Old Wooden Ladder Plant Stand

Old wooden ladders are one of those things I have a hard time passing up, especially when they still have a little life left in them. This one had already been taken apart for a different project that never happened, so it was time for plan B. With a little repair work and a fresh coat of paint, it became a colorful wooden ladder plant stand for the porch or patio. It can be filled with regular plants and decor or decked out for a holiday like the 4th of July!

I pick up vintage wooden ladders whenever I find a good deal. As you can see, the ladder has been dismantled. I took it apart last year because I wanted to make a leaning shelf. Yeah, that never happened.

So, I’ll show you how I fixed this broken-down ladder into the perfect outdoor plant stand for your porch or patio.

Old Wooden Ladder

I had a couple of other wooden ladders in my stash, but I felt that this ladder would make a better plant stand. A ladder like this would not be fun to paint by hand, so of course, I brought out my favorite secret weapon.

If you come across an old wooden ladder at a yard sale, thrift store, or hiding in your own garage, don’t be too quick to pass it by. A little paint and a few simple repairs can turn it into a fun plant stand for your porch, patio, or garden. You can style it with flowers, herbs, seasonal decor, or whatever little treasures you already have on hand.

How to Paint a Wooden Ladder

Can you see how difficult it would be to paint with a brush? All those grooves, nooks, and crannies. To make it easy on myself, I used my easy DIY sawhorses to hold up the ladder pieces.

How to Get a Flawless Paint Finish

Choosing the right nozzle for the job is key to making the task easy.

I used Behr wall paint for this project.

So, isn’t the paint finish fabulous? That’s why I love, love, love my Super Finish Max from Homeright!

Repair the Old Ladder

Small bolts with nuts were used to reassemble the wooden ladder. A rivet gun would work if you have the proper-sized rivets; I did not.

After rummaging around for nuts and bolts, my hands were dusty, which is why you see my fingerprints everywhere.

Related Content: Navy Blue Furniture Projects

Seriously, don’t you love how pretty the paint finish is? This paint project had no runs, drips, or errors. The scrumptious color is Behr’s Naval.

This project works because the ladder already has built-in levels for displaying plants and decor. The fresh paint gives it a clean, colorful look, while the old wood still adds charm. It is also easy to move, decorate, and change for different seasons or holidays.

I love that I can rest things on the ladder’s steps and hang items from the back rungs or even the ladder’s shelf. The planter on the far right holds my citronella plant in the fence planter I made. I borrowed the small buckets of succulents from my vertical garden shutter planter. I love buying Boston ferns and begonias for my patio. They do great in the shade. The fern is actually hanging on the rung in the back. The outdoor decor, like the gnome and the owls, is from the Dollar General Store.

I decorated this old, beat-up ladder for the 4th of July. It’s all decked out in red, white, and blue! Do you love old ladders as much as I do? How do you use them in indoor and outdoor decor? I have several more in storage, and I could use some ideas!

I love projects like this because the ladder can be changed again and again. Fill it with flowers and ferns for everyday porch decor, add a few garden treasures, or dress it up with red, white, and blue for summer holidays. If you have an old wooden ladder tucked away, this is such an easy way to give it a useful new job outdoors.

gail

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