This design is for a large stand to hold hanging plants. It can set in a bay window or on a protected patio. It features three high eyelets for hanging plants, a low stage for pots, and a removable middle shelf. It is freestanding and does not require any attachment to walls or floor.
The base is weighted so that the stand will not easily blow over in the wind. It can be disassembled for and easily hauled in a van, pickup truck, or SUV.
Plant Stand is easy to build and decorate. It can be simply painted, stained, or antiqued to look like it has been around forever.
It is usually made from inexpensive materials from the local home fix up store and is painted. An experienced home repair person can make one in a weekend. The finished cost is about $110.00.
This is the heaver of our two hanging plant stands. It is less likely to blow over in a storm outside but is more expensive and more difficult to build. A smaller ligher and ligher design is available at: Light Hanging Plant Stand.
We also have two plant stands in the form of a small step ladder. You cn check them out at Ladder Plant Stands.
This design includes six detailed sketches that are critical to your successfully building it. The plans are free and can be obtained with this Freebie ordering form.
You can make this stand by:
After you order the sketches, these notes will help you understand them.
The stand is shown in full front view. It consists of a low stage, two uprights, and a top cross piece. The top corners are strengthened with diagonal braces. There are seven eye bolts for easy hanging. There are also two cross supports that can either hold two small shelves or one larger shelf running all the way across.
This sketch shows the plant stand from the side. Note that there are lines of holes for the eye bolts so to allow easy adjustment. The corner joints are held together with bolts so that the whole stand can be disassembled. The fixed joints are plated with pieces of 0.5" plywood to make them very strong yet easy to make.
The sketch shows what the parts look like disassembled for transport. There are five long pieces, four small ones, and a bag for small parts. All the parts will fit into a van, pickup truck, or many SUV's.
This sketch shows the pieces that make up the uprights and the cross piece. All these parts are made from 2x4 lumber.
This sketch shows the parts for the lower stage. It is a long box made from wood or plywood.
This sketch shows the optional cross pieces and the basket supports. A piece of 0.5" plywood is shown for making the joint plates.
Hanging Plant Stand is shown made from 2x4 lumber and a few wooden planks.
------- Wood Subtotal: $52.00
------- Hardware Subtotal: $30.00
----- Finish Subtotal: $16.00
This is only an estimate (made in the winter of 2006). The price may vary in your area. Getting a good price on the lumber is critical to keeping the price down. You can also save if you make some the wood pieces and plywood pieces from scrap wood.
This stand was designed so that it could be built by an amateur woodworker using tools commonly used for home fix up. However, the job will be easier if you can get access to a table or radial arm saw.
These notes are is not intended to be a detailed step-by-step construction guide, but rather a number of points to consider. It is your stand and you can build it to suit your needs and likes.
Look over the stand drawing and decide what you are going to do before you buy the materials:
Consider your floor space, ceiling height, and personal reach. You may need to adjust the height or the width.
The entire stand can be mounted on 2.5" heavy duty casters.
This stand needs a protective finish if it is to be outside. It can be subdued so that it does not attach attention, or it can be brightly colored. Some people even antique the wood and hardware.
The uprights should be made from your best two 2x4's. A pair is needed, so do not make to exactly alike. Each has 1/2 width dado cuts across the wide dimension in three places. Each needs 11 holes for 5/16" bolts which hare best made with a drill press but can be done with a hand drill and right angle guide. The hand holes are optional.
The smaller cross pieces are all cut from 2x4. They have a several of dados each, some on the flat side and some on the edge. All the dados can be made by setting a saw for the right depth, marking the waste material clearly, cross cutting a number of times, and then busting the waste material out with a hammer and rasp.
Cut the plywood plates out and sand all the edges and corners. If there are voids in the edges of the plywood, fill them with loose fitting wood splinters and glue.
Attach the cross pieces to the uprights with glue. Nail on the plywood plates. The hand holes can be reinforced with edge plates.
The cross piece is made very like the uprights. It has 11 bolt holes. The two hand holds are optional and you can put in more eye bolt holes instead.
The top corner joints are made with plywood plate extensions on the uprights and the diagonal pieces. These are nailed and glued to one element only. They are then drilled for the bolts. Be careful that these joints are square and are not accidentally glued together.
The stage is a box with a wide top, two side pieces, two end pieces, and a screw-on bottom. The wide top can be made from 0.75" plywood if you have a piece of scrap this long. The notch in the end must match the upright width and is deep enough for the inside plywood plates. The end pieces have a hole for the T nuts. This allows the stage to be bolted to the uprights in two directions. Screw and nail the wide top, two sides, and small internal pieces.
Install the T nuts and pull them into the wood with one of the bolts and a scrap block of wood with a hole in it.
Do not glue the bottom but attach it with screws only. On final assembly you will fill this box with rocks. This weight helps keep the stand from tipping over.
The stand is designed to either take a removable shelve running across at mid height or two smaller supports at each end. Make this shelf to suit your needs. In the prototype, these were for flower baskets. Counter sink holes for the bolt heads into the shelves.
Fill the base with gravel. The best is round steam bed gravel that you have washed to remove the sand. Any sand left in the gravel may later work out onto the floor and make a mess. Screw the bottom on the Stage but do not glue it.
Test fit the hardware. You may wish to cut out some material under the eye bolt so that the eye sinks into the uprights and cross piece. This helps keep them from turning.
Bolt the four major assemblies together and check the fit. Always place washers on all nuts and bolt heads placed against wood. Do not glue the joints!
Check fit the basket supports or cross shelf.
Disassemble the major parts for finishing.
Sand all exposed wood well. Fill any exposed voids in the edge of the plywood with glue and splinters and sand them. Round off the edges of the wood and plywood near the hand holes a large amount.
I see this plant stand done in bright, fun colors. You may finish your stand any way you like.
I recommend primer and oil based enamel. If the stand is to be used outdoors you may want to use primer and house paint.
Some people may want to give the Plant Stand an antique finish by distressing the wood and staining it dark. The hardware can be antiqued by treating it in a fire.
The wooden parts can be distressed by beating on them with rocks, broken pieces of concrete, and old chains. This process is a lot of fun. You then wipe a dark stain into the roughen wood with a rag.
Steel hardware can be given an attractive rustic appearance by simple heat treating. This needs to be done with all the bolts, eye bolts, nuts, and washers. You can pass on the screws.
You need a normal wood or charcoal fire. This work can be done in a fire place, in a barbecue, or in a camp fire. You also need an old tin can or two (not aluminum).
Build a nice bed of coals. Place the hardware in the tin can and dig them into the coals. You will want the hardware to get to a nice red heat and to stay red for at least 10 minutes with air getting to it. You can stir the parts a little with a scrap metal rod to make the effect more even.
If the hardware is plated (zinc, cadmium, or brass color) it will take several minutes longer to burn this off. Do not cook food on the fire while this is going on, and don't breathe the smoke unnecessarily.
Remove the cans from the fire and let the hardware cool slowly. Do not quench it. The hardware will be covered with scale. Remove this with a small wire brush or course steel wool. Wax the finished pieces with paste furniture wax to prevent further rusting. Black wax works particularly well.
All that is left is to move the stand to its location and reassemble it. Then hang your plants.
Thanks again for using a Woodware Designs computer furniture plans. We very much want to know how you are getting along with your project and would be happy to answer any questions by e-mail.
If you send us a picture of your finished Stand, we would be happy to put it on our web page.
Don't forget to order the sketches.