Okay my friends… this is got to be one of my most favorite DIY’s that I’ve done to date.
Adding character to your home is very easy by adding accessories like shutters and window planter boxes. We already added shutters last year and after our recent trip to the beautiful city of Charleston SC I was inspired to create some of that charm in my own home.
So it was time for me to do some research and find the best windowboxes out there! The only problem is my favorite style window boxes are wooden window boxes. I was afraid they would end up rotting…no matter how you look at it. With being outside in the weather, sun, rain, the snow it’s not going to last. Sure, I know a lot of people use cedar wood boxes and they are suppose to hold up a bit better than your regular wood, but the color of them are not my favorite, so I tried to find a different alternative.
I came up with the idea of finding some indestructible window boxes that could be painted to look like wood. I know, crazy right! I’ve done this type of technique on other items before so I was pretty confident how it would turn out…at least I hoped so, lol.
I searched online for a style that I liked and found these amazing Window Flower Boxes from FlowerWindowBoxes.com
What caught my attention was that they were
Paintable, Self-Watering, No-Rot and made out of PVC
Looking more into it I realized that this company has both been featured on the TODAY show as well as This Old House and HGTV! And they have a NO ROT LIFETIME Guarantee, so need I say more?!
How to start
Well first you need to measure your windows and decide what style and size you want. I went with their Charleston Paintable Style with added corbels and in the XL size.
I made sure to order their brick installation kit option as well.
Sent my order through and their carpenters whipped them up in no time.
Prepping to paint these are really SO easy. Flowerwindowboxes.com send them prepainted- White! They are perfectly prepped already especially while using my new favorite paints by Fusion Mineral Paint .
You could paint them any color actually!
These paints are water proof (***so no need for extra water protection and adhere to almost anything. I literally just wiped them down and started painting!
***Note this can only be done when using Flower Window Boxes because they are prepped for painting.
Paint Supplies
Algonquin Fusion Mineral Paint 1 Pint
Soap Stone Fusion Mineral Paint
Chocolate Fusion Mineral Paint
Clear Glaze Fusion Mineral Paint
Step 1
Wipe down with a wet rag your Flower Window Boxes.
Once dry paint 2 coats of Algonquin Fusion Mineral Paint and let that dry in between coats. It doesn’t take that long. Don’t forget to paint your corbels at the same time as well as part of the interior….but just the parts that will be seen once you have all your dirt and flowers planted.
STEP 2.
Next is where you mix the two other Fusion Mineral Paints (Soap Stone & Chocolate) with your Clear Glaze by Fusion Mineral …like this:
1 part paint to about 3 parts glaze…
So,
GRAY GLAZE: 1 part Soap Stone mixed with about 3 parts glaze (you actually will not use this…it’s just to dump into another glaze “the mixed glaze”)
BROWN GLAZE:1 part Chocolate mixed with about 3 parts glaze
MIXED GLAZE: Than you mix half of the soapstone mixture with half of the Chocolate glaze mixture.
You will have 3 cups of glazes.
Step 3
Dry brush the MIXED GLAZE in long strokes over your base color. It has to be thin….you are trying to mimic wood grain so don’t gob it on. Also it’s ok to miss some parts.
Just one layer overall will be sufficient. It’s ok that it’s not completely covered.
Step 4
Once your first glaze completely dry (this should take a few hours) you can begin the wood design technique.
This is done by also dry brushing your Chocolate Glaze on all over and than going over it with your wood grain tool, rocking it and pulling it across the wet paint.
Be sure to do it from left to right mimicking wood boards. It’s a very forgiving process so keep going over it or playing with it until you get the design you like and than move on to the next section (working in horizontal lines).
Once you are done making all the designs you want using the various tools in your wood grain set, let it dry….DRY at least 24 hours or more until the glaze has hardened. Don’t touch it!
Step 5
When the chocolate glaze is done drying using a paper towel and some Minwax Stain go over your window box with …wait a minutes or two and than with a clean paper towel wipe off the extra.
You can go over it a few times until you get the color you want.
Let this dry real well…it’s probably a good 24 hours if not more.
This is a good time to paint the bottom of the box with one coat of Algonquin so you don’t have the white bottom showing .
Than you are ready to start installing them onto your home!
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Be sure to visit my Instagram page to watch my Videos of the entire process in my Stories Highlights!
Oxoxo
Cat
sagehillcottage.com 