Pickled Window Boxes

Wooden Plant Containers

If you're not so meticulous, don't worry; these Pickled Window Boxes are very forgiving and don't require a degree in math to complete. It helps to be able to use a measuring tape, but if you eyeball it, they are still possible.

The helper who took on the engineering aspect of these boxes based on my vague description of what I wanted (about yay long - with hands held about two feet apart) was an expert in deciphering my requirements.

This is the first one to be made, and when Mike went to attach it to the outside of the porch on the decorative shelf brackets, he discovered to his dismay that it was too short.

So, never one to let anything deter me, I said, that's okay, that one will fit on the other side and you can make me another to fit the brackets. So it was.

If you build one of these, take heart. Not everyone is so anal about measuring everything. Plus, hand sawn lumber from a local saw mill is not going to be as perfect as what you would get from an industrial supplier.

There are always slight imperfections, even in top grade dimension lumber, which we can use to our advantage when making any kind of rustic items.

Barnboard is supremely desirable, but if you don't have access to it, use old pallets or other wood, whatever is available. Make them to whichever size fits your needs.

The second one was built paying more attention to the actual measurements we needed, and fits perfectly.

But before attaching it, there's one more step; the pickling part. This is done with vinegar and steel wool, and after marinating it overnight, I used a paintbrush to apply it.

The beauty of this method is that it doesn't have to be perfect, in fact, it's better if it's not. The vinegar will soak in, and change over time as the rain does it's work. The aging process can take months, and the whole thing will fade in the sun as well, eventually achieving a barnwood-like patina with a silvery sheen.

Planting colourful annuals that will trail over and cover the main part, only showing a glimpse will make your pickled window boxes look authentically aged in no time.