Adding height variation to your plant collection can enhance the entire look of the collection. Even if you have your potted plants on a shelf, table or other surface off of the floor, some plants definitely benefit from sitting up higher. There are plenty of tabletop plant stands available on the market but they’re also easy to build yourself. Here are the materials and steps needed to make your very own miniature plant stands.
Materials & Tools
Square wood dowel
Dowel pins
Wood glue
Wood stain
Sealer
Rag
Plant pot
Measuring tape
Hand saw
Drill & drill bit
Sandpaper or power sander
Clamps
Process
The very first thing you need to do is measure the diameter of the pot you want to use in the stand. If it’s a tapered or round shape, measure both the bottom and the widest point (whether at the top or in the middle).
Measure and cut the wood dowel so that you have 4 “legs.” For the crosspieces, you’ll need one long piece and two smaller pieces to make the cross.
Mark where the drill holes will go. Add drill holes to the center and either end of the crosspieces and into the middle of each side support. Make the holes approximately 1/2 inch deep.
Use glue and dowels to connect the crosspieces. Add a bit of glue to the end of the dowel and fit it into each hole, clamping the pieces together to make sure it’s a firm fit. Once connected, you should have an X shape.
Now add dowels into each end of the cross and secure them with glue. Attach the leg pieces by fitting the dowels into the holes you drilled in the center of each support. Use the clamp to hold everything steady while gluing.
Make sure the glue is dry and check for any sign of wobbling. If you have some slight unevenness in the legs you can sand down the longest one or more to even them out. If there is a dramatic difference, you may need a hand or hack saw to correct it.
Sand all the surfaces thoroughly to prepare for the stain or paint you want to use. Scrape off any extra dried glue you find, since it won’t take the stain or paint.
Once you’re finished sanding and prepping, paint the visible surfaces and add a coat of seal afterward.
Grab your plant pot and test out the stand. Check again for any signs of unevenness or wobbling and adjust accordingly. Experiment to find the best looking spot for your new tabletop plant stand to complement the plant itself as well as offer it the maximum light and air flow.
About the Author
Joe N. Pollifrone
For over 30 years, Joe Pollifrone has practiced real estate full-time as a licensed Real Estate Broker in California. Joe’s vast sales experience includes duplexes, tri-plexes, four-plexes, apartment buildings, land, condominiums, townhomes, fixer-uppers, estate properties, and bank-owned properties (REOs). He also is active in selling non-owner occupied properties and is well-versed in 1031 tax-deferred exchanges, property management, tenant/landlord issues, and local laws. During Joe’s career to date, he has sold in excess of $200,000,000 of real estate, including over $32,000,000 in REOs.
Joe brought his deep experience to Sereno Group Willow Glen as a Broker Associate in 2012. He was the Sales Manager and lead a top-producing office. Joe would mentor new Sereno hires, making sure that they’re comfortable with the ethos of the office, plugged into Sereno’s network of contacts, and well-versed in the technology required of today’s real estate professionals.
Joe prides himself on his proven ability to negotiate, extensive knowledge of contracts, and securing close of escrows in a timely manner. Both he and his clients credit his success to effective communication skills, honesty, and hard work. Joe is a native of San Jose and resides in Willow Glen with his wife of twenty-seven years, Kimi, his daughters Milan and Micaela and their two Goldendoodles, Tony-Luca and Marco.
