Hey all,
I’m planning to build a raised planter box for my grandpa. He’s been a gardener all his life but bending down and crouching is getting a bit harder for him, so I want him to still be able to enjoy his hobby.
Now i’m not a woodworker by any means. In fact this would be my first project. The idea is to make it about 3 feet off the ground (so it’s easier on his back), with a planter box that’s roughly 4 ft long x 2 ft wide x 16 inches deep. It’ll be used for a small veggie garden.
I’m mostly wondering:
- What kind of wood you would recommend for something like this? I want it to last for a while outdoors without rotting too fast, while still being budget friendly.
- Are there any kinds of wood I should absolutely avoid? (durability/ chemicals that wold get in the soil)
- From what I’ve seen from the prebuilt ones at gardening stores, I plan to line the inside with a geotextile membrane. Is this a good idea?
- Any structural tips for supporting that kind of weight? Wet soil weighs ~75 lbs per cubic foot according to my research, and I’m going to have ~10.7 cubic feet of soil in the box, so we’re looking at ~800 lbs of weight.
Basically, I want to learn from people with more experience with this stuff. I’ve always wanted to try woodworking and this feels like a good beginner project to me.
Thanks!