DIY A Glowing Solar Planter That Doubles As A Porch Address Sign

There's something particularly welcoming about a nice porch. There are all kinds of methods to add interest with a splash of color, and there are a number of creative ways to display house numbers. Over on YouTube, the HomeTalk channel has a clever DIY that manages to combine both these elements into a solar-lit planter that doubles as an address sign. You may already have much of what's needed for this attractive DIY, although everything should be available at your local hardware store. It's a budget-friendly porch upgrade you can complete in a weekend.

For the sign and lighting, you'll need a carriage-style solar lantern, a fence picket, and house numbers. The presenter also buys a wire stand at Dollar Tree and cuts it down to use to attach the lantern to the picket, but any similar diameter wire could be cut and bent into shape.

The fence picket can be painted any color you choose, but white or a pastel shade will allow the numbers to stand out. Put your numbers in position, pre-drilling carefully so you can gently tap in the nails without risking damage. When choosing where to put them, bear in mind the last few inches of the picket will be hidden in the planter. Drill the bottom of the solar light so the wire will fit inside, then attach it to the picket using small metal clips.

In the video, an additional piece of lumber is nailed to the bottom of the picket. Whether you want to do this will depend on the depth of the planter you use and how tall you want the finished sign to be. To support it, the presenter uses a concrete fence post mix prepared directly in the planter, which is quick and easy. However, doing this in the way shown will block the drainage holes, which risks the plants getting waterlogged.

To avoid this, set a smaller vessel inside the main pot and fill that with concrete. You could use another planter or cut down a 5-gallon water jug, for example. By the time a planting mix is settled in around it, there will be more than enough support for the lightweight fence picket and solar light. Put the picket in place and support it with some horizontal wood scraps clamped together while the concrete sets. If you don't have clamps, a couple of zip ties will do the trick. Just cut them off later.

All that remains is to add potting mix and your chosen flowers and set the solar planter and address sign somewhere on your porch or the front path where it can catch some sunlight. There are lots of ways to add curb appeal to your home, but few are so eye-catching and easy to pull off.