How to Make Porch StandsWould You Believe for Only $1.64!Make this seasonal porch display stand for $1.64 and do it in only minutes. Use them throughout the year on your porch or steps to display potted plants in summer, pumpkins or mums for autumn, or other decorative items for specific holidays.
Our double shelf stand only cost $1.64 (for the wood) and it made a fun project for our grand kids. You do the cutting and have them put them together. At that price, you can make several in no time at all. Materials and Tools
Constructing the Porch Display StandsWe'll show you how simple it is to make either a single shelf or double shelf stand to the dimensions we used. You can easily modify the dimensions to suit your own needs - the process is the same.I've broken down the construction process in steps (it is easier to do than explain) but all you have to do is measure, cut, and nail or screw. It's really that easy. Step 1Purchase pine fence slats from Home Depot or other home supply store. Ours only cost $1.64 each (price may vary a bit by store location). Select straight boards with as few blemishes as possible.
Found these on sale for $1.20. What a deal!We made one double shelf stand (18" tall by 17 1/4 inches long) from one fence slat. The number of stands you can make from one board is dependent on the dimensions you choose for your stands.I've also used this wood for bird houses too. Step 2 - CuttingYou can use either a hand saw, jig saw, circular saw, chop saw, or sliding miter saw as shown to cut these boards.
I'm using a compound miter saw but a hand saw will doRefer to cutting diagram below as needed.Measure and cut the board 18 inches from the top of the board (dog eared end of board). 
Step 2ARepeat Step 2 by cutting the remaining board at 18 inches.Optional: Place the dog eared board on top of the other 18" long board and use it to mark the dog ears as shown. Cut the dog ears to match the first board. 
Use the dog-eared end as a template to mark the other dog earStep 2BMeasure and cut the remaining board 16 inches.Step 2CRepeat step 2B
Construction Tip: If making several porch display stands, mark and cut all of your boards first.
It will make the process that much faster.
Step 3 - Mark Shelf LocationsMark each 18 inch long board two (2) inches from the top and draw a line across them at that point. This line indicates the position for your top shelf.
Measure down 12 inches from the top on each board and draw a line across them at that point. This line indicates the position for your bottom shelf. 
Measure the thickness of your boards (ours were 5/8 inch thick) to determine the location for the nails or screws. This wood can split easily so you will want to insert your nails or screws in the center of shelf board. This location will be half the thickness of your boards plus the distance from the top of the board. In our case, we will add 5/16 inches which is half of 5/8 inches. 
Turn the boards over and measure 2 5/16 inches down from the top and mark accordingly. Then, using that line, measure in 1 inch from each side and mark accordingly. These marks are the exact locations for your screws or nails for the top shelf. 
By doing so, you will be able to quickly see where to place your nails or screws to attach the shelf. Measure down 12 5/16 inches and mark accordingly. These marks are you locations for your screws or nails for the bottom shelf.
Construction Tip: If making several porch display stands, mark all of your boards before proceeding.
Step 4 - Drill pilot holes for nails or screw (optional but recommended)Use a 3/32 for nails or an 1/8 (or less) inch bit for screws and drill holes through the locations you've marked on the boards. This will help prevent splitting the wood when nailing or screwing into the wood.
Construction Tip: If making several porch display stands, drill all of your pilot holes before proceeding.
Optional: You can mark and cut the "v" out of the bottom of each side at this point as shown. To do so, make a mark 2" inches in from each side of the bottom of the side boards. Find the center of the board and mark 3" from the bottom. Connect those marks to form a "V". Cut accordingly. 
Marking the bottom of side board for the triangle cut
Triangle cut from bottom of boards
Construction Tip: If making several porch display stands, mark and cut the bottoms before proceeding.
Step 5 - Put Together the Porch StandsPosition the shelves at the locations you've marked and use nails or screws. Remember, the lines you've drawn on the inside of your side boards indicate the top of the shelf, not the bottom.
We had two of our grandchildren help assemble the porch display stands 
We had our granddaughter help make a mini-stand. 
Porch Display Stand OptionsThese are so easy to make in that you can modify them to fit your needs. You can make them larger, taller, shorter or even wider. Here are a few examples.Extend Your Porch StandAdd another leg and shelf to make your stand longer. You could even make another leg and shelf for the other side.
Extended display standMake Mini Porch StandsWe made these 8 inches tall with 10 inch shelves:
Our mini-display stands: 8 inches tallMake a Double Display Porch StandFor a mere $3.28 you can make this double porch display stand:
Make two stands using the instructions above and attach them with braces you can cut from the scrap piece (see cut diagram above): 
PaintingYou can easily paint and re-paint the stands for even more enjoyment.
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