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I wanted to have more plants in my house. I have a Cardwell lily from my Grandfather (via my Mum) that was pot bound & on the verandah. Big, light green leaves that would add colour & life inside.
I had previously bought a 45cm metal planter stand that seats a black pot with a raised base that I like but only a 60cm planter is available now. And I wanted to get back into woodwork so making a stand would be a great project, & an excuse for a trip or two to Bunnings 😁
I credit the "D.I.Y. timber plant stand" by @joineryjo and "How to build a planter stand" by @JoeAzza for ideas (& for making it look so/too easy 😮).
Materials
- Gorilla Glue
- Dowels
- Timber screws
- used timber (fascia boards from neighbours reno): 165x25
Tools
- Drop saw, 10" (Ozito)
- Tenon saw
- Chisels
- Drill & impact driver (Ozito). battery
Steps
Step 1
Inspired by the examples, I decided to do a variation on @JoeAzza's. It was to be taller & with a recessed portion to seat the pot. It was initially going to use an acacia timber panel for the colour & simplicity of completing: cut two "halves" & fit together with a lap joint....simples! Here's the plan (with inconsistencies :-)):
I wasn't sure I could chisel the lap joints cleanly or create the recessed top, so I made the challenging (foolish?) decision to use the recovered demo fascias--nice pieces of native hardwood. I didn't count on them not being uniform thickness or width, or having some cupping & bowing so it was a challenge in patience & acceptance for a perfectionist 😁 & a good learning experience.
It was also the source of a number of false starts and dynamic changes to the plan--always measure twice, cut once, & avoid "over" cutting with a power saw! All cuts with the power saw were done on the drop saw: my table saw that was to be used for ripping etc failed after the first cut (I'm hoping it's just the switch bcos the table saw is so handy).
Step 2
I was going to cut each "half" as 2 pieces (approx 120mm wide) to be dowelled into a single half that was to be lap jointed (as per the plan). Mistakes in measurements, cuts etc lead to creating 4 "legs", with each pair to be joined to a centre "panel" to create each "half". Here's the legs with the piece for the centre "panel":
Step 3
The piece for the centre "panel" was cut in half & used to join each pair of "legs" (after further mods to the "legs" because the "panel" wasn't long enough). Each leg was attached with 2 dowels & glued to the "panel". The recesses for the lap joints were cut mainly with the drop saw & some finishing with a handsaw. It was awkward bcos of the "legs" & I should've cut them on the center pieces before attaching the "legs"....sigh. Similarly for the cuts for the recessed top.
Lots of planing with an electric planer to account for the differeing thicknesses & cupping plus to remove the weathered outer timber to get it ready for staining.
Here's the 2 "halves" ready to be joined:
Step 4
I cut 2 pieces of timber to 25mm width so I had 2 pieces of 25x25x40mm. The 2 "panels" were assembled over the lap joint (some filing required). Then I fixed the 25x25mm pieces vertically in opposite corners of the lap joint to add additional rigidity (plus 1 of the centre "panels" had split when I was cutting the lap joint recess & was re-glued).
Here's the assembled product:
and with the pot in place:
And the "reinforcing" pieces (to be replaced by 25x25x100mm):
Step 5
Staining to be completed 
Hopefully, as inspiration for others, showing that a lot can be achieved without a sophisticated workshop: just patience, perserverence/ obstinance, and attitude. Here's my indoor/outdoor "workshop":
And sometimes an "apprentice" can be a help altho sometimes a trip hazard 
No, she isn't deaf but she wasn't fazed by the sound of the drop saw etc!
P.S. I intend to make another post after I make the next planter with the acacia panel and with the benefit of this experience of what not to do
