Make A Garden Planter From Decking

Hello, and welcome to my 2nd published Instructable, children! Today we're going to make a planter from offcuts and inexpensive timber.

I've always been interested in growing some vegetables in the garden, but, as I'm sure some of you can testify, there's always another project that demands attention. Recently I signed up for a fantastic offer from the BBC and got some free seeds, which has finally spurred me on to grow my own grub - I don't think the seed offer is still running, but you can have a look at the BBC Dig In mini-site at http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/digin/

Our English country garden is pretty small and we didn't have any spare border for veggies, so we needed a planter. I couldn't find one big enough for less than £60, so I roped my old man into helping me build one.
What follows is an account of our magical journey to garden planter ownership... Read on and maybe one day you too could be a planter owner. Imagine that.

SAFETY NOTES: This Instructable involves the use of power tools, so if you are a mere youngling, you should get an adult involved. Nobody is going to grow back a severed arm by eating more vegetables...

Step 1 What You Will Need:

Tools We Used:

• A hammer, for showing nails who's boss.
• A screwdriver.
• A chop saw - Hassan Chop!
• A jigsaw, for the cut outs.
• A circular saw for the base slats.
• A couple of 'G' clamps for holding it together.
• A staple gun for attaching the plastic lining.

Materials We Used:

• Decking planks (2 x 4800mm long and 1 x 3600mm long).
• 2 lengths of treated timber (19mm x 32mm x 2400mm).
• 6 lengths of timber offcuts (30mm x 50mm x 500mm).
• 10 decking plank offcuts (at least 630mm in length).
  
• 48 self tapping decking screws.
• 20 clout nails.
• Polythene or pond-liner or some other plastic (for lining the inside of the planter).
• 350 litres of multi-purpose compost.
• Broken garden pots or stones to layer underneath the compost, to aid drainage.

We managed to get most of our stuff at discount prices from Wickes - we bought damaged decking planks for about half price and damaged compost for £1.99 a bag. It came repackaged in strong polythene, which we then used for the lining. Most garden centres or DIY shops will have some goods damaged by careless forklift drivers which they'll be selling cheap - have a look around at the back or ask someone. It's definitely worth it - our planter only cost £32 (not counting the hardware and offcuts we already had). That includes filling it with compost and, thanks to the BBC, the seeds we'll be planting.

Comments

[slysimon]

Fabtastic inspiration. I've just started cutting up a load of decking for a huge 2.4m x 60 cm by 60 cm version for the front of the drive where the missus wanted a short piece of fence. This is going to be sooo much better.

Going to be a sod to fill though :o)

Thanks for the 'ible.

[Jayefuu]

Nice write up! Not new by any means but well written with good photographs :D And currently the right time of year to be thinking about doing this, perhaps it'll inspire some people.

James

[Jayefuu]

Oooo love the pot stand/bench/planters. Look like something you'd pay hundreds for from B&Q. That deserves its own Ible if you ever make another or if you've got enough pictures.

[javier_instructables]

Perfect! THANKS!

[southofnonorth]

Just finished my version of your planters - thanks for the instructable - very useful - pic enclosed so you can see how it turned out - I combined the planters with a garden divider (the planters provide some support for the gateposts).

The only thing that occurred to me as I was making them was that it would have been nice to alternate the long and short sides at the corners - that would make the measurement and the cutting of the bevel a bit trickier, though!

[kitobor]

Cheers for the feedback - they look great!