs and crossmember using 1 5/8†deck screws. To make room for the legs’ rounded edges, the cross member doesn’t go all the way to the edge of the legs.
The drawing shown above illustrates how to assemble the frame for the Heart Wheel Wheelbarrow. The assembly for both styles are similar and the specific plans provide instruction for that specific project.
DIY Wooden Wheelbarrow Garden Planter
FAQ
How to make a wheelbarrow planter?
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Power wash wheelbarrow and spray paint the inside with a stops-rust paint.
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When dry, situate into landscape. Be sure it’s level.
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Fill generously with dirt. You want it very full.
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Select flowers for your location. We used begonias for this shady area.
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What kind of wood is used for wheelbarrows?
How to line a wheelbarrow planter?
Can I use an old wheelbarrow as a planter?
How to build a wooden wheelbarrow planter?
Wooden wheelbarrow planter building plans The first step of the project is to build the wooden components of the tray. In order to get the job done properly, we recommend you to use these wheelbarrow plans. In addition, cut the components from lumber, using a good circular, table or compound saw.
Can you build your own wheelbarrow?
However, there are some simpler plans that involve building your own wheelbarrow as well. Usually, the more intricate the wheelbarrow is, the more difficult it will be to build. On the other hand, using an old wheelbarrow is often extremely simple.
Can You stain a wheelbarrow planter?
There are a lot of tools and materials involved, so it is best for those that have some experience building things. With that said, there is no stain called for in this plan, but we do recommend one. The planter is just made out of regular wood, so it may rot if left outside without some sort of paint or sealant. 2. Spoked Wheelbarrow Planter
What is a rustic wheelbarrow planter?
Rustic Wheelbarrow Planter This wheelbarrow is cheap and easy to make. It is crafted out of old pallet wood, which turns into a rustic-looking wheelbarrow. The wheel is completely made out of wood, which is quite difficult to do out of pallet wood.
How to install a wooden wheelbarrow?
In order to get a professional result, we recommend you to drill pilot holes and to insert 1 1/4″ finishing nails. Add waterproof glue to the joints, in order to enhance the rigidity of the wooden wheelbarrow. Always align the components at both ends before locking them together, if you want to get a neat look.
How do you tilt a wooden wheelbarrow?
Install 10″ pieces of 2×2 lumber to the handles as to tilt the wooden wheelbarrow. Don’t forget that you can adjust the size of the supports, as well as the angles of the slope. Top Tip: Drill pilot holes, to prevent the wood from splitting. Countersink the head of the screws and fill the holes with wood putty.