DIY Outdoor Plant Stand

Elysia English shows how she built a plant stand. 

Elysia spends a lot of time on her deck. It’s a place to congregate with family, entertain friends, or just relax and enjoy the fresh air. The outdoor sectional and privacy fence make for a cozy enclave, but she felt it needed a little more. So Elysia decided to spend a weekend creating new practical, but beautiful additions to the space. Elysia decided to make a circular plant stand. It was a small project, but the mid-century modern design made a nice showcase for one of her favourite plants. Elysia’s local Home Hardware provided all the supplies she needed, along with some helpful design and construction tips.

Here’s a rundown of the steps Elysia followed and the tools and materials she used:

1. Cutting the Stand Top: I used one of my kitchen plates to trace out the stand’s diameter on a piece of leftover 5/8” plywood. Then I cut the circle with my scroll saw, but you can use a jig saw for this too. 

2. Sanding: I sanded down the entire plant stand top to make sure I wouldn’t get any slivers when moving it around the deck. 

3. Building the Base: I used some short 1”x3” spruce to cut three pieces for the stand base. I glued these to the stand top to create an x-shaped base that would provide good stability. 

4. Applying the Finish: I applied two coats of clear polyurethane for protection.

That’s it! I completed this little project in under an hour! Be sure to check out my two other outdoor projects, all done in one weekend! 

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