Lady picks up some old spindles from garage sale, tranforms them into a beauty for her backyard

Does your front porch need a facelift? An old spindle and some wooden trays are all it takes to put your prettiest blooms on a pedestal. With this decorative planter, you’re sure to charm your guests and make them feel welcome before they even ring the doorbell.

Instead of rushing to the craft or home improvement store for supplies, try finding them at garage sales, thrift stores or in online classifieds. An architectural reuse center is also an ideal place to find reclaimed spindles. Not only will this keep project costs down, but it also diverts materials from landfills and conserves resources. Once complete, you can feel good about having a planter that’s as beautiful as it is eco-friendly.

- Wooden spindle
- Pencil
- Jigsaw
- Square wooden tray to use as the planter's base
- Square wooden plaque that's smaller than the tray
- Measuring tape
- Gorilla Wood Glue
- Electric screwdriver
- Small drill bit
- Small wood screws, 4
- Drill bit that is the same size as the bolt in your spindle
- Sanding block
- FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint in “Parisian Gray”
- Paintbrush
- Deep, square tray to use a planter
- Long wood screw, 1
- Potting soil
- Plants

1. Mark where to cut off the top of the spindle. You’ll want to cut it so there’s a large, flat spot where you can mount the top of the planter. Cut the spindle with a jigsaw.

2. Place the wooden tray you want to use as a base on your work surface with the open side down. Place the wooden plaque on top. Use a measuring tape to center the plaque on the tray. Mark the placement of the plaque, then set it aside.

3. Apply glue inside the markings. Place the plaque on top of the glue. Allow the glue to dry.

4. Turn the base upside down. Drill four holes through the tray and into the corners of the plaque. Screw the tray to the plaque with the small wood screws. Turn the base right side up.

5. With a measuring tape, find and mark the center of the plaque. Drill a hole into the mark with the drill bit that’s the same size as the bolt in your spindle. Lightly sand the hole. Screw the spindle in place.

6. Paint the base and spindle with “Parisian Gray” or the chalk paint of your choice. Allow the paint to dry.

7. Paint the deep wooden tray that you’ll use for the main part of the planter. Lightly sand the edges of the tray to give it a weathered look.

8. Turn the tray upside down. With a measuring tape, find and mark the center of the tray. Drill a hole into the mark with a small drill bit. Drill a hole into the top of the spindle.

9. Place the tray right-side up on top of the spindle. With a long wood screw, screw the tray to the spindle through the holes you drilled in the previous step.

10. Plant your flowers in the planter, then display and enjoy!