DoItYourself Concrete Planters

Homeowners have many options to enhance the beauty of their yards, including flower beds, bird baths, water fountains or garden paths. However, a simple and affordable feature often overlooked are flower planters. The appropriate placement of planters filled with colorful and fragrant flowers can dramatically improve the appearance of a yard.

While flower planters come in various sizes, shapes and materials, homeowners can realize savings and personal satisfaction in creating concrete planters. An easy do-it-yourself project, concrete planters can cost a fraction of purchasing a flower planter from a retail center and allows homeowners to personalize the appearance of their yards.

To create a concrete planter, do-it-yourselfers will need concrete mix, sand mix, 3/4-inch plywood, 1/4-inch plywood, hammer, nails, one inch plastic pipe, a tamper, a trowel and form oil or paste wax. Once the materials are gathered, the following are step-by-step instructions:

• Use 3/4-inch plywood and 1/4-inch plywood to build an outer form with inner dimensions of 18-inches long by 15-inches wide by 10-inches high. Use the 3/4-inch plywood for the sides of the form and the 1/4-inch plywood for the bottom of the form. Nail the forms sparingly for ease in disassembly when removing the completed concrete planter.
• Build an inner form with outer dimensions of 14-inches long by 11-inches wide by 8-inches high for use with outer form to create concrete planter with 2-inch thick walls and bottom.
• Coat the forms with form oil or paste wax to make removal from the form easier.
• Prepare the concrete mix using instructions on the package and cast the planter starting with a 2-inch base layer. While laying this base layer insert the plastic pipes to create drain holes. The pipes should be centered along the width of the planter and in thirds along the length of the planter. Smooth the concrete to the height of the pipes.
• Center the inner form and press it down over the smoothed concrete, continuing to pour the concrete around the edges of the mold. Use a tamper to compact the concrete around the form during pouring. Smooth the exposed surface with a trowel and keep damp.
• Remove the forms after 24 hours and continue to keep the concrete damp for five to seven days before planting.
• Clean the form parts immediately following removal and set aside for future use.

A new yard at the old address is easy when you create a concrete planter.

Courtesy of NAPSnet.