Chelsea LaVere Barton February 01, 2022

The Easiest DIY Way to Make a Plant Stand

Sometimes all you want in DIYland is something so easy you could make it in your sleep. Well, herein enters that kind of project! Whether you’re interested in plant stands for all your leafy babies or dessert stands for your wedding day treats, this is a universally simple 1-2-3 idea that can be used in many different ways. With a block of wood, some glue, and your favorite drawer knobs, you literally have all you need to add some dimension to a chic table centerpiece of any kind. How you will make yours “stand” out?

SUPPLIES:

Maker’s Note

There are many types of wood and drawer knobs out there! You can choose what looks best for your purpose. I have used a piece of 8”x8” hard oak wood and four 19mm Georgian style antique brass knobs for this project. If you’ll be using a knife to cut food on the stand, I recommend going with a hard wood such as oak. If it’s just for display, then you can go with pine or any kind of soft or hard wood you find.

For your wood, metal, or plastic knobs, keep it proportionate to your size of wood. The bigger the stand, the bigger the knobs. The smaller the stand, the smaller the knobs.

These stands are not meant for water immersion or dishwasher use. If you have a porous plant pot that leaks or soaks water, you might want to also apply a waterproofing polyurethane varnish to protect your wood. For cleanup, the stands should be wiped clean with a damp cloth.

If you decide to use this as a dessert or cake stand, apply a custom cut sheet of parchment paper to place on top of your stand before placing your treats on top to keep it in great, long-lasting condition.

Mineral oil provides basic water resistance to your stand and makes it easier to clean. When using as a food display, it also is completely non-toxic and provides a food-safe contact surface.

RUB OIL ON BLOCK

On all sides of your block, apply the first coat of mineral oil with a foam brush while wiping the oil onto the surface of the wood in the direction of the grain.

Leave the oil to set for about 3 minutes and wipe away any excess oil with a clean cloth rag. Let it dry before applying a second and third coat. Allow each coat of mineral oil to dry for 4 hours in between each application.

If your block came already pre-oiled like mine was since I purchased it off of Etsy, then skip this step!

GLUE YOUR FEET

Using your wood glue, you’ll adhere your stand’s feet to the wood block. Generously apply the wood glue to each knob and firmly press down as best as you can for 20-30 minutes. The knobs should be flush to the wood surface. Place a heavy book on top of your knobs as a make-do clamp. Allow your stand’s new feet to dry for 24 hours before using.

Excess glue can be removed with a clean, wet cloth or scraped off after glue dries.

DISPLAY THOSE PLANTS

After that first 24 hours, set up your display and show off your greens! If using for a dessert stand, create sets of stands at different sizes and heights to build a beautifully designed dessert table. Possibilities are endless!

If you create one of our projects, please share a picture with us on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #somethingturquoisediy, we regularly reshare our favorites! Your profile will need to be public for us to see it otherwise, you can always DM us!

ABOUT THE MAKER

Considered an enthusiastic creator in the wedding industry since 2009, Chelsea LaVere Barton is a retired wedding photographer, editor-in-chief of Coastal Virginia’s online wedding publication, Tidewater and Tulle, and co-owner of UK-based wedding signage shop, High Oak & Co. Before her photographer days, Chelsea was a classroom art teacher and adheres to the mantra of “making life more beautiful” in all she does. When she’s not DIYing, she loves to go on local British adventures with her husband, write about said UK adventures on It’s a Hard Biscuit Life, and quietly relax at home with their cat Pickles Barrington. You can find her scrapbook of life on Instagram.