Large planter, timber choice??

[Nos]

If you want timber that is exposed then you have to use "Red Cedar" it will still need a coating, it a very good wood for outdoor work, wood greenhouses are made from it, as it has natural oils in it to protect against rot and insects, you only need to line the inside edges to stop direct wood to soil contact, just cheap 1000 grade black plastic will do.

[davek0974]

If using a liner and 4"x4" posts you could inter-layer the posts and half the quantity needed as the liner would prevent anything protruding out the gaps.

I think i get where you are, that would leave 4" open gaps with liner bridging them?

Its an idea but a split etc would leave me with soil spewing out and be hard to fix, the liners need full support if under pressure

[kellys_eye]

Your idea to use pond liner and/or rubber roofing was predicated on this suggestion - good luck tearing rubber roofing sheet! Anyway - all forms of compost comes in bags and I often have trouble banging a spade through them! I very much doubt any 'bulging' will reach the outer part of a 4" span gap.

Anyway - there are loads of great ideas in this thread . I have to build SIX such raised beds for my garden this summer (each of which are planned to be 4.8m x 2.4m) and my idea was to use 4"x4" treated posts nailed together (overlapped as they only come in 2.4 and 3.0m lengths).

[davek0974]

Yes i agree that the EPDM would likely work better than pond liner, however, I just priced a lump and it makes it swings and roundabouts on costs - saves wood, but costs same due to liner. I think the incised 4" post is the way to go, no liner, stacked solid, most likely screwed to each lower layer with 150mm screws, corners staggered.

[davek0974]

Some ideas...

Double layer...

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Or U-Shape single layer...

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I'm sort of liking the U-Shape at present, easier access without climbing on it, any views :)

The two gravel beds hide some horrendous tree-root bound compacted dirt, the lower boundary is tree lined on the other side of fence and the right one has two giant conifer trees one of which will be coming down soon.

[davek0974]

OK, its coming together - we will go for the square one, the Mrs now wants a water feature and the middle area looks a great place to stick one :)

So it will be a box 2.4m x 2.4m with another box inside maybe 80cm square or so with a flat top to support a self-contained feature like a big stone ball maybe

Height looks good at 60cm - i just mocked it up with some bricks and 2x4 :)

[davek0974]

Looking like it will take about 37 100x100x2400 incised posts, and 2.4 cu m of filling, so i guess 0.5 cu m of 20mm shingle and 2m of garden soil??

Now to find best prices...

[Someone-Else]

the Mrs now wants a water feature and the middle area looks a great place to stick one :)

So it will be a box 2.4m x 2.4m with another box inside maybe 80cm square or so with a flat top to support a self-contained feature like a big stone ball maybe

What ever you do, don't buy solar, they don't work unless there is really bright sunshine.
You may want to raise it up higher than you think as when your surrounding plants grow, you don't want them to obscure it. (Or just plant not tall growing plants)

[arco_iris]

Looking like it will take about 37 100x100x2400 incised posts, and 2.4 cu m of filling, so i guess 0.5 cu m of 20mm shingle and 2m of garden soil??

Now to find best prices...

It will be quite dear to buy the aggregate in small bags (and a lot of them) unless you're moving them in your car - to get it delivered it will be a 1 cu.m. builder's merchant sack. Don't know price, I buy 9.5 tonne tipper loads for about £285.

Top soil from a builders merchant, again 1 cu.m., cost me £66 inc. VAT & delivery this morning.

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So you could use 0.5m3 of rubble & old bricks/blocks, or a layer of breeze blocks delivered with the rest, then 1m3 chippings, then 1m3 soil.

Have you thought where the power is coming from for the water feature....

[davek0974]

Nice,

I was thinking of one jumbo of 20mm/ballast then 2 jumbos of soil - it works out at 0.5 m too much i guess the soil will compact etc and need topping off.

I think price is similar for blocks etc as is shingle so might as well just go with shingle/ballast base then soil i think

Is it "topsoil" or "garden soil" - there seems to be a difference and preference for garden soil in planters ????

[Someone-Else]

Its a nice sunny day, solar fountain will work...................

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You sure about that?

[davek0974]

A "dumpy" bag is about 0.8cum ??

If so a dumpy of gravel will give me a layer on the base of about 200mm / 8" - about right or too much/little??

That leaves about 1.2cum of soil, an odd amount for dumpy bag so I guess i will have some left over to top up.

Is it "topsoil" or "garden soil" - there seems to be a difference and preference for garden soil in planters ????

[wine~o]

Thanks,

Would decking be man enough - its a lot easier to work with, i have no idea of the outward forces of a pile of soil??

Or maybe 4x4 fence posts layered??

I have 2 2.4 x 1.2 M raised beds for veg made from deck boards. Lined as per above/below posts, 2x2 reinforcements at each corner and halfway along the longer length. been in 10 years now with no signs of rot. however Cats think you have built them a massive kitty litter tray so I put some uprights at all corners and attached plastic chicken wire to keep the cats out.

[davek0974]

Thats was fun,....

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Now have to wait for gravel and soil :)

[Someone-Else]

I like it.