Are you good at handyman type tasks?

It’s ugly.

Not deep enough for the root systems.

I don't care what you think, R1. I think they're charming. But, the point is, that I doubt I could build one.

Some of them are, R2.

Hire a good handyman rather than trying to do something that is beyond you. I can fix a few basic things but I've always got a handyman for lots of other stuff.

OP, these things are always easier if you have the right tools, and a place to store them, so that it’s easy to access them when you need them. I am handy and imaginative and am always turning a sows ear into a silk purse.

There’s a lot of fun in being creative in this way. I think I enjoy it more than other people do. They might think, “why did you make one when you could just buy one?”

Could you make something like the planter pictured in R4, R5? How hard would it be to make?

No. I’m a pansy.

OP, that looks rather easy to make but you do need some tools.

It’s frau

It is not, R9.

The job is to use hand on man? Yes I can do that. Hand, mouth, is ok!

Flower boxes are easy to make because the wood pieces are usually just rectangles. I’ve built them before. The hard part is that they rot easily, since they contain wet soil.

[quote] OP, these things are always easier if you have the right tools

This.

Do it, OP! That's a really simple project; three or four simple pine boxes suspended between 2x4s. You'd need a a tape measure, saw, phillips screwdriver (which you probably already have), a drill, two sizes of bits, the pine lumber and a box of screws, and four bolts and nuts for each box. The cuts can all be simple 90 degree cuts, and everything held together with screws (and maybe some wood glue if you're feeling wild). I'm sure you could draw out simple plans just from looking at a set you liked, or there must be bunches available on DIY sites. Go for it...your friends will be impressed, and you'll feel good that you did it yourself.

I agree about the tools, but the old expression of “you have to start somewhere” comes to mind.

When I was in my early 20s, I suddenly had an interest in landscaping, gardening, and crafting furniture out of wood. I had zero experience in any of that aside from cutting the grass, and building small crafts in a shop class in high school.

In regards to the landscaping and gardening, I went to the local nursery and asked what would do best on my property, etc. and went from there. Bought books on landscaping ideas and went from there. Doing what I could afford and at my own pace.

Now, 15 years later, the front, back and side yards and patio are landscaped beautifully. It’s sometimes a pain to maintain, but I knew that going into it.

Regarding the wood crafting, I had my own tools, and what I didn’t have, I could borrow from one of my brothers’ garages or I just bought what I needed from the hardware store.

I worked at my own pace, realizing it would likely not be close to pretty or perfect. But 15 years later, I’ve built about 30 full sized tables, just as many coffee tables and end table sets, computer desks, hundreds of jewelry boxes, and dozens of trunks. All crafted quite beautifully out of varying types of wood. But my favorites to work with are Spanish Red Cedar, Redwood (old growth grain is stunning) and mahogany. On top of that I taught myself to repair and refinish and refurbish nice and unique pieces or damaged antique furniture people throw out or I find at shops.

Just go for it. Everything is a learning process. And starting with a project like that will give you a chance to see whether the project is a hobby you’d enjoy, or something you’d rather buy, or hire someone to create.

As of right now I only have a hand saw, what kind of saw would I actually need to do a project like this?

I have a drill and a small set of screwdrivers etc..

If you're not familiar with using a saw and don't want to end up in the emergency room…measure out how big you want everything and slap on a mask and go have someone at Home Depot do the cuts for you. You can drill holes and affix screws and assemble the thing without needing any experience and without injuring yourself.

A circular saw, or chop saw would be ideal, but a hand saw has been around a lot longer than electricity, so if you're comfortable with that, it will work just fine, just take a little longer. Otherwise, R17 had a good idea...let HD do it for you.

OP, when I moved into Boston, a million years ago, I made the mistake of using some dirt from the surrounding area for my flower boxes. The problem is the area soil is polluted with animal droppings, asbestos, lead, and other poisons. So, I could never grow vegetables or herbs until I replaced all my soil, so make sure you purchase all your soil from a reputable garden store. Maybe this is just specific to me, but it was a big issue.

OP, for years I would ask Home Depot to do “rough cuts” for me, which were sufficient. They won’t promise “precision” cuts, but a rough-cut should be fine for a garden project.

Eventually I bought this saw. My Home Depot actually has them available for customers to use in their stores, so you could do that, or you can buy one. It has a yellow mitre box that allows you to make straight cuts at precision lengths.

I usually don’t make anything myself that requires precision cuts. When I wanted my coffee table legs shortened, I paid a tradesman, because I wanted to make sure the table would not wobble. (Turns out, I directed him to cut the legs too short. So, I bought this saw to create 4 little blocks to put on the bottom of all the legs, and I was able to do it myself, and it didn’t wobble. So, this saw can be pretty precise.)

R18, Yeah, I just don’t think this is a great time to be solo-learning how to use an electric saw. In an ideal world, OP would have a buddy who could show him how to use one safely and efficiently or even take one of those two hour classes at Home Depot or elsewhere. I do a lot of wood projects, normally, and even I am avoiding anything that’s a pain in the ass to not just hand saw because I don’t want to have to go to an ER to get part of a finger sewn back on. And for that matter, even for home care of injuries, asshole fraus like we’ve had in the Shopping Shortages threads, have been hoarding up shit like antiseptic wound cleaner to wash their door knobs with so you can’t get it for its actual and very needed purpose. I just don’t think it’s a great time to be experimenting for the first time with dangerous electrical tools.

I went to Home Depot and asked the worker to do a rough cut for me. This was maybe 10 years ago, before pot was legal, but he got the blade running and I realized then that he was as high as a kite. I wanted to tell him to stop, but was afraid to say anything disruptive would be just as bad as saying nothing. Well, he didn’t cut his thumb off, but when he finished, I told him that he was too high to be running a saw like that.

Building the planter boxes seems like reinventing the wheel, IMO. What about just buying some wooden planter boxes then building the stairway thing yourself.

I'm sorry, I have to agree with the poster above the end result looks frau-ish.

Do you even like to plant things? Do you have that many plants you like that will grow in a small planter like that with no drainage?

In order to not 'fail' at making some perfect woodworking project, make up your own design using natural materials. Just hammer, nails and maybe glue needed.

just nail some planter boxes down on a wooden step ladder

I was going to suggest if you aren't handy, just buy a couple of two by fours and screw rectangular plastic planter boxes to them. The wood boxes in the picture will rot over time, plastic is forever.

Could I simply line the wooden boxes with plastic to avoid wood rot?

Of course I would need to make drainage holes in the plastic.

I’m not the OP, but I’m trying to use what slender sunlight I can find.