Directions for Building PVC Plant Light Stand
Capacity: 72 4” pots
DIMENSIONS: 48” TALL X 52” WIDE X 24½” DEEP
(UP TO ~7” OF DEPTH CAN BE “REDUCED” BY PLACING FEET
UNDER A PIECE OF FURNITURE)
PVC PLANT LIGHT STAND
C. DON GUGGEMOS, 2006, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER,
UPDATED BY SUE SCHIESS, 2014, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER
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PURCHASE
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6 10’ lengths of ¾” PVC pipe (or 5 10’ length + 1 5’ length, if avail.)
6 PVC CAPs
6 PVC ELs
24 PVC TEEs
6 PVC 4WAYSs
4 2”x3/16” eye bolts
4 3/16” hex nuts (to fit eye bolts)
4 S hooks
2 Shop lights (48”, including chains for hanging)
2 48” 40 watt “cool white” fluorescent bulbs
2 48” 40 watt “warm white” fluorescent bulbs
1 timer for lights
1 multi-plug
1 can PVC cement (optional – Use to secure joints if you want greater stability. If you
want to disassemble light stand after use, do not apply.)
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PVC TEES, ELS, CAPS, AND 4WAYS
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OPEN S HOOKS
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PVC CEMENT (OPTIONAL)
If using, first assemble light stand
"dry." Then go back and glue
connections.
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TYPICAL SHOP LIGHT
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USING MULTI PLUG ADAPTER IF NEEDED, PLUG BOTH SHOP LIGHTS INTO
TIMER. SET TIMER TO GIVE SEEDS/SEEDLING 15-18 HOURS OF LIGHT/DAY.
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CUTTING LENGTHS OF PVC PIPE (USE PVC CUTTER,
MITER SAW OR JIG SAW)
 Cut first 10’ length into 5 pieces, each 24” long.
 Repeat with second 10’ length.
 Cut third length into 6 pieces 18” long and 3
pieces 3” long.
 Repeat with fourth length.
 Cut fifth length into 1 24” piece, 9 7” pieces, and
9 3” pieces
 Cut sixth length into 1 24” piece and 9 3” pieces.
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PVC SHORTER LENGTHS (3" AND 7")
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PREPARING LIGHT-HANGING HORIZONTALS
 On 4 of the 24” pieces, drill a 3/16” diameter
hole all the way through the pipe about 4½” in
from one end. Coming up from what will be the
bottom of each piece, put an eye bolt thru each
hole and secure with a hex nut.
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EYE BOLT GOING THROUGH 24" PIECE (4 1/2" IN FROM ONE
END), SECURED BY HEX NUT.
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ASSEMBLING LIGHT STAND (WORKING FROM THE BASE UP)
 (If you have trouble inserting pipe into connectors, file
down rough edges of PVC lengths a bit.)
 Following diagram below, assemble lowest level, using
all the 7” lengths and connecting them with 6 TEEs. Add
CAPs to ends of feet.
 Attach 6 3” segments pointing up; attach 4 TEEs (ends),
2 4WAYs (middle section), and 4 non-light-hanging 24”
lengths (horizontally).
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PLANT STAND DIAGRAM
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BEGIN BUILDING LIGHT STAND FROM THE BOTTOM UP,
ADDING CAPS TO ENDS OF THE 7" FEET.
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NOTE USE OF 4WAY IN CENTER AS WE BEGIN TO BUILD UP.
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BOTTOM LEVEL IS NOW COMPLETE
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ASSEMBLING LIGHT STAND (WORKING FROM THE BASE UP2)
 Add 6 18” lengths vertically.
 Lights will hang from the next level. Attach the
connecting pieces according to the diagram, but use 2 of
the light-hanging 24” lengths for the horizontal pieces.
Place the ends with the eye bolts on the outsides, as
opposed to the center. The eye must point down.
 Attach more connecting pieces per diagram, and then
add 6 more 18” lengths vertically.
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ADD 6 OF THE 18" LENGTHS VERTICALLY
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ADD TWO OF THE 24" LENGTHS THAT YOU'VE PREPARED FOR
HANGING. MAKE SURE THE EYE BOLTS ARE ON THE OUTSIDES
(AS OPPOSED TO THE CENTER)!
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NOTE PLACEMENT OF EYE BOLT.
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ADD NEXT LEVEL.
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ADD 6 MORE 18" LENGTHS VERTICALLY.
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ASSEMBLING LIGHT STAND (WORKING FROM THE BASE UP3)
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Attach the top connecting pieces. Then add the remaining two light-hanging
lengths, again placing the ends with the eye bolts on the outsides, as
opposed to the center, the eyes pointing down.
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Attach an S hook to each of the “eyes”.
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Equip each shop light with one “cool white” fluorescent bulb and one “warm
white.” Attach the chains that came with the lights, and hang them from the
S hooks.
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Plug shop lights into multi-plug. Plug multi-plug into timer. Set timer and
plug into electric outlet. Turn shop lights on.
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Note: You may need to support plant tray with another tray or bit of plywood across the horizontal lengths.
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ADD TOP LEVEL, INCLUDING THE OTHER TWO 24" LENGTHS THAT WERE
PREPARED WITH THE EYE BOLT AND HEX NUT. AGAIN, BE SURE THEY ARE
POSITIONED TOWARD THE OUTSIDES (AS OPPOSED TO THE CENTER) OF THE
STAND.
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AFTER ADDING ONE COOL WHITE FLUORESCENT BULB AND ONE WARM
WHITE, HANG SHOP LIGHTS FROM THE EYE BOLTS USING THE OPEN S
HOOKS.
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YOU MAY NEED TO USE TRAYS OR PLYWOOD OR OTHER
STURDY "SHELF" TO SPAN THE PVC RAILS AND SUPPORT YOUR
POTS.
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THE FINAL PRODUCT! NOTE THAT LIGHTS CAN BE RAISED ON
THEIR CHAINS TO ACCOMMODATE PLANT GROWTH.
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ANOTHER WAY TO CREATE A PLANT LIGHT STAND IS TO PURCHASE A FREE-STANDING SET OF
SHELVES AND SUSPEND SHOP LIGHTS. AGAIN, THE CHAINS ALLOW YOU TO ADJUST THE
HEIGHT OF THE LIGHTS TO ACCOMMODATE PLANT GROWTH.
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