Sunday, August 2, 2009

DIY window boxes!

Before I show you how I made our new window boxes, I must introduce you all to my LOVAH...
That would be my compound miter saw. Say hello Squeezies. You want him, I know you do. Don't be sceered, he's very gentle. I. love. him.

These window boxes were so easy, I swear it was ridiculous. Crazy. Nuts. Wacky easy. Here are the steps...

I used the leftover fence posts from my DIY shutters, measured the width of my windows and cut three pieces of wood to the length I needed:
Then I cut two end pieces the width of the wood -- five inches long. I ended up with the sides, bottom and end pieces:
To put them together I used my super duper glue:
I put a bead on the edges that were going together and then nailed them together with my beloved, er, nail gun:

And yes, I get a little nail happy. I put in, oh, about 20 nails per side, just for good measure. The nail gun is like the best thing ever in the history of man. Really, it's that fantastic. Really.
I put a little dab of glue along the end pieces, just a smooch. Then fit them on the ends:


When you get nail happy, inevitably the nails will not always go where they are supposed to. Sometimes you need some pliers and muscle to pry them out:
Voila! A window box:
Ummmkay peeps, if you have a miter saw and a nail gun, your husband, your brother, the guy down the street you can knock these puppies out in no time. Serious -- each one took maybe 30 minutes total to cut and build. Not lyin'.

If you don't have a saw and nail gun, try the miter box or the cutting guy at Lowe's. You can rent a nail gun or just try hammering in finishing nails. This will just make the assembly a lot longer.
The result? GORG!:
Helllllloooooooooo I LOVE THEM! With a little paint to match the trim and shutters from the deck redo they were complete:
I had extra wood and the Bub was still napping, so I went ahead and made a couple more for our bay window windows:
I didn't hang them though -- kind of because they are so low anyway, mostly because drilling into the siding was starting to give me hives. So they will just sit on the deck. Whew.

They are NOT perfect. They are not polished. But that's how I wanted them. I let go and love them not perfect. Not sure they'll even stay in the side of the house. I didn't want to drill huge toggle bolts into the siding so I did my best to hit studs. Little afraid they are going to crash down sometime soon. Crikey. Serenity now...

Does it kill anyone else to spend so much on flowers? It does me. Up till this year I had two front window boxes and maybe three or four containers with annuals every year. Why I keep creating spots for them, I'm not sure -- we'll have to spend a boatload on flowers next year.

Ah, who am I kidding.
Lurve. Best part -- each one was less than four bucks to make. :)

68 thrifties said (comment here):

Amy said...

Love them! Any ideas how to attach these to a brick house?

BrittanyMarie said...

They look so good. You did a really good job!

Kendra said...

Fantastic! I'm not sure I'm as at home with power tools as you are, but I'm going to use your post to show my hubby how simple it will be for him to build the box I want in my front window. We just have to wait till it cools down a little here. They look great!

Gayla said...

Wow!! Yes, flowers are SO expensive!

Veronica said...

Those turned out awesome!! I love it. I would have freaked drilling into the siding, you are a better woman that I!

Little Lovables said...

They look great!

I worked with a miter saw when I was learning how to build sets in high school theatre and in shop class. I so wish I could learn those skills again.

Melissa Miller said...

~WOW! I say that alot when I visit you Sarah. I can't help it. You really out did yourself! ~Gorgeous!

valerie said...

Love it! We have plenty of wood laying around from our remodel. First thing tomorrow I'll be finding me some for a window box! Thanks for the awesome idea and tutorial!

Renee said...

I got lots of flowers this year without spending a bundle - online! I keep an eye on imaybecheap.com blog (which is how I found your blog, by the way), and she posted some great deals that were like $10 off $25 with free shipping (which is normally another $10. I spent time on each site with a deal to get he most flowers per buck, and the plants came as little root & stem balls or bulbs and all flowered beautifully!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful window boxes. If you don't want to spend a fortune each year on plants check out the winter sowing on garden web.com (heck just google winter sowing) I've got a whole cottage garden look going for pennies!

abeachcottage said...

g'day lovely Sarah

well after I picked my jaw up from the floor I thought I'd tell you that now, all the way on the other side of the world you've given me another project ;-)

can I ask how you attached the box to the wall?

out to get myeself a nail gun anytime soon...and I used to shop for handbags lol

Sarah

Blushing hostess said...

This is a great post because they are never the size I need - and we move a lot, the military thing, you know - and they are a fortune to buy. Thank you!

Suzan said...

A nail gun AND a compound miter saw? I would think I had died and gone to heaven!

Suzann @ Lavender and Roses said...

I am truly impressed. I am begging hubby to let me have window boxes. He's not a fan. I on the other hand love them. But, I do cringe at what is spend on flowers each year. So costly. But, what's a girl to do?

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

eek! Love them! You did a great job. :) I like the simple lines. I am also one of those girls who gets twitchy spending lots of $$ on flowers. That's why I mostly stick to wave petunias. Also 'cause it takes a lot to kill them. ;) I love that you chose mums. Nice and Fallish. :)

charlie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sharae said...

What kind of paint did you use on the boxes and the shutters? I LOVE it all :)

Shannon Rodriguez said...

Check with your local college in the science dept. If they offer a Botany class, chances are they might let you take cuttings to grow through the winter. They would be ready to plant next spring. They might have left over cuttings that students did for a grade, but didn't want and you could probably adopt them.
Love the boxes. Another project to add to the list.

Gail said...

Great job on the window boxes! When I first started re-purposing items, I couldn't decide which saw I should get first, a table saw or compound miter saw. I went with table saw. However it didn't take me long to get the com. m. saw. Gotta love it, and OH YEAH! The nailer! My best friend!
About the flowers, me too! I have switched to about 95% perennials.
Love you blog!
check out mine:
www.MyRepurposedLife.blogspot.com

Tracey said...

OMG! I AM IMPRESSED AND JEALOUS!....CAN I MARRY YOU...JUST KIDDING....NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD I BE ABLE TO DO THAT!

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

They look awesom. Couple of questions - did you have to drill holes on the bottom? If you did, does the water drain out and stain your siding or deck? Just some things I worry about.

Richella said...

You don't have to worry about the cost of flowers if you spend so little on the containers! Great job! You've really got me wishing that I had some power tools. Maybe I need to start re-thinking my birthday wish list. . . .

clschaan said...

perenials are your friend!

Karen said...

I love those! I just bought my first nail gun a couple weeks ago and LOVE IT! Having the right tools around, it's easy to get inspired!
Karen
http://savingthefamilymoney.com

Rebekah said...

I love a girl who isn't afraid of power tools!!

Jenny said...

This is a great follow-up to the shutters post you wrote earlier. Thanks very much for the idea to use fence panels as shutters!!! I hope you don't mind that I'm using your ingenious idea for my house too :) If we complete the project this year I'll send a before and after pic.
You have a great blog and I really enjoy reading it!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

I just love how your window looks with those shutters and windowboxes. So pretty!!! We have a saw like that, but I'm afraid my husband is the only one who has ever been near it.

Sunny said...

Sarah, you are like my complete idol! You're like the Tool Woman Taylor with your compound miter saw and nail gun. Bet you have a compressor for that nail gun, too, eh? Seriously. My hero! Love those boxes!

Beverly said...

Hi Sarah. Found your blog today and love it! I love to decorate frugally. I have wanted window boxes, but they are too expensive. Now I CAN have some! Thank you

Anna See said...

woohoo! these look fantastic.

AnNicole @ OurSuburbanCottage said...

Woo hoo! Great job! I have GOT to get me a miter saw and nail gun. I gave in and bought my son (and myself) a grill over the weekend, but man oh man I would have preferred a saw and nail gun.

Pam said...

Love the window boxes. They are also on our "to do" list for the house. As far as flowers go, there are more options than just buying 50 thousand gazillion annuals each year. You could buy some that are evergreen or perennials and just fill in your pops of color with a few annuals every year. Or, if you're really ambitious, you could start your own from seed and plant them in the boxes when the weather gets warm enough. That would be really cheap. Anyway...Love it!

Shannon said...

so cute!

Deirdre of Kitchen Stories said...

You have absolutely no idea how incredibly impressed I am! Wow!

Xazmin said...

They look FABULOUS Sarah! You're my hero.

Susanne said...

Hubs and I are trying to decide whether to invest in a table saw or a miter saw, but I don't really know the difference. Do you have both, and could you maybe do a post on what can be done with each?

Carol said...

Those look amazing, and they match your shutters you made!

Gina said...

Not the first time I've spit out a drink while reading your blog. You crack me up, Sarah! Love the window boxes.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Sarah, you are always up to some fun projects over here. this is a great one too!

The Hughes Family said...

I am ABSOLUTLY loving your blog...it is SOOO my fav! I have started talking like your blog, with like GORG, and FABULOUS, and LURVE. Anyways Im going to be moving into my FIRST house and I wanted my hus to make me a flower box(Im only having him make it because he likes to do the manly things around the house) anyways my grandpa told me not to build them because the water could seep under my vinyl siding and cause some damage...Do you something with yours so that doesnt happen???? my email is laceybug23@gmail.com I would love it if you got back to me!!!

The Hughes Family said...

I am ABSOLUTLY loving your blog...it is SOOO my fav! I have started talking like your blog, with like GORG, and FABULOUS, and LURVE. Anyways Im going to be moving into my FIRST house and I wanted my hus to make me a flower box(Im only having him make it because he likes to do the manly things around the house) anyways my grandpa told me not to build them because the water could seep under my vinyl siding and cause some damage...Do you something with yours so that doesnt happen???? my email is laceybug23@gmail.com I would love it if you got back to me!!!

Your cool friend Cheryl said...

I spend way too much on flowers each year. I should stick to perennials...

TRICIA @boutellefamilyzoo said...

Love them! I will definetly be using this tutorial. Fantastic!
XO*Tricia

Centsational Girl said...

I have recently gotton over my fear of the big bad boyfriend known as the compound miter saw. Once you go CMS, you never go back. Now I too am in love.

Your window boxes are so fabulous darling !

Kimm at Reinvented said...

Simply awesome. Looooove them! Now I just need to convince the hubby that it's OKAY to drill holes in the siding! :)

demetria said...

well. . . i've been stalking your blog for a coupla weeks now. . .always laughing out loud (while thoroughly admiring your handiwork). . . wanting to comment, but i didn't b'c of the SHEER VOLUME of comments you receive. okay. . . so i caved. you are INCREDIBLE and so MOTIVATING!!! and so dern FUNNY!!!! thanks for making me take on so diy projects that i'd been waiting on hubby to do. also. . . interested in info on your advertising. i have my own business making distressed wooden frames.

hzgrace said...

A compound miter saw... I am soooo jealous. I have the little yellow box it does the job but definitely not as fun.
I so totally agree with you on spending all that on flowers. This year I am trying to save the seed from the coleus and start my own. Then I will just buy a few flowers to round it out.
You have a blessed day

Amanda said...

What a great use of leftover lumber! They turned out great and add so much character. :) I can't wait til we're ready to whip up some window boxes for our house...

Angie said...

You are so smart! I love them and I also LOVE your shutters!

Katy said...

You are too cool! Window boxes are so lovely and at $4.00...well, that just rocks my world!! They look great!

maureen said...

love it! very cottage chic!

http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

anhesty said...

o love it!!! very chic!

http://anhesty.blogspot.com

Tricia said...

I need to know how to install them and about the drainage holes in the bottom!!

AWESOME job. I have wanted window boxes FOREVER! thanks for giving me the push!!

Connie said...

I found your blog and I think your window boxes are real classy.

Denise said...

I've just found your blog and enjoyed so much surfing around and looking at your beautiful home. My window boxes are plastic I'm afraid, but they still do the job and I love replanting the flowers each season.

DzynByJules said...

Thanks for showing us all how a miter saw can be our new BFF! I just love mine, and don't know what I'd do without it! Your window boxes are just divine! Thanks for inspiring us all once again!
You're the best,
Jules :)

Down Pillow said...

They look so good! They really add so much charm to the exterior :)

jack carlos said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Laurie said...

you know, you really need your own show. i'm sure you've been told that before, but it's true. :)

Caroline said...

They turned out great...may have to get hubby to read this post. I could use some window boxed for my garden shed.

The Bargainista said...

WOW!! You have inspired me to actually work on my back yard now!!!! :) Thank you!!!

Nicole @ BugaBoos said...

They looks awesome! I love them! Your amazing as always!

Barb said...

Great job on all.
yes, you are right, nail guns, and saws, and throw in a router or two, a scroll saw, band saw, planer, and a few other small tools, and you are in woodmakers heaven. (and inside my garage). =0))

Blessings,
Barbara Jean
PS Great tip on the glue you use. thanks

Amy {The Red Chair Blog} said...

Great tutorial. Window boxes can be so expensive to buy!

Alison said...

Awesome window boxes!

Can I ask you - what are those black stand legs that are holding the plank on top of which your compound miter saw is? would love to hear that from you, i have been looking for something like that for my projects.

Tabitha said...

I have a great porch that these boxes would look lovely on. Im going to try it...

Tabitha said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Becky said...

I have always been a fan of windowboxes and I have never had them. These look easy to do for sure. And they sure do a nice job on the house. Yours are really pretty. Thanks for the idea.