DIY Window Box from Repurposed Scrap Wood
A step-by-step tutorial for how to build a window box using scrap wood to add charm and curb appeal to exterior windows.
Scrap wood piles, thrift store cast-offs, and easy paint fixes are our jam… but you probably know that by now if you’ve been following this blog for longer than a day.
We’ve been in Operation: Pool Shed Refresh the last two weeks since it was looking rather drab next to the newly lined swimming pool in the backyard. (The full reveal of it is coming next week!)
UPDATE: See the final pool reveal here!
But after we gave it the necessary paint job, it was missing… something.
And then it dawned on me: window boxes!
We tend to always have scrap wood at the ready from all sorts of project leftovers (after the bathroom makeover, we whipped up some cutting boards), and this time we had a few planks from patching our fence that were perfect for the job.
That along with leftover paint made this project almost totally FREE!
If you have any scrap wood lying around, this is a great way to use it up and add some charm to your windows.
(Some affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure here.)
Supplies Used:
- 4 fencing boards (You can adapt this to work with all kinds of sizes of wood)
- 1×2 boards
- Tape measure
- Circular saw
- Brad nailer (or a good ol’ hammer will do if you don’t have one)
- Power drill / driver and bits
- Wood screws
- Finishing nails
- Square tool
- Framing square
- Galvanized L brackets
- Pencil
- Wood filler
- Medium grit sandpaper
- Primer
- Exterior paint
- Paint brush of your choice (or paint sprayer)
- Window box liner
- Potting soil
- Flowers of your choice
The Steps:
1. Measure the width, length, and depth of your window box liner first with a tape measure and add the thickness of your side running boards (we added an additional 1/4 inch for ease of flower box insert) to each measurement to determine your wood cuts.
2. If needed, rip any length of wood down the middle with a circular saw (or table saw if available) to create the width you need.
3. Use your pencil and the square tool to mark on your wood pieces using the box liner measurements you took before.
4. Cut your wood pieces using a circular saw.
5. Start making your box by screwing your end pieces to your longer pieces at a right angle.
6. Repeat the process on the other side until you make a box with four sides.
7. Finish the corners and edges with 1×2 boards cut and screw or nail to the top, bottom, and side edges of the boxes. This is to secure the two small boxes together to make one (one on top of the other). Leave the back of the box that will face the window flush without any 1×2 pieces.
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8. On the bottom of the box, measure and cut 3 wood pieces and screw into place so that there are large gaps between them.
9. Cover any screw holes with wood filler, let dry, and sand smooth.
10. Prime the boxes.
11. Paint with exterior paint.
12. To attach the window box to the window, screw galvanized L brackets below the window. (Normally, you would want to place them below the window, but our windows were positioned too low for that or else the boxes would practically be on the ground.)
Maybe find a cute little helper. 😉
13. Set the window box onto the L bracket and screw the bracket to the bottom of the box.
14. Add your box liner and drill large holes in the bottom to allow for water drainage.
15. Fill your box liner with potting soil, plant your flowers, and you’re done!
And maybe add little American flags if you’re feeling patriotic like we are. We are totally ready for our 4th of July pool party now.
Now that these are done, I think it would be so cute to add a couple more to the front of our limewashed brick house. What do you think? Maybe?
I’ll share more of this cute little pool shed makeover next week, but I’m seriously loving how much charm these mostly free window boxes added to this corner of our backyard.
They’re not totally perfect considering they’re made from scraps, BUT with the store bought ones costing over $80, it saved us a grand total of $160! And we were able to give new life to stuff bound for the trash.
Happy all around!
Have you made any cool things from scrap wood? I’d love to see / hear about any of them! If you’re a blogger, feel free to drop links to your own scrap wood projects. We’re always looking for ways to use up the leftovers around here.
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