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How to build a curved wall planter

Create an affordable green wall.
Green wall with curved wall planters
Add potted uprights to wall planter full of spillers. Give your climbers a tall frame to grow over.

Want to create an eye-catching display for your green wall? Here, Charlie Albone shows you how to build a curved wall planter.

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Gather your supplies

  • 2400 x 1200 x 17mm formply
  • 800mm plastic planter
  • 90 x 45mm H2 treated pine
  • 1.5mm Colorbond flat sheet
  • 200 x 200 x 40 x 6mm heavy duty galvanised brackets.

You’ll also need

  • Scrap timber
  • hammer
  • nails
  • jigsaw
  • circular saw
  • drill
  • 50mm screws
  • tin snips
  • fine metal file
  • construction adhesive
  • timber blocks
  • clamps
  • ratchet straps
  • angle grinder fitted with metal cutting blade
  • spirit level
Green Wall
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

For you to note

Colorbond sheet is available at metal or roofing suppliers. Have the supplier cut the top, bottom and face pieces of the planter to width.

Here’s how

Step 1

Charlie Albone How to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

To make compass to scribe arc, put nail through length of scrap timber 700mm from one end. Nail this on centreline of formply sheet 750mm from one end. 

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Step 2

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Place pencil at end of timber and swivel it across end of formply to draw arc from one side to other. Use jigsaw to cut arc.

Step 3

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Use circular saw to cut across sheet where arc meets the sides to create the top of the planter. 

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Step 4

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Place plastic planter upside down on centre of top piece and draw around rim. Draw further lines about 10mm in from line of rim, then cut along inner lines to make hole for planter to sit in. Use the top piece as a template to mark and cut bottom piece, including planter hole.

Step 5

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Cut treated pine then nail together to make a pair of cradles to support the planter. Make the distance between the uprights of the cradle the same as the width of the opening in the top. 

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Step 6

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Sit top on cradles and nail together. If fixing into a wall with timber studs, as here, make the distance between the cradles to suit the distance between the studs in the wall. 

Step 7

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Cut uprights out of treated pine to join top and bottom of planter together. Make length of uprights 10mm longer than height of the cradle. Sit top on the uprights and nail together. At corners, shape the uprights so they are flush with the edges of the top.

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Step 8

Easy steps to build a wall planter
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Turn unit over and sit bottom on uprights and screw together. 

Step 9

Sit planter assembly on Colorbond sheet and trace the shape of the curve. Use tin snips to cut out the shape of the curve. Use fine metal file to smooth the sharp edges. Repeat to cut second piece of sheet. On one of the pieces, mark out and cut hole for the planter.

Step 10

Easy steps to build a wall planter: Step 10
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)
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Spread construction adhesive along the top of the planter and sit the corresponding sheet on top. Use timber lengths to even out sheet and make it flat. 

Step 11

Easy steps to build a wall planter: step 11
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Repeat Step 10 to attach second sheet to planter. Clamp sheet while it dries, put timber lengths under clamps so it stays flat. 

Step 12

Drill drainage holes in bottom piece of sheet.

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Step 13

Easy steps to build a wall planter: step 13
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Spread adhesive along curved edges of assembly and uprights along that edge. Lay sheet on this edge, starting at one side and rolling over curve.

Step 14

Easy steps to build a wall planter: step 14
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Use ratchet straps along curved face to hold Colorbond even and hard against planter assembly. Leave glue to set.

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Step 15

Easy steps to build a wall planter: step 15
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Use angle grinder with metal cutting blade to cut down one leg of the angled bracket so that it will fit against the side of the cradle when the other leg is hard against the underside.

Step 16

Easy steps to build a wall planter: step 16
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Screw brackets onto walls to suit spacing of cradles in planter assembly and make sure they are level.

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Step 17

Easy steps to build a wall planter: Step 17
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Slide planter onto brackets so the cradles in the planter sit on them. Screw through upright of cradle into the wall to hold them in place.

Step 18

Easy step to build a wall planter: step 18
(Credit: Sue Ferris) (Credit: Sue Ferris)

Insert plastic planter with plants.

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Green wall with curved wall planters
Add potted uprights to wall planter full of spillers. Give your climbers a tall frame to grow over.

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