What you need
Project supplies:
• Hammer
• Small plants or seeds (plants must have short and narrow roots)
• Planting soil (optional)
• Krylon metallic copper spray paint
• (4) Large nails (sorry, only two were photographed)
For the Planter you will need ½ inch PVC piping cut to the following measurements:
• (2) 7” inch pipes
• (1) 5 ½” inch pipe
• (1) 5” inch pipe
• (1) 3” inch pipe
• (3) 2 ½”inch pipes
• (2) 2” inch pipes
• (1) 1 ½” pipe
• (1) 1” inch pipe
Including:
• (10) pvc ½ inch elbow fittings
• (1) pvc ½ inch elbow fitting with one side threaded (a.k.a one side male and one side female)
• (2) ½ inch pvc crosses
• Red valve
Instructions
Gather your supplies from your local hardware store. PVC pipe is pretty easy to cut using a hand saw, or you can do what I did, and ask your local hardware store attendant to cut each piece for you
Assemble pipes in 3 easy steps (refer to photo below). If you firmly press each piece together you won’t need any glue.
Finally put it all together
Copper pipes are pretty expensive so using PVC pipes is an economical way to go. Paint the PVC with a metallic copper spray paint in a well ventilated area (may take 3 coats). You’ll be surprised how much it looks like real copper!
PVC connectors come in male and female parts (I know, that sounds weird) but it’s important that the elbow connector you use to attach the valve is female, which means it’s threaded (has grooves). You can always glue on the valve but I found that the valve fits perfectly into a 1/2″ inch female elbow connector and actually turns!
To mount the planter onto the wall, simply hammer nails on both sides of the two PVC crosses.
Finally add your plants! You can fill the pipes with soil before planting by adding a little soil at a time and tapping the pipes so that the soil fills throughout. You could also use air plants or succulents and use a misting bottle to water them everyday.
If you use plants that need to be watered often you can hang the wall planter above another plant so that the water drains onto the plant below. This is a fun effect because it will drain from the valve and look like it’s leak!
If you liked this project, check out the DIY Terrarium Lamp:
Hi, I was wondering whether water from watering the plants mixed with soil goes into the pipes over time and becomes a disgusting, rotten mud filling the pipes over time.
(I ask because I want to build this in a slightly different context 😀 )
Wouldn’t it be better to caulk the pipe to prevent that?
I want to make this out of 2″ PVC pipe, should i add a few inches to the cut pipe measurements or make it the same size?
Thanks in advance.
Hi! I am making this wonderful planter today but I’m having a hard time locating the correct valve. Do you have any information on the type of valve that would help me get the right one?
I found three of them at an antique store that specialized in western antiques. (I live in Montana). We used to use similar ones on our ranch so you might try ranch supply stores that sell livestock water tanks or plumbing companies then spray paint them. Hope this helps.Good luck. I plan on making this planter next spring!
Why not real copper ? Is it toxic for plant ?
Copper piping is very expensive.
I know it’s been a while since this post; however, just wondering if you could use herbs for a kitchen display?
Of course you could! How yummy would that be.
Very creative idea! I just love it.
I just love this unigue copper pipe planter. So am going to try this DIY.
I can’t wait to make this!!!!
Hmmm, it must be because I just discovered Dominic Wilcox (Google him people!) but what about putting adapters on the ends and making bigger planters? And I thought about making one for over my kitchen window, like a grill with big openings, and it could drain right into my sink!
Idea of larger coupling is good but you couldn’t flush mount would have to back off however big in inches from wall
What a marvelous idea,
Looking forward to making this great idea
To make things even easier, I plan on using air plants in this, that way there will be no need for potting soil, water, etc. With air plants, you just mist them or take them down and soak them one a week for a couple hours and stick them back in. They come in a few different shapes so it will add some interesting design element to the planter. Oh, by the way, I LOVE the planter! Ingenious!!!!!
wow-I am glad you added succulents and air plant to the list!!
Very Pretty!! but for an example what plants did you use and did you fill with potting soil?
Hi Eva,
The plants used in this project are hard ivy, a type of succulent vine (sedum), and a spider plant at the very top.
Thanks so much! That gives me a direction to go when looking for my plants.