for any beginner. The best choice of wood for a window box
is cedar or cypress, because both woods will naturally
resist rotting the best. This will give your window box
the best chance of lasting more than five years. The
process of building a window box begins with measuring the
window for window box length, followed by assembly,
followed lastly by hanging it. Let's skip straight to the
middle and focus in on the actual building of a window box
and the steps that are required. You'll need a drill, a
few special bits, a brad gun, and a miter saw for this
project.
For simplicity purposes let's build a 36" window box from
3/4" thick cypress. Cypress wood stock can be attained
from most local lumberyards in a variety of dimensions.
For window box purposes, a 1" x 8" board is recommended.
For this box we will need roughly 12 feet of length. Now,
miter the board at 34.5" three consecutive times such that
you have three boards, one for the bottom, front, and back.
We want to join these three boards with screws so that the
boards are held tightly together. Butt two boards up at a
ninety degree angle and join them with some gorilla wood
glue. You want to make sure you use a wood glue designed
for exterior purposes. Once glued, shoot a few brad nails
along the joint to hold the two boards together
temporarily. Next, countersink three small holes through
the boards in preparation to pass screws in to more
securely join the boards in a ninety degree fashion. A
countersink drill bit is one that drills a pilot hole deep
and a big hole shallow so that the screw head can sink pass
the face of the board. Countersink a hole on the left, in
the middle, and on the right. Next, sink a screw into the
boards so that they grab tightly. The butt joint should
show on the bottom of the box. Repeat the same steps to
fasten the back board to the bottom boards. Once finished,
you will have everything but the side pieces.
For fastening of the side pieces I recommend again using
gorilla glue and brad nails to quickly secure the piece to
the box. Follow that up with countersunk holes and screws
to secure the side pieces to the box firmly. The side
piece should be cut to size first. Once the side pieces
are attached, the structural assembly of the box is
complete. Next, use a drill with a 1/4" drill bit to drill
drain holes in the bottom. I recommend placing a hole in
each corner of the box and one in the very center where
water will likely migrate to the most. Next, caulk inside
the box to seal all the inner joints. This will reinforce
the box and also keep water from seeping through. Lastly,
staple an erosion tarp to the inside of the box. This will
act as a filter between dirt and water so that water can
drain through the box easily while keeping the dirt in.
Viola, now you're ready to hang it and put flowers in it.
It's just that easy. If you're not up for the challenge of
building a wooden window box every five years, a good idea
may be to consider investing in a PVC window box. They're
moisture resistant, reasonably priced, and because they
don't rot they're designed to last 30 years and more
without any maintenance.
----------------------------------------------------
Matthew Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, Inc.
His expertise is manufacturing PVC window boxes and custom
window boxes. He has many years of experience in building,
painting, and installing window boxes. Flower Window Boxes
specializes in affordable PVC window boxes and are known as
the largest manufacturer online and they sell direct to the
public.
http://www.flowerwindowboxes.com
