No Products in Your Cart
Bored Succulent Planters[8/4 · 2ft · 5-Pack]
One pack. One build. All 5 boards used. • Makes 10 succulent planters
Shop Black Walnut 8/4 · 2ft Pack Shop All Speciesselect 2' Lengths / 4-6"
How it goes together
Black Walnut
Hard Maple
Cherry
White Oak
Red Oak
Ash
Hickory
Ambrosia Maple
Sapele*
Padauk*
Purpleheart*
*Exotic — not available for shipment to US customers.
Chunky hardwood blocks with three round pockets for small succulents. Each one is a single 9" block of 8/4 with three 2" Forstner bores, sealed inside so water never reaches the wood. Every board makes two, so one pack gives you ten — a row along a windowsill and plenty to give away.
Quick Build — for experienced woodworkers
| Part | Qty | From | S4S size | S2S size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planter blocks | 10 | Boards 1–5, two each | 9" × 4" × 1¾" | 9" × 3½" × 1¾" |
No joints: each planter is one solid block. No glue or screws.
Bores: three 2" Forstner bores, 1¼" deep, 3" on centre, centred on the width. Sealed inside with spar varnish or epoxy.
Finished size: S4S 9" × 4" × 1¾" with 1" side walls · S2S 9" × 3½" × 1¾" with ¾" side walls. Each bore holds a plant in a 2" pot or smaller.
Before You Start
Shopping List
- 1 lumber pack — 8/4 · 2ft (S4S or S2S)
- Spar varnish or 2-part epoxy (to seal the bores)
- Pea gravel and cactus soil, or small plastic pot liners
- Felt or cork pads
- Sandpaper 120 / 180 / 220
- Finish: hardwax oil
- 30 small succulents
Tools
- Saw for crosscuts (mitre saw or circular saw with a speed square) — with a stop block
- Drill press with a fence and depth stop
- 2" Forstner bit
- 2 bar clamps, 6" or longer
- Small brush (for the sealer)
- Tape measure, combination square, pencil
- Random-orbit sander or sanding block
- S2S only: jointer, straight-line rip jig or hand plane
S4S or S2S? S4S boards arrive flat and square on all four sides — cut and build. S2S boards have rough edges you straighten first. No jointer? Choose S4S.
Our sizing assumptions: ⅛" per saw cut · S4S boards 1¾" × 4", ¼" to square an end · S2S boards trimmed ½" each end and ¼" off each rough edge (3½" clean); we plan S2S at 1¾" thick · sizes drawn for the narrowest board in the pack. Wider boards give you a bigger offcut or a wider part — never a shortage.
Step-by-Step
S4S Lumber Pack
Surfaced 4 sides — no jointing
- 1 Crosscut the blocks. Square one end of each board. Clamp a stop block at 9" and cut two blocks from every board — 10 blocks, each 9" × 4" × 1¾".
- 2 Mark the bores. Pick the best face for the top. Draw a line down the middle of the 4" width. Mark three centres on it, 3" apart: one in the middle and one 3" each side of it, 1½" from each end.
- 3 Set up the drill press. Fit a 2" Forstner bit and set the depth stop to 1¼". Clamp a fence so the bit lands on the centre line every time. That leaves ½" of wood under each bore and 1" walls at the sides.
- 4 Drill the bores. Clamp the block to the fence. Drill at slow speed (about 500 rpm) and lift the bit every ¼" to clear the chips and keep it cool.
- 5 Clean up. Sand the bore rims with sandpaper wrapped round a dowel. Round all the outside edges about ⅛". Sand 120 → 180 → 220.
- 6 Seal the bores. There is no drainage, so water must never soak into the wood. Brush two or three coats of spar varnish inside each bore, or one thin coat of epoxy. Let it cure fully.
- 7 Finish the outside. Wipe on hardwax oil, two coats, on every outside face including the bottom.
- 8 Add feet. Stick four felt or cork pads under each block so it sits flat and doesn't mark the shelf.
- 9 Plant them. Put a spoon of pea gravel in each bore, then cactus soil and a small succulent. Or drop in small plastic pots as liners. Water sparingly — a few spoonfuls every week or two.
S2S Lumber Pack
Surfaced 2 sides — straighten edges first
- 1 Prep the boards. Trim ½" off each end to remove any end checks. Joint one edge straight, then rip the other edge parallel (¼" off each rough edge is our planning allowance). S2S boards finish 1¾" thick, so screws and some sizes change — use the sizes in this column.
- 2 Crosscut the blocks. Square one end of each board. Clamp a stop block at 9" and cut two blocks from every board — 10 blocks, each 9" × 3½" × 1¾".
- 3 Mark the bores. Pick the best face for the top. Draw a line down the middle of the 3½" width. Mark three centres on it, 3" apart: one in the middle and one 3" each side of it, 1½" from each end.
- 4 Set up the drill press. Fit a 2" Forstner bit and set the depth stop to 1¼". Clamp a fence so the bit lands on the centre line every time. That leaves ½" of wood under each bore and ¾" walls at the sides.
- 5 Drill the bores. Clamp the block to the fence. Drill at slow speed (about 500 rpm) and lift the bit every ¼" to clear the chips and keep it cool. With ¾" side walls on S2S blocks, a wandering bit can break through. Drilling by hand or not sure? Drill two bores per block instead, 2½" from each end.
- 6 Clean up. Sand the bore rims with sandpaper wrapped round a dowel. Round all the outside edges about ⅛". Sand 120 → 180 → 220.
- 7 Seal the bores. There is no drainage, so water must never soak into the wood. Brush two or three coats of spar varnish inside each bore, or one thin coat of epoxy. Let it cure fully.
- 8 Finish the outside. Wipe on hardwax oil, two coats, on every outside face including the bottom.
- 9 Add feet. Stick four felt or cork pads under each block so it sits flat and doesn't mark the shelf.
- 10 Plant them. Put a spoon of pea gravel in each bore, then cactus soil and a small succulent. Or drop in small plastic pots as liners. Water sparingly — a few spoonfuls every week or two.
Why seal the bores? The plants sit in damp soil with no drain hole. Bare wood would soak up the water, stain black and could crack. Spar varnish or epoxy makes each bore a waterproof cup.
Why a drill press? A 2" Forstner bit takes a lot of force and wants to wander. A drill press holds it straight, stops every bore at the same depth and keeps it centred, so the side walls stay even.
Why 1¼" deep? The blocks are 1¾" thick. A 1¼" bore leaves ½" of solid wood underneath and is deep enough for a small succulent's roots.
Make It Yours
- Tea lights: skip the plants and drop a tea light in a metal cup into each bore.
- Two big plants: drill two 2½" bores per block, 4" on centre, for slightly bigger succulents.
- Live edge look: leave one long edge rough-sawn on S2S boards and just sand it smooth.
Safety and Care
- Wear eye and hearing protection. Use a push stick for every rip under 4" wide.
- Clamp every block before you drill — a 2" Forstner bit can spin a loose block hard. Run the drill press slow.
- Cut short blocks with a stop block on the mitre saw and keep your hands 6" from the blade.
- Wear a dust mask when cutting and sanding, especially exotics (padauk, purpleheart, sapele).
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for S4S boards — they arrive flat and square on all four sides. S2S boards need their edges straightened: a jointer, a table saw with a straight-line jig, or a hand plane all work. No jointer? Choose the S4S pack.
Water very little. A layer of pea gravel at the bottom keeps the roots out of standing water, and a few spoonfuls every week or two is plenty. Or keep each plant in a small plastic pot and lift it out to water.
On a covered porch or balcony, yes. Seal the bores, finish the outside with hardwax oil and refresh it each spring. White oak handles damp best.
Yes, but go slow. Clamp a scrap with a 2" hole in it on top of the block as a guide, and drill two bores per block so a wandering bit has more room.
Planned offcuts only: the end trim and about 5" (S4S) or 4¾" (S2S) at the end of each board. Drill a test bore in one to check your depth stop. All 5 boards go into the planters.
Yes. A 4ft pack makes 20 planters: cut four blocks from each board instead of two.
