DIY A Unique 3-Tier Outdoor Plant Stand Using Only A Few Materials

So, you fancy some outdoor greenery. But then, the harsh reality hits: You're working with a patio or a small backyard where every foot counts. Yet, you refuse to let square footage dictate your gardening dreams. Or perhaps you're looking for a slick way to organize those potted beauties that are already crowding your patio. Whatever the case, all you need is a spark of DIY inspiration. Get crafty with a project that's as cool as it is functional: A simple yet elegant 3-tier plant stand for outdoor greenery crafted from concrete blocks and lumber. And guess what? The project will take up only three hours of your weekend.

Here's what you'll need to make your new plant stand a reality: First, get hold of three pieces of 2x6 lumber, which cost $6.63 a piece at The Home Depot. If you're building your stand on earth rather than a paved/wooden surface, you'll need some pea gravel — a 48-pound bag of Kolor Scape Pea Gravel goes for $4.68 at Lowe's, quite the steal. The muscle of your stand comes from ten 6x8x16-inch standard blocks (which will set you back around $24 at The Home Depot) and 10 cuboidal cinder blocks (approximately $17 in total), also from The Home Depot. To tie it all together, grab a couple of Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive tubes, which are priced at $2.32 at Walmart. Tallying it up all, you're looking at a ballpark figure of $70. Repurposing old lumber you've got lying around for the shelves is a smart twist that will bring the cost down significantly.

With the essentials ready, pick the perfect spot for your 3-tier plant stand in your outdoor space. You're looking for a level spot that gets plenty of sunshine. If you're building your stand on earth, this is your first step: Extract a bit of earth, drop in some gravel, and compact it. Place your blocks on top at ground level. Next, glue a double block at the front and a single block at the back. For the two subsequent layers, flip the cinder block arrangement — it'll maximize your structure's stability. Once you hit the fourth level, just place a double block at the back, leaving a neat space at the front for the first tier of timber.

The second shelf sits on the fifth level, while the third and final shelf sits on the seventh level. So, your first three layers should be comprised of one double and one single block, the next two layers are just double blocks, and the final two layers are made of single blocks, giving the stand the desired stair look. Don't forget to glue your wooden planks onto their respective blocks. Next comes the fun part — arranging your potted beauties by their height, color, type, or whatever you feel works best. Feeling fancy? You could use stain or paint for outdoor wood features on the shelves or even tweak their heights by playing Lego with the cinderblock count. Swapping out the blocks for bricks is an option, too.