Anyone made wooden garden planters

[xyz321]

Hi

Not sure where to post so will try here.

Am looking to make a wooden planter. 1m by 0.5 m. Height about 0.5m ad well. If I can get 3/4 yrs out of it, it's good enough for now.

What is best used? Decking boards or pressure treated timber? Whatever I use I can make side walls but what about base? Finally once it is done, what to line it with to prevent soil washing away from small gaps?

Ta

 

[Belboz]

I made my large planters from 3 inch posts (corners) and gravel boards. I used treated cushion corner externally (it looks nicer and hides the fixings) and then painted the whole lot with external fence paint.

I cut (and treated) the top boards at a 45 degree angle for water run off.

Reason I used these is because I priced up decking and found that gravel boards were much cheaper.

 

[xyz321]

I made my large planters from 3 inch posts (corners) and gravel boards. I used treated cushion corner externally (it looks nicer and hides the fixings) and then painted the whole lot with external fence paint.

I cut (and treated) the top boards at a 45 degree angle for water run off.

Reason I used these is because I priced up decking and found that gravel boards were much cheaper.

Thanks. Did u use nails or screws? Not sure I'd at corners the thinner side of gravel board will split!

 

[Belboz]

SS screws (hidden by the cushion corner)

 

[scbk]

Bare in mind something that size will need a fair bit more than a bag of compost to fill it!


The thicker the wood you use, the longer it will last, and the less support pieces on the inside it will need.


Used scaffold boards are good, if you can get them locally at a good price

 

[Belboz]

xyz321...

Just seen your amended post.

Let me explain...

I mitred the corners of the gravel boards (easy with a small circular saw) then attached them to the 3 inch posts at the ends - suffciently away from the end of each gravel board to prevent splitting. These ss screws were then hidden by the cushion corner. As stated, the top gravel board was also cut lengthways at 45 degrees to alow for water run off.

The posts sit inside the gravel board (if that makes sense)

As for size, you can cut the boards down to any size - just make sure you end treat the cut parts before a few coats of whatever paint/varnish you choose.

These were then lined and filled with a mix of soil and compost.

Does that help?

B

 

[xyz321]

xyz321...

Just seen your amended post.

Let me explain...

I mitred the corners of the gravel boards (easy with a small circular saw) then attached them to the 3 inch posts at the ends - suffciently away from the end of each gravel board to prevent splitting. These ss screws were then hidden by the cushion corner. As stated, the top gravel board was also cut lengthways at 45 degrees to alow for water run off.

The posts sit inside the gravel board (if that makes sense)

As for size, you can cut the boards down to any size - just make sure you end treat the cut parts before a few coats of whatever paint/varnish you choose.

These were then lined and filled with a mix of soil and compost.

Does that help?

B

Many thanks. Just one query if you don't mind. What did u line it with. I was thinking of using weed control fabric as it will help with drainage but will probably mean timber is in contact with water more of the time.. Thanks again

 

[Belboz]

May seem a bit strange but I used wide DPC.

I overlapped it and used brass upholstery tacks to tack it to the inside of the planter. I was also able to tack it around the posts so that the whole inside was covered.

The bottom of my planters meets the bare earth [but not the wood which is above ground level] so there was no issue with drainage. If yours has a bottom then you would need to make some provision for that.

 

[Iangardenguy]

I made these for a customer out of decking boards and even put lights in them.

they do have concrete blocks on the inside but you could use timber posts instead, just be sure to put DPM on the inside to protect the timber and make sure the bottom has a few rocks in to help with drainage.

Untitled

• Iangardenguy
• 7 Apr 2015
• 1

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I've made a few planters, always used decking they generally last at least 10 years, used 2x2 f or internal framing and 3x2 for legs, always lined them with bubble wrap held with drawing pins and the obligatory gravel in the bottom.