Thread: Planter box

Personally, I wouldn't put legs on it. Both from a practical and asthetic point of view.
Why not just dig out a bit on the high side so the box sits level?
If you're concerned about the timber rotting, which personally I wouldn't be, just coat it with some kind of preservative.
BTW..Instead of Merbou, check out your local green shed and see if they stock what they are calling Red Forest Timber decking. I have no idea what it actually is but it looks sortof like jarrah but with a wider growth ring. Very stable and attractive without the tannin issues of merbou and half the price.
Comes from WA apparantly.
Cheers
Jim

I agre with Grandad.

I also think you may be "over thinking", the simple.

Paul.

When I say 'legs', this is what I was thinking:



This is viewed from the inside. The only thing visible from outside would be the sides and capping, legs would be inside. So the 'leg' on the left is what I originally had in mind, but I should modify that to the 'leg' on the right, so it's flush with the bottom of the box. (Note, the box is open at the bottom, there will be no base).

What can I use in each corner to fix the sides to AND screw the capping to?

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by HOOKED.UP

I also think you may be "over thinking", the simple.

Paul.

I know...but I've seen alot of other DIY landscaping jobs that look very half-assed I'm probably over-thinking from the point of view that I don't want it to look dodgy when it's done.

Cheers

P.S - Besides, I'm trying to stick to a very firm budget, so I'm attempting to plan it adequatley (along with a bunch of other landscaping ideas) so I don't have to keep going back to buy more timber when I find that the material i've used isn't fit for the job. And I work in IT, so I think quite a bit during the day. That thinking spills over to the projects at home.

Hi mighty_stanks.

I meant no disrespect, of your project or ability.

If you really want to make your unit look as if it is meant to be there for a life time.
The answer is pretty simple.
"OVER BUILD". Yep in every dimension. Plus the fastenings you use.

My work shop has a saying painted on the wall. "NOTHING, TOO STRONG EVER BROKE".

Go for it. Use bigger timbers and bolts.

Paul.

Originally Posted by HOOKED.UP

I meant no disrespect, of your project or ability.

None taken. Don't stress. I'd much rather look back on these things that I build and be proud of what I achieved, regardless of the over/under engineering. With the tight budget, ideally I'd like to buy, cut, fix, install just once...so then I know that when I buy a length of X timber, that it will be exactley what I need.

Hence the question with regards to the corners and what to use there to hold it all together

Cheers

Originally Posted by mighty_stanks

Hence the question with regards to the corners and what to use there to hold it all together

I seem to have a problem on these forums, in knowing how much to assume when trying to answer questions.
I never know what skill level the questioner is nor what tools are at his disposal.

So, I'll try this approach.
Although I've never built exactly what you're planning, its the type of thing I used to do for a living.
If you were my client and asked me to build this I would do the following.
Cut each piece of decking at a 45 and use a nail gun to shoot through the mitres. I had a gun that could do with without fear of splitting.

Your pic shows 3 of 70x19 boards high.
So, 4 pieces of decking mitred at each end for form 3 squares. Sit all the frames together and since the inside is not seen, I'd use 3, no 4 pieces of 200mm lengths of decking screwed from the inside to hold them all together.

A nicely mitred piece around the top nailed the the main structure and call it finished. If I was in any way concerned about the mitres opening in transit or installation I'd probably throw a few Pryda mini-grips at each corner screwed from the inside.
Bob's your uncle. I think about an hours labour to build +installation.

Now...if you haven't got a mitre saw and are not comfortable to do that, then I might suggest a simple butt join with those green treated pine screws.
You're working at the very end of a brittle timber so countersink for the heads, drill a clearance hole through the first board and a pilot hole into the end grain.
If you want a nice tidy professional finish how about a short piece of nice aluminium angle glued to each outside corner to hide the butt joins and screw heads?
I'd still use the short pieces inside to hold the boards together. Same as the mitres, countersink for the heads, clearance hole in the first piece and pilot into the second.
Only tools required are a handsaw and a cordless drill.

BTW...can't see your second pic. Can you try again please?

Second link: ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
The 'legs' link: ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

The suggestion, viewed from the top. Black line represents the nail.

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

I understand about a 200mm offcut used to hold all 3 'squares' together.

Point to note, I don't have a nailgun...which is why I thought a 40x40 (or even 50x50 leg...if I take away the 10mm overhang) would give me heaps of room to play with for the sides and the top capping to fix to, and possible eliminate any risk of splitting the ends of the boards.

I am though going to purchase a compound mitre saw, so a mitred joint on top and compound mitre on the sides will be in for a better finish.

Would a bunch of mini-grips fixed with 15mm galvanised screws (or maybe even 20mm) be worthy of holding it all together?

They might sound like dumb questions, but you've no idea on how much this information helps in understanding how builds like this should be done.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

Originally Posted by mighty_stanks

They might sound like dumb questions, but you've no idea on how much this information helps in understanding how builds like this should be done.

I'll take this comment first.
I'm the king of asking dumb questions and am repeatedly being told the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

Originally Posted by mighty_stanks

Would a bunch of mini-grips fixed with 15mm galvanised screws (or maybe even 20mm) be worthy of holding it all together?

15mm would do nicely. Button head, either Gal or stainless.

If you wish to go for the mitred look with no nailgun, which I really never thought you'd have, I'd go for a small nail. Maybe 40x2.0mm??? Bullet head and gal. Tap it in slowly holding the mitre closed while doing it. Predrill if you're not 100% confident.
I got a knack happening when I was doing it regularly of nailing from one side first which inevitably knocked the mitre out of line, but then hammering in from the opposite side would knock it back into square.
The nailgun made me lazy.

A board on the inside of the mitres would definitely aid in strength and is recommended. But I'd still nail through the mitre itself.

Since my previous post I've been thinking about how I would do it.
My first instinct was how I described, but after posting my reply I started thinking about the butt join and aluminium angle answer.
I rather like the sound of that. Not only is it stronger than a mitre joint and has none of the hassles involved but it satisfies two of my rules of thumb when designing.
1. Sweet & Sour designing means having opposites next to each other. The earthy, natural look of oiled timber with man-made aluminium.
Things like that always look good.
2. If you can't hide something, make a feature of it.
A butt join is something you'd want to hide, but the aluminium makes it a feature.

Using only minigrips with 15mm screws from the inside would mean no-screws visible from the outside, which would look kind of cool.

But, yes, for a little added strength:

ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Sides screwed into the 70x19 uprights using perhaps 35mm screws from the outside. The sides then fixed together using a couple of minigrips (the grey squares in the picutre) from the inside, using 15mm screws. The top capping, either screwed into the top of the uprights, or, some minigrips with 15mm from underneath.

I think I kinda like that. It's almost 'flat-packable' and sellable at Ikea

The aluminium idea sounds pretty cool too. But now that I think I have a workable design (yes, might be over-engineered), its a design that gives me peace-of-mind knowing that it should be a pretty solid structure

Cheers

Define 'screws' - I'm referring to wood screws in particular go from outside > in and for fixing the minigrips to the uprights....unless I'm getting my screws wrong

Originally Posted by mighty_stanks

But now that I think I have a workable design (yes, might be over-engineered), its a design that gives me peace-of-mind knowing that it should be a pretty solid structure

And if you're comfortable with it, then job right.
Don't forget some pics of the work when you're done.

Ah bugger it.
You know what you've done here?
The minister-for-finance here just asked what was I madly typing away at when I was supposed to be working.
Told her about your planter boxes and she asked if I could do something similar for her herb garden.
Guess what I'll be doing this weekend?

Sounds like my proposed plans were passed through your senate pretty quickly.