Reuse an Old Table as a Raised Garden Planter

Reuse an old sofa table to make an outdoor raised garden bed perfect for growing herbs or greens!

It’s easy to make a DIY raised garden bed by starting with a old piece of furniture. This version uses IKEA bins that work perfect for short rooted plants like salad greens, but you could also cut holes to fit larger pots for deep rooted flowers or vegetables.

This post was originally published in 2017 and was updated in 2024.

My brother and sister-in-law offered me this solid wood sofa table. I almost passed on it because I didn’t really want to refinish it as a sofa table, plus I had no room in my overcrowded garage.

After seeing the height of it, and seeing some waist height raised garden beds at the home improvement store, I realized I could make this into a little raised planter. 

How to Add Planting Containers

I started with two IKEA bins that I stole from my kids’ basement storage racks. Now, these bins are quite shallow, so only certain vegetables, like salad greens, would grow well in them.

You could also use galvanized bins, which tend to be deeper, or even clay or plastic flower pots, to grow other vegetables or flowers.

Drill holes into the bottom of the container so the soil can properly drain.

Trace the bottom of the bins on the top of the table. This will give the smallest perimeter of the bin so the lip will sit over the edge and hold the bin in place.

If you use flower pots or galvanized tubs, trace the bottom of the bin and then flip the bin over and lightly trace (in pencil) the top of the bin. When cutting the holes in the next step, be sure to cut between these lines so the bin can sit in the hole without falling through.

Use a circular saw (for straight cuts) or a jigsaw (for curved cuts) to cut holes in the top of the table. 

This table had a small drawer, but since the bins were going to be lower than the drawer, I had to remove the drawer. I just sawed off the drawer pieces from the front, and then wood glued and nailed the front plate in place from both the top and the bottom.

How to Paint Outdoor Wood Furniture

In order for wood furniture to withstand the elements of being outside, it’s important to use a paint that is made for exterior use and to properly prepare the piece for painting.

First, sand the wood with 220 grit sandpaper. This scuffs up the surface and helps the paint adhere. For adding sticking power, use an exterior grade wood primer.

I did not use primer on this table and the paint held well for about two years. (I stupidly left the table out for one entire winter, and after that the paint started peeling. If I had brought it inside, the paint would have lasted longer.)

Either way, if you want your paint to adhere very well, I’d suggest taking the extra step to prime it first, before painting. Or, you can use a chalk paint (which sticks very well) and then seal it with an exterior grade clear coat.

I used DecoArt Outdoor Living paint which is rated as an exterior paint. You can also use any exterior house paint from the hardware store as well for the paint color.

My two oldest love to paint, so they helped me paint all parts of the table (including the underside to help it withstand any water). I applied three coats to help with durability.

The table sits under a small roof overhang, so it does get wet, but it’s still somewhat sheltered. The paint stayed in tact for the first and second year, but then when I forgot to pull it inside over the winter and it sat in the snow, the paint started chipping and the edges of the cut part of the table started taking in water.

If I were to do it again, I would primed and I would have applied Flex Seal or water penetrating sealer along the interior cut edges of the table to help it last longer.

The bunnies left these greens alone, so I’m guessing the table was high enough off the ground to keep them away.

Want to make sure you don’t forget about this idea?  Pin it for later!  (Many thanks!)

Do you like to refinish furniture?  Check out my post about the best kind of paint for furniture.

Here are a few other gardening DIY projects: