Project details
Skill
3 out of 5ModerateRequires basic carpentry and gardening skills
Cost
About $100 to $200 per window box
Estimated Time
1 to 2 hours per window box
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to properly mount window boxes, and This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares expert planting tips.
Steps for Installing a Window Box
- Unzip the course of vinyl siding immediately below the window.
- Pull up on the loosened piece of siding and tap on the wall to locate studs.
- Drill a 3⁄16-inch-diameter hole into the wall to confirm the stud location.
- Use a pencil to transfer the stud location onto the window.
- Reattach the siding using a zip tool.
- Hold the window box into position centered under the window.
- Transfer the stud-location mark from the window onto the window box.
- On the stud-location mark, drill a 3⁄16-inch-diameter reference hole through the inside rear of window box and into siding. Repeat at each end of box.
- At each of the three reference holes, drill a 5⁄8-inch-diameter hole through the vinyl siding.
- Next, drill a ¼-inch-diameter screw hole through each 5⁄8-inch-diameter hole and into the studs.
- Fill each screw hole with siliconized caulk.
- Fasten the window box to the house with three 5⁄16-inch-diamter x 4 inch-long galvanized lag screws.
- Glue the two decorative brackets to the underside of the window box using PVC cement.
- Line bottom of window box with landscape fabric, then add 1 inch of washed stone.
- Place self-water reservoir inside of window box.
- Fill window box with potting soil and add an assortment of annuals and perennials.
- Add liquid fertilizer to watering can and thoroughly water all the plants.