Hi there. Welcome to the Lab.

Well, I guess I got what I asked for! We went from rainy and chilly to hot very HOT, almost overnight, and I have been busy trying to keep all our plants hydrated. I am happy to report that one corner of our yard is looking pretty cheerful. Today’s project adds some more flower power to this tiny oasis in our dog-worn yard.

In case you don’t already know this we have four good sized dogs. We love them but they sure are hard on things. 🙂

Anyhow, I don’t have any real woodworking skills, but I do like to try new things and learn how to use new tools. So there were a lot of “firsts” for me in this project. There was also the often inevitable design change that sometimes happens along the way. If you are a creator, you know your projects have a life of their own, and so sometimes you lead, and sometimes you follow.

All things considered, I’m pretty happy with how my little flower box turned out. And stay tuned for my next post because I am super excited about what comes next.

Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.

For this project you will need

• Some Reclaimed Scrap Wood
• Table Saw
• Rotary Sander
• Cordless Drill
• Safety Glasses
• 1 1/2″ Wood Screws (or size suitable for wood)
• Natural Wood Stain
• Oil Based Paint Set
• Wood Burning Kit
• Foam Paint Brush
• Wood Sealer
• Mineral Spirits
• Heat Resistant Gloves
• Respirator
• Center Punch

Step 1 – Design Box and Cut Wood

I used some wood scraps that I salvaged from a box spring. I broke it down to save the springs and found a few other pieces worth saving. Let me say for the record that it was a lot of work! But now I have lots of fun parts and pieces to use for crafting.

So true confession I got the hubby to cut the wood since I am still afraid of the table saw. I knew that I wanted the box to be pretty long and the size of the wood determined the other dimensions of the flower box.

My design is very simple. Two long pieces for the front and back. One slightly shorter piece for the bottom and two small end pieces.

This photo shows how the pieces fit together.

Step 2 – Sanding

Once all the pieces are cut, it is time for the sanding. I don’t know about you, but I have always been a very lazy sander. It’s definitely not my favorite activity. So for this project, I used the craftsman rotary sander. Boy, was it fast! It made the whole process much less tedious.

Step 3 – Was Supposed to be Assembly but it turned into Pyrography

I don’t know where this idea came from, but once it was in my head, I couldn’t let it go. I have never done pyrography before, in fact, until a few days ago, I just thought it was called “wood burning.”

To be completely forthcoming, I was only making this box because I need it for my next project to work. You know the project that is getting so much build-up that it will probably be a letdown.

Anyway, after the flower box informed me that it wasn’t just a cursory utilitarian project with no personality of its own, I did feel a little guilty. After all, I was thinking I could just slap some pieces of wood together and call it a day. But, I also felt much more enthusiastic about the project. So what is the lesson here? Listen to your art people. Ok, that sounds pretty silly, doesn’t it? But it’s still kind of true.

So I apologized, “we” decided on a quote from Alice in Wonderland. And I proceeded to try my hand at pyrography.

It was fun. I am not experienced enough to offer any tips other than, try it if you are interested. Wood burning tools are quite inexpensive and you can also use a stencil cutter if you have one. That’s what I did.

Here is a look at my finished design.

Step 4 – Assembly

Again, I am a bit too inexperienced to offer much guidance, but with a cordless drill and a few other tools, I was able to drill some holes and screw the box together.

Step 5 – Staining

You might think this part is a little crazy, as if I haven’t gone there already, but I assure you it was always part of the plan, to stain the box pink.

You might be excitedly thinking, “Where do you find a pink-colored stain?” In which case, I will happily answer. Or you might be thinking, “Why on earth would you want pink stain?” A question I will just ignore. 🙂

Anyway, if you are excited about a pink-colored stain, and I know you secretly are, you will be even more excited to know this. You can make stains pretty much in any color you want.

Would you like to know the secret? It’s super easy. All you need is a wood stain in a natural (clear) color and a set of oil-based paints.

Just pour the natural wood stain into a small container, add some paint and stir until the paint is mixed into the stain. Test your color on some scrap wood until the desired color is achieved.

Step 6 – Sealing the Wood

I am a big fan of Minwax Polycrylic but, it is more for indoor use, so for this project, I tried a new product, called Behr Premium Transparent Waterproofing Wood Finish. It says it lasts four to six years, and it is recommended for decks and fencing, so I think it should hold up pretty well. It is water-based, was easy to use and clean up.

One thing to note is that while it says it is a clear finish, it does change the stain color slightly. The finished color is a bit more yellow than the original.

Step 7 – Hanging and Planting

Since we were hanging the box on our fence and not under a window, it was easy to drill a few holes and bolt the box to the fence. It is not very pink after all, but I can live with it.

So what do you think? Can you guess what my next project is? Probably not but you might know the theme. It starts with an A.

You can find more details for this project in the video below.

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next week.

Happy Upcycling,

PS: Here is a peek at our colorful corner.

Share your thoughts in the comments. I love to here from you.

Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.