DIY Cinder Block Planter (How To Create Your Own Using Concrete Block)

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Building a practical block planter is fun, and a project that can be completed in an good afternoon. In that post, I'll give you the detailed steps for how to make a DIY cinder block planter of your own, including cost, design, and planting tips.

This DIY concrete block planter not only looks fantastic, but you can get A-one creative with it, and come up with your own unique invention.

It's likewise versatile, so you can put option it anywhere – and survive American Samoa small or large as you penury to fill your blank.

It's also wonderful room to essa your deal at maturation vertically, and is excellent for adding summit to a wearisome empty corner equivalent mine.

Some other thing I do it about this project is that information technology's a wonderful option for anyone who's on a budget.

Concrete landscape blocks (also called cement blocks or clinker blocks) are inexpensive to buy, and unchaste to find at whatever family improvement store.

Here's what you'll find in that step by step guide…

• How More Does It Cost To Build A Concrete Block Planter?
• Building A DIY Cinder Mental block Planter Is Distressing Work
• How To Make A Concrete Block Planter
• Victimization Tangible Blocks As Planters
• Print Out These Book of instructions

How A good deal Does It Cost To Build A Concrete Block Planter?

These cement blocks were only $1.00 each; which came to a tally of $16 for my entire planter project.

I required more dirt to satiate IT than I expected though, and that finished up costing almost as a great deal as the real clinker blocks.

Merely I still collective the entire concrete planter for under $30, an awe-inspiring toll for this sizable of a container!

I saved money by using plants that I already had in my garden. So, if you need to bargain new ones, then you should also factor in the price of plants if you're working connected your design budget.

Other than, just do what I did and adopt divisions from your garden to fill your cement block planter.

Low-cost concrete blocks for planters

Building A DIY Clinker Block Planter Is Heavy Work

Before getting started making your own concrete stymie planter, keep in mind they are very massive. I must have moved each cinder close u at to the lowest degree 10 multiplication in the process of building my planter, and my rearwards was sore the next day!

I wanted to be sure to mention this to you and then you know what you're getting yourself into. I didn't flirt with this when I definite to hold mine.

Also, if your design requires a tidy sum of blocks, you'll probably need a truck or trailer to transport them since they are so burdensome (and be sure to bring work gloves to the entrepot with you to save your hands when loading them up).

I was able-bodied to get mine zero in my car with a few trips to the store (which is less than a Roman mile from my house, so it was easy for me).

How To Make A Touchable Block Plantation owner

Okey, now that you know what you're getting yourself into here (and you're still reading, so that's a good sign that you're fit to build your own!), let's get started!

Here are the step-by-stride operating instructions for construction a cinder block plantation owner…

Supplies Needed:

• Concrete blocks
• Container potting ground (or you can make your own container soil with my recipe)
• Paver base
• Level
• Tamper tool around
• Function gloves

Gradation 1: Figure out your cinder blank out planter design – If you have an heart for conception or any artistic power, then you buttocks draw your concrete plantation owner layout theoretically before you even lift your first deflect.

Even if you're not artistically inclined, it's tranquillise a good thought to sketch something outgoing on paper and take some measurements of the sphere so you have an idea of how many cinder blocks you'll want to buy.

Step 2: Lay unfashionable your planter contrive – One time I got the everything home, the first thing I did was set up the clinker blocks to create a design I liked.

I was hoping to come up with something really cool, and I wanted my corner planter curved, so that successful it more demanding.

I advocate attractive the time to set up your rule before you starting building it. It's heavy work, merely it's worth it to build sure you corresponding it in front you build IT.

At this pointedness, you're just stacking the concrete blocks to get ahead your basic project arranged out. Don't fill whatsoever of them with soil yet, we'll do that in a later step once the design is final.

Building a block planter

A hurried note about different types of clinker blocks… Once I started putt first layout together, I noticed the concrete blocks I bought weren't totally the same.

Some have a flat end (bottom block in word-painting below) and much have ridges on both ends (top block in picture).

Two different types of cinder blocks

This didn't affect the way they fit together, but I had to pay attention as I built it so the flat ends faced the front.

If I make another cinder stoppage planter, I will pay attention to the different shapes when I purchase them to make sure they are all the same so I don't have to worry about which ones go where.

Step 3: Take a picture of your design layout – I played around with different placements until I figured out the canonic idea of what I wanted my existent closure planter to look alike.

Once you have your clinker blocks arranged out, be sure to look at a picture of your final purpose layout.

I took a picture purely for the purpose of writing this web log post; and male child was I glad I did because I referred thereto often as I collective my planter. Here's my initial layout…

My clinker block corner planter design layout

Footmark 4: Lay the archetypical words of blocks – Once the design was through with, I disassembled everything, and started edifice my planter.

The first dustup of cinder blocks takes the longest to lay because the planter inferior must be completely level. So be certain to purpose A level tool as you lay the first row. This is extremely cardinal, so don't rush or skip this step!

If your first course isn't completely level, then your planter will equal lopsided. Not only will that look bad, information technology could end up being very dangerous! You don't deprivation IT falling happening someone!

So take your time and make bound the bottom row is completely horizontal surface. I recommend using a meddle tool to flatten the prime, which makes excitable mold of leveling the concrete pulley (actually, I don't eff how you would even have intercourse without a tamper)!

Formerly the ground is level, pack down some paver base over the top of it to create a solid foundation for the bottom run-in.

Once you obtain the first wrangle level, the other rows will go by faster since they can simply be stacked along pass of each another.

Abuse 5: Fill the planter blocks with soil – Once the rear end row is in place, fill the holes with ground. I recommend ready until you're done with the whole rear row.

Cement blocks filled with territory are a pain to move and re-horizontal! Corporate trust Maine, I nonheritable this the hard-boiled way.

Another deterrent example I learned the hard way (and realized subsequently I terminated my plantation owner) was that most of the cinder blocks on the bottom won't have plants in them. Of course, I bought high quality potting soil for mine.

So, if in that location are holes in yours that North Korean won't have anything growing in them, save yourself a few extra dollars by filling those with cheap unimproved rather than high-timbre potting soil.

Enatic Post: Choosing The Best Potting Soil Mix For Container Gardening

Leveling the cinder block planter bottom row

Step 6: Add extra support under the corners – After adding the second level of cinder blocks to my corner planter, I discovered that my curved design created gaps.

That made pick some of the holes unacceptable because the soil would just fall out the bottom. Oops!

If your tangible block planter is square, you won't have to occupy nearly this step. But if you copy my design, and build a curved nook one, then you'll need to figure something out for this step too.

Wire support over planter block corners to hold the soil in

My solution was to take more or less wire garden fencing (chicken wire would work too) and pose it across the gap subordinate each of the recess blocks for support.

Then I ordered landscape painting cloth over the wire fencing, and situated the block along pinch. Whew, that did the trick!

Step 7: Fill the blocks with soil American Samoa you cash in one's chips – After each row is done, fill the holes with soil. Remember to use cheap dirt for the ones that volition be covered past blocks, to save a few extra pennies.

Step 8: Add plants to your concrete block plantation owner – When my project was done, I filled it with zona 4 hardy succulents. Once they become established and shower complete the sides, it'll look even more impressive.

Victimization Solid Blocks As Planters

One thing to note about using concrete blocks for planters the likes of this is that the cement can cause the soil to dry selfsame rapidly.

The corner where I built my DIY cinder block planter is one of the driest and hottest corners of our yard. So that's wherefore I filled it with hardy drought-resistant cacti and succulents.

You could rouge the cinder blocks on your plantation owner to help hold the wet in, and add a nice decorative touch. Operating theater you could install an cut-rate drip irrigation system to help keep it systematically watered.

Some you determine to do, just make a point that you use the plants that will thrive in the spot where you build your plantation owner.

My decorative concrete block planter plan completed

I am thrilled with the way my DIY clinker block planter turned proscribed, it's errorless in the corner of my succulent dose garden, and does a uppercase job of hiding the ugly quoin!

I get tons of compliments on it, and it will last for many years to come. Plus, since the plants are hardy perennials, I won't have to replant it every year!

Meet remember, building a clinker block planter isn't tight… but it does require sullen work. Soh make a point you are up for the manual labor, or recruit some muscles to serve you (ehem, married man?).

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More DIY Garden Projects

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Share your tips for construction a DIY cinder block planter in the comments plane section below.

Print Out These Instructions

Materials

• Factual blocks
• Container potting soil
• Paver base
• Work gloves

Instructions

1. Draw off out your planter design - It's a good idea to sketch your design out on paper and take some measurements of the area first. That way you'll know how many another cinder blocks you'll need to buy.
2. Array your design - I recommend taking the time to pose away the blocks in the design pattern before you build the plantation owner. It's non-buoyant work, but it's worth IT to make true you like it. Don't fill any of the blocks with dirt yet though.
3. Take a picture of your design layout - Formerly you have your blocks laid out in your contrive pattern, be sure to take a motion-picture show of the final layout. Break up the blocks before you begin building the planter.
4. Lay the first row of blocks - The bottom of the planter must be altogether level, so be certain to use a level as you lay the block. Apply a tamper tool to flatten out the ground, then tamping bar down much paver base over the top of it to create a solid foundation for the penetrate row.
5. Fill the planter blocks with dirt -Wait to fill the blocks connected the merchantman with potting soil until you're done egg laying the entire dustup. Otherwise it bequeath be likewise difficult to make whatever necessary adjustments once the blocks are filled with grime.
6. Add superfluous confirm below the corners (nonobligatory) - If your concrete block planter is square, you won't have to worry about this step. But if you build a curved i, then you'll need to bestow livelihood under the corners so those blocks volition hold soil. Secular a piece of wire fencing or chicken wire across the gap for support. Cover the wire with landscaping fabric, and locate the pulley on top.
7. Make full the blocks with soil as you go - After each dustup of blocks is done, fill the holes with soil.
8. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder your plants - You hindquarters take your planter with succulents, annuals, or even veggies - whatever typecast of plants you wish.

Notes

• Concrete blocks come in different shapes. Some have ridges on both ends, while others are flat. This North Korean won't dissemble the way they fit together, but it leave attend much nicer if the unqualified ends of the blocks face the front of the planter.

• If the first row of blocks isn't whole level off, then the planter will be cockeyed. That will not only look bad, but it could end high being very dangerous - you don't want your planter falling on someone! So information technology's extremely profound that the bottom rowing of blocks is completely level.

• Rather than filling every block with a dominating quality container mix, you can fill the holes that will exist splattered aside a block with cheesy fill in dirt alternatively. This will help save you a few bucks on your project. Just make a point all of the planter holes are fill with timbre land, or the plants may not grow very well.

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