Outside Planter

[Vince Shriver]

I want to build an outside free-standing planter approx. 24" square. I'm thinking to use cedar, redwood or white oak and I'd drill holes in the bottom for drainage. Question: Do I insulate the interior of the box with metal, or maybe use tar or some Henry's roof goop used to patch fiberglass shingles? Appreciate any help.

[Erik Manchester]

Vince,

I built similar planters using eastern white cedar 1x5 boards in 2002 and left them entirely unfinished. The bottoms had 1/4" gaps in them and I used some geotextile fabric to line the bottoms for drainage.

The planters are still doing fine, as the white cedar is naturally quite rot resistant. I think that allowing good drainage helps to extend their life.

I would suspect that white oak would make for very heavy and expensive planters.

[Stan Calow]

l use cedar fencing and deck lumber for this. Paint on the inside, and they hold up well. But I also prefer to make them the size of a specific plastic container/flower pot or something like that so I can just slip in the plastic container and let it hold the plants. Makes it easy to replace the plants or move the planter

[Kevin Bourque]

If you really think it's necessary you could coat the inside with 2 part epoxy resin.

Personally I would line it with landscape fabric and leave it at that.