Spontaneous Garden Planter Box Pt. 2

MinscandBoo

252 Posts

September 12 2014 07:22 GMT

Part 1 here.

"Operation Banana-rama"

Now it's time to assess what supplies I'll need. The backing of the dresser(what will become the bottom of my planter) is thin pressed wood board stuff and will not withstand the weight of all the dirt/rocks I'll be putting in there. I also need to make a side because there is no bottom to the dresser. The drawers will also become planters too but that will be later. Since I have some of my own pressed wood laying around I decide to use that in conjunction with some strengthening slats to beef up the bottom and side I will have to make. I'll also want something to seal the wood to protect it from rotting.

A trip to Lowe's later and I've got everything I think I'll need. Some work with the chop saw and a handsaw and I now have everything cut to size. After sawing the feet of the dresser off I decided that rather than sand it down to uniform height I will glue and nail strips of pressed wood to even out the height differences.

The beam in the far back of this picture gave me so much trouble throughout this project. I tried dispelling magic but it doesn't appear to be an enchantment. It is either a piece of particularly hard wood or because there is nothing beneath it for it to press against it is stupidly resistant to being nailed. I hit to no effect? I need a bigger hammer!

Things didn't turn out exactly level but fudge it.

[image loading]

A+ effort.

Many more bent nails on that aforementioned beam, a smashed thumb >.<, some wood glue and a flash storm later the side is patched up. I nail in the strengthening slats(some more bent nails on that beam) but sadly I forget to use wood glue on all but 2 of them. Ah well. Everything else about this project has been incredibly slipshod anyway.

I install wheels on the bottom with some difficulty and my cat Imoen hops in after I show her. It isn't long before the cops catch her ridin' dirty though. Next morning it's time to make some drainage holes and coat this puppy with "Rubber Flexx".

Using a countersink borrowed from my brother I put some holes in the bottom of my box then get ready to seal it up.

After donning a dust mask I begin work coating the entire thing in this rubber flex stuff... 4 and a half cans later I'm done.

Ha, you're a queer fellow.

Ladies and gentlemen, the failboat has landed.

Turns out this shit's toxic. Why'd I buy it then? Ugh. The story of my trip to Lowes is that after wandering around for a bit and not finding anything in the garden department I go into the paint section. No one there seems to know anything I can use though... So I wander over to the lumber section where I find a guy who, after I inform him I'm making a planter box and that I need something to seal the inside and out against water so I can grow vegetables in there, seems at last to know wtf I'm talking about. He leads me back to the paint section and shows me that Rubber Flexx stuff. I'm reading the front of the can and it says "... great for planters ..." and I'm like "sweet". I ask him once again though: "100% sure it's not toxic or nothing? I'll be growing vegetables in there." He says yes he's sure so I buy it. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Lesson for today? READ THE BLOODY LABELS! "Not safe for water or food systems." Whelp now I'm out 50 bucks and my box is FUBAR. Next day I go to Lowe's to see if I can get my money back for my empty cans... After chatting up the cute girl at returns while we wait for the manager to come make a decision I lay my case before the Prim Old Lady Court of Justice. She seems unsure but the returns girl gives her opinion and mentions "bought with good faith in our associate"(or some such, don't remember exact wording) and after the manager is on board.

+ Show Spoiler +

Schwing!

Now at home I order some non-toxic VOC free sealant from Home Depot(Product Page). Only available online =( Estimated delivery date: Sept 17-22 Well. Gives me time to chip all that rubber flexx feces off my box... Some work with a chisel and my bro's sander and I've made some headway, but not much.

I hope people reading this will be inspired to make their own planter boxes/start their own gardens! If everything comes together and I'm still here I'll probably post updates of my blog about how my garden goes.

---- Now some personal stuff >.>

Allow me to sit down and remind you how this is the same old story of growing up and getting lost.

I'm going through some heavy stuff at the moment including but not limited to a resurgence of my chronic depression and just yesterday, news of a death close to home. I don't know if I'll end up finishing this blog or the project itself in the weeks to come. Sometimes I don't know if I'll bother to get up from bed in the morning for something other than ending my own existence.

Before I was "Minsc and Boo" I was the Hollowed Immortal. Now, however, there is no one left to prop up my husk and force it to go on with its mockery of life. The strength to live and accomplish things in life must come from within this broken body. To battle with no regrets!

"The message just repeats... 'Regret... Regret... Regret...' "
+ Show Spoiler +

Miranda: Catchy. Any idea what it means?
Sgt. Johnson: Dear Humanity... we regret being alien bastards. We regret coming to Earth. And we most definitely regret that the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!

Ketch

Netherlands7285 Posts

September 12 2014 10:21 GMT

Why would you want to seal the box with all that rubber stuff?

I spent last summer making planter boxes and garden furniture from pallets, and I only stained them.
Then I put some root control fabrics on the inside and filled them up.

End results:
+ Show Spoiler +

Vegetables
[image loading]

Herbs

Lounge

Table

MinscandBoo

252 Posts

September 12 2014 14:14 GMT

On September 12 2014 19:21 Ketch wrote:
Why would you want to seal the box with all that rubber stuff?

I spent last summer making planter boxes and garden furniture from pallets, and I only stained them.
Then I put some root control fabrics on the inside and filled them up.

End results:
+ Show Spoiler +

Vegetables
[image loading]

Herbs

Lounge

Table

Those look awesome! although the "Lounge" seems like it might be a bit uncomfortable to sit on unless you sit on it cross legged or something. I was advised that I should seal the wood from water by several IRL friends and my bro to extend the lifespan of the box. The wood used in it isn't cedar or redwood and the bottom is made of thin plywood which seems especially weak to prolonged water exposure and will be taking the brunt of the water and weight of the soil. As I said, the rubber stuff wasn't what I went out looking for, but what was suggested to me by that guy and me being a noob... It might be overkill to get some fancy stuff to seal it, I dunno.

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