Transform Old Spice Racks Into Eye-Catching Botanical Patio Decor

A fun home project by YouTube creator Desert DIY (@desertdiy) shows how to reuse old spice racks to create a beautiful wall planter display. Not only is this a creative way to freshen up an outdoor space, but it's also easy to tackle in a day or so.

If you'd like to build something similar to Desert DIY's creation, you need a wooden board, a can of spray paint, an orbital sander or sandpaper, and two wooden spice racks. You might find old racks at a thrift store or garage sale, but if not, they're at Ikea. One example, the BEKVÄM Spice Rack, currently sells for $11.99 at Ikea. For botanical decor, you'll need a bouquet (or two) of artificial flowers, burlap, floral foam, and fake moss, all of which are available from retailers like Walmart or Michael's.

Once you have your supplies, start prepping the board, which acts as your base. You can use a regular piece of wood, or you can browse a thrift store for old home decor serving the same purpose, like a sign. Either way, your first step is to sand the wood until it's smooth and free of any rough or uneven spots. 

Sanding is easiest with an orbital sander, but if you don't have one, sandpaper will work. A medium-grit sandpaper, such as 100-to 150-grit, is a good starting point before spray painting the wood. You may need coarser sandpaper, like 60-grit, for defects such as deep scratches, saw marks, or excess unevenness. A fine-grit sandpaper of around 180- to 220-grit provides a smooth final touch.

After sanding, clean off any residue and paint it with a product like Rust-Oleum American Accents 2X Ultra Cover ($7.48 at Lowe's). You can choose any color you want, but dark green would fit the botanical theme.

When the paint is dry, it's time to start putting the display together. Arrange the spice racks on your board in the positions where you'd like them to hang. Then, drill two holes at the top of each rack and screw the racks into your board. While the creator doesn't do this in her video, one commenter suggested spraying the board with Weather Defense Outdoor Wood Furniture Protector ($19.99 on Amazon). This spray provides increased durability against outdoor elements like water.  

Making this project's wooden planter boxes water-resistant is also important. The spice racks are this display's wooden planter boxes since you'll stick faux plants into foam within the racks (which we explain below). In turn, consider spraying the racks with Weather Defense as well, not just the board.

Something else to think about: Even though this project's flowers aren't real (and thus don't need to be watered), outdoor moisture from sources like rain can pool in the spice racks. To prevent pooling, another commenter said, "I suggest drilling holes in [the] bottom of spice shelves to allow drainage."

Next, line the racks' interior with burlap or another material before wedging a few pieces of floral foam between the board and the burlap. The burlap should be at each rack's outer edge, with the floral foam behind the fabric. 

You'll then cut a bouquet of faux plants into smaller sprigs and stick the stems into the foam. Finally, hot glue artificial moss around the display to cover up any gaps, creating a more natural look.