A Quick and Easy Paint Stirrer Crate Planter

303

Well hello there. Are you looking for an easy way to make a crate and turn it into a planter. This little one that we made from paint stirrers is not only budget friendly, it’s a quick DIY project too. You can make it in less than an hour. It’s a lovely house warming or hostess gift. Or why not make a few so you can keep one for yourself . Come on I know you want too, since it just looks so adorable hanging on the wall ;-)

 

What You Need to Make a Paint Stirrer Crate

Besides the paint stirrers, which you can get at most hardware stores for free, you’ll also need a measuring tape, some chicken wire, staple gun, wire cutters, 1×1’s, and something to cut the stirrers and 1×1 to the right length. We used our Miter Saw but a good old fashioned hand saw will work too. In fact, the hubby gave me the beady eye for not doing it the old fashioned way. But in my defense, I wanted to get the cutting stuff done so I could concentrate on making it pretty and turning the paint stirrer crate into a planter ;-) If you can’t find stirrers you can make this easy shadow box from wood scraps and use that instead.

 

You’ll need 18 stirrers in total to make the crate which measures 33 cm x 23 cm x 11 cm  (13″ x 9″ x 4 1/4″).

Okay, before we get to all the good stuff, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!

How To Make a Paint Stirrer Crate

Paint stirrers usually have these notches on the side that makes it easier to grip while you’re stirring. And while I didn’t really mind that the sticks weren’t completely straight all the way, I decided to cut those bit off the 6 sticks that will form the top and bottom. If you want your crate to be wider you can leave them as is. Cut the 1×1 into 4 equal pieces measuring 11 cm (4 1/4″). These will form the side supports of the crate.

 

Use a staple gun to attach the side support to the shorter, cut paint stirrers as shown below. Use one of the other paint stirrers as a spacer to align the them nicely or just use the highly scientific eye ball method ;-)

 

Staple the longer side pieces onto the shorter sides. Just make sure all those notches are pointing in the same direction for a more professional look.

 

Measure the inside of the shorter side, between the 1x1s and cut two pieces to fit snuggly. Staple those two pieces onto the shorter side. If I wasn’t so focused on getting to the point where I could start making pretty, I probably would have thought about adding those bits before I attached the longer sides to the shorter ones. Oh well lesson learnt :D Finally staple all the bottom pieces on, once again making sure that the notches all face the same way.

 

Time to Make Pretty And Turn it Into a Planter

If there’s one thing we make a lot it’s planters. Whether they’re made from mismatched forks or broken wine glasses, we’ve done it all. Not even an old lantern is safe :D But this paint stirrer crate planter is one of the easier one. Paint or stain the crate to suit your decor before cutting a strip of chicken wire that fits neatly across the bottom of your crate.

 

Use the staple gun to attach the chicken wire and add some coconut fiber.

 

Line the bottom of the crate planter with plastic to protect it and create a waterproof barrier. If you’re going to use faux plants in your planter you don’t need to worry about it. Fill her up with plants, real or faux. We added the most gorgeous pansies to ours. There little faces always make me happy and they come in so many different colors.

No one can keep being angry if they look into the heart of a pansy for a while Click to Tweet

 

Hang her up and enjoy.

 

Just for fun we added a miniature wire bird cage that’s been filled with fairy lights.

 

I love the way it adds a bit of interest and creates a warm glow in the corner.

 

And those beautiful little pansies are all nestled up snuggly in their bed of coconut fiber.

 

What do you think? Is it something you would try to make?

If you like the idea of repurposing paint stirrers into a crate don’t forget to pin it for later.

 

Oh before I forget, if you’d like to make something similar or prefer to buy rather than DIY,  we’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more unique DIY and craft ideas for you ;-)

 

As always wishing you a beautiful and crafty week.