Greg Scull
04-17-2011, 11:08 AM
My wife had requested I build some raised bed planters for this spring. During winter I came across a bunch of Douglas Fir in the cull pile at our local Lowes store.
30$ for a full truck bed of 2x8, 2x10, 4x6, and 4x10s
Really a lot of wood. Much of it was there because it was badly warped, twisted, cracked and or splitting.
191763
For 30$ I still figured I could make cheap planter boxes out of it. Douglas fir probably wont last as long as I would like but will certainly get a few years out of them.
Because the wood was so bad I couldn't use the 2x8's in long lengths as I had originally planned so I came up with a different idea to use them vertically. I modeled the design in SketchUp ( my first time using it ) and began building. I haven't gone back and updated the SketchUp yet but will soon before I loose all my notes.
191764
The frame is made from 2.5"x2.5" poles and the panels were made from 7"x1.25"x16". The panels are sitting in a groove and the poles are all connected with Mortise and Tenon joints.
Here it is finished before applying minwax oil based stain.
191765
and with the stain applied
191766
I didn't make the lattice as tall as the original design because I am debating putting a 4" board connecting the two top poles.
There are a few things that I think will need to change for my next one (still have a ton of that DF wood laying around). Next time!
30$ for a full truck bed of 2x8, 2x10, 4x6, and 4x10s
Really a lot of wood. Much of it was there because it was badly warped, twisted, cracked and or splitting.
191763
For 30$ I still figured I could make cheap planter boxes out of it. Douglas fir probably wont last as long as I would like but will certainly get a few years out of them.
Because the wood was so bad I couldn't use the 2x8's in long lengths as I had originally planned so I came up with a different idea to use them vertically. I modeled the design in SketchUp ( my first time using it ) and began building. I haven't gone back and updated the SketchUp yet but will soon before I loose all my notes.
191764
The frame is made from 2.5"x2.5" poles and the panels were made from 7"x1.25"x16". The panels are sitting in a groove and the poles are all connected with Mortise and Tenon joints.
Here it is finished before applying minwax oil based stain.
191765
and with the stain applied
191766
I didn't make the lattice as tall as the original design because I am debating putting a 4" board connecting the two top poles.
There are a few things that I think will need to change for my next one (still have a ton of that DF wood laying around). Next time!