SUPER Simple Concrete Garden Boxes - PART 2 - Build Molds & Cast the Panels
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
- SEE PART 1 of this series: • DIY Simple Concrete Ga...
Make your own Concrete Garden Boxes with these simple wooden forms or molds! Follow along with this detailed 2 part tutorial. Build the molds and cast your own strong, long-lasting concrete panels that join together to make the ultimate in durable garden boxes. This is THE DIY version of these molds as very few tools are required. I'll make the easiest, simplest, and cheapest form yet. This is a two part series.
MOLDS: manabouttools.com/product-cat...
SUBSCRIBE: ruclips.net/user/manabouttoo...
GARDEN BOX PLANS: manabouttools.com/product/con...
BLOG POST and SUPPLIES, HARDWARE, and TOOLS for this project (affiliate links)
manabouttools.com/form
TOOLS I USE: manabouttools.com/tools-i-use/
My VIDEO GEAR: manabouttools.com/tools-i-use/ (affiliate links)
FOLLOW ME:
Instagram: / manabouttools
Twitter: / manabouttools
Facebook: / manabouttools
Website: MANaboutTOOLS.com
Patreon: / manabouttools
DISCLAIMERS:
Some of these links have an affiliate code, if you purchase tools with these links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you! The tools or equipment seen in this video and have been purchased ourselves.
#gardening #concrete #gardenbox 
Хобби
![mgk - Sun to Me (Zach Bryan Cover) [Live from Cheshire Cottage]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_ZnbTEs4O6U/mqdefault.jpg)
I now have molds ready-to-go here: manabouttools.com/product-category/abs-plastic-molds/
Super simple is not as attractive as the original panel (decorative inset) BUT much simpler and may be why this style released easier. This is the design I'll try if/when I attempt building these panels. They certainly should outlast wooden beds. Great video....
Thanks!
u are a genius....by the way thank you for removing the annoying background music....THANK YOU for that!!! now your video is more enjoyable for sure :)
Thanks! Live and learn I say.
I liked leaving the 1/2in PVC pipe in the concrete. And I think some reinforcing is needed, at least the glass fiber.
It was great that you left in the part about the wood dowels because then others would know that it wouldn’t work and save them the frustration. The proverbial learn from other people’s mistakes. Thanks for the great information and keep up the great work
Thanks 👍
If you drill a hole and tap/glue in an anchor for a bolt they will last a lot longer. After a while the oil soaked wood is too soft for the screws to bite and the holes strip out. That's the only thing i changed when i made mine. I stacked them 3 or 4 high for my gardens and it keeps the rabbits out. Plus i don't have to bend over to collect my vegetables. This was a genius idea and its great that you shared it with others.
Nice series, I watched it until the end. I have a suggestion I don't know if will be helpful, but I am thinking of the process to disassemble every uncast and the process to unscrew the side panel. My suggestion to use hinges in the side panel instead of unscrewed. To keep them together use Slide Latch Lock and keep using the latex.
Bought your CSA plans from your website. Made 12 forms 3’ long. Did 13/14 pours in each. 11 - 3x14.6’ beds with 2 double stacked. The garden looks incredible and I’m very happy I found your channel.
I was able to efficiently do 2 pours a day into the dozen forms and cure the blocks submerged in livestock tanks. I used 5 bags of RapidSet Mortar CSA cement to fill 12 forms. Each bag of CSA filled 2.4 forms. The plasticizer helped tremendously with the pours. The citric acid was overkill in my Pacific Northwest climate, so I reduced it by 1/2. Using the citric acid was necessary as this stuff will setup faster than you can finish pouring all 12 forms. Even so I still was in a rush and laying rebar before the final couple bags were poured.
I did have issues with the forms swelling and deforming from day after day use. Even running each 2x10 through a planner, the crown of the wood slowly became apparent. Now that they have rested a couple weeks, they’re once again close to their original shape. I had soaked them in mineral oil, but there’s no getting around the fact that they are wood. Besides the subtle warping and twist, they went together great and look incredible.
The amount of time disassembling, cleaning, reassembling, caulking, spraying and prepping was extensive. About 15 min per form, 2.5hrs or more to get to do a pour after removing the last casting. If I had more time and money to experiment with, I might have built one perfect form with one perfect pour. I would use this as a cast from which to make flexible rubber molds. Maybe, big caveat “Maybe”, it would make them pop out faster.
Hello, 1 year after, the garden box with that version is still alive ?
No damages ?
You have a very nice YT channel !
These will be great in our greenhouse. The economy and simplicity are two very inviting benefits. Thanks a bunch.
It might be a good idea to cut the plastic pipe to the exact size of the concrete, (rather than sticking out from the formwork.) You would have to keep the plastic pipe in place with the steel pins while pouring, and use a hole in the formwork the diameter of the pins rather than the diameter of the plastic pipe. If you did this, the plastic pipe would not need to be removed at all, and the pins would be a perfect fit. There might be some reinforcing affect also obtained by doing this. Not sure if this would work, but it could be an option as you then eliminate the risk of damage to the concrete. These garden beds are excellent, so thank you so much for sharing.
Could you do a video explaining the curing process and keeping it wet. I'd like to see different ways of doing this past of the process.
Great video. I'm thinking of doing something similar. My only suggestion after having worked alot with concrete is to use a wax paste instead of an oil based spray for your mold release. It will be alot more effective at creating a moisture barrier. Cheers
Thank you for sharing your failures as well as your success! Also, beautiful flowers in the background.
You are so welcome!
That should last for many years if treated with care. That is a great non-toxic alternative to treated wood. You might be able to make them lighter and thinner if you use CSA plus basalt or glass fibers. I want to make an eight-foot version so lightweight would be a plus. Basalt rebar might be necessary on the longer panels. Basalt won't corrode and won't cause the concrete to spall over time. I have a lake in my back yard and could put them underwater for a few weeks to cure. I like the fact you don't have to disassemble the forms completely to get the plank out. I would entertain the idea of painting the forms with used cooking oil as a cheap alternative to Pam. You have done a marvelous job developing your idea.
He's got a ton of videos showing his lightweight version of this utilizing glass fibers and other additives.
@@lucynguyen2892 - Cảm ơn, Lucy. Tôi thực sự thích những gì anh ấy đã làm với ý tưởng của mình.
good night my friend. the arees that are in the middle of the cement slab are missing. That way the board is more fragile. I'm BRAZILIAN, congratulations ... I really liked your idea, I'm going to do it here in Brazil. God be with you. A big hug.
A couple more ideas: concrete mailbox post, and something a bit more tricky would be concrete fence post for a rail fence.
Just like your other videos, impressive from start to finish! Excellent content, all the information needed and nothing unnecessary, impressive camera work. Wish I had your tools and skills!!!
Easy texturing by laying some dried pressed leaves in the bottom of the form when pouring.
That's a neat idea!
Sure, but why do you need to press and dry them? The concrete will hold them down fine.
I was thinking of taking some rough saw lumber strips and making a brick like pattern of short peices at the bottom. Then caulk all the seems liberally. Giving a textured face. Doing a washed aggregate finish on the top side would look pretty good too.
Also while not for the beginner build, a 5deg angle on the sides would make removal very easy. I would the end shapes square.
They wouldn't stack well with all the same sides out though. You'd have to flip which side is out, at each layer to not leave a small gap.
I've been following since the beginning, great job!
Awesome! Thank you!
Purchased your plans after I built my first box's wanted to say thank you for your creativity
A 3 bay concrete compost bin design project would be awesome!
Excellent. I love this design and that you walk through the entire process with us. Thank you.
i am planning to use ur idea but wider and taller to make the base of my patio fence....ahhhh...love this idea for sure!
You did a great job on the boxes and instructional videos! A video idea I had for you is to create the boxes so they had some sort of a bottom. That way they could be used on a porch or deck.
Thanks for sharing what didn't work for you as well as your successes. I bought a previous set of plans and love the panels. 👍
You could use what's called "hanger bolts" in place of screws for long term life of the form...leaving the wood threaded ends in place and only using the nuts for assembly/disassembly.
Love your saw horse too super duty !!!
Great series!!! you could use larger pipe cut to the exact length like you did with the other designs and have a metal rod that goes thru the forms and you pull the metal rod to release from the forms.
I love the ravens croking even when your going fast motion.
We have lots of them in our area.
Very good !!!
Congratulations from Argentina.
I'd love to see you experiment more with the aircrete.
Such an interesting material
I liked the decorative rescess you had on your first panel. As soon as I can I will build several for my garden. Thank you!
Got a few ideas:
As you only need a temporary seal you could use plain clay instead of the acrylic caulk. No need to let it dry.
You probably have a rotary sander? Instead of tapping just tie your rotary sander to your sawhorse and let it run while pouring the crete. But then again, a few taps with a hammer are probably as easy to do.
You could still use the wooden dowels. Just soak them in really warm linseed oil. You would have them 'pre-swollen' and waterproof. But then again (again) the reinforced plastic is a rather elegant solution.
Love the result.
Almost to 100K! Incredible work buddy!
Try to turn the dowel before it totally dry, it will easy to take it out when the cement totally dried out
aya bernardino use pvc They make it 1/4 od It will spin out as well and leave em longer for leverage
Build your forms with a draft angle, even a tiny draft angle will drastically improve the ability to remove your molds. You mention sanding to square up your cuts, instead sand so that you splay your sides outward.
Yes. That would help. I just slightly loosen the top screws on the sides.
Love the new design. Stinks that I just got done making a garden bed with the last version. Going to scrape the sides and use the updated design.
Thank you, I will be using your form, very nice and you have simplified it so well.
HI, great series. Can you do a summary video? What were your mix ratios? What was the strongest? Weakest? Strength to weight ratios? What would you build them out of having learned all this? what aircreting method did you land on?
I was making a removable mask for an antenna pole. I used thin plastic from grocery bags. It gave me some space for the pvc form and just enough for easy removing of the pvc from the bucket. To my surprize the plastic from the grocery bags released from the concrete easily.
I will be using 1//2" steel rods, in place of dowels, or pipe. After watching a second time, I noticed a few other things too. Thank you, my plans should be on their way. :)
Great video, you did a fantastic job. Thanks for sharing.
It's so funny, since your original video you inspired me to make my own forms to better suit my needs. Some of the things you did in this video I actually opted for in my design as well. These make so much sense and I love how you keep adapting it. I'm going to have to email you my design just so you can see what you inspired.
Instead of using a wood dowel, you can use cheap hose for a sleeve, cut it longer than the formwork... let the concrete cure, grab one of the ends of the hose with pliers and pull. As you pull the hose will shrink/stretch and slid right out, we use this technique all the time on large footings where we do not want to loose our coil rod. Put a rod through the sleeve so it stays straight
Many thanks for sharing your work with us. I will attempt to make such panels. I only hope I can match your skill and expertise when I make my attempt. Once again many thanks.
Love this. I’ve shared this series with friends and the simple version is so much better. As a gardener I tend to focus more on efficiency rather than ascetics. I’ve never felt I had the patience to pull off the other forms. Can’t wait to update my beds this winter. I’ll be wrapping something like 300 linear feet. Maybe I’ll build four frames.
I built 12 frames 36” long and did 13 pours. I got 2.4 forms filled with each bag of csa cement, 5 bags did 12 forms perfectly. I was able to do 2 pours per day with taking into account the time of disassembly, cleanup and reassembly. I used a stock tank to cure them underwater.
If your serious about 300’ linear feet, I suggest a dozen forms. You can accomplish 72’ per day in 3’ forms or 96’ with 4’ frames.
Also, I noticed that the more times I used the forms, the more they swelled and in some cases twisted. I soaked them in mineral oil, but still. Letting the forms rest for the past couple weeks has brought them closer to their original shape.
@@DutchStar How long did it take to cure underwater?
love the concept - made something similar using electrical conduit instead of dowels as it has a thick wall. Just have recessed hole inside the form 1-2mm so it's always positioned in same spot and can be permanent inside the concrete. When dried trim off excess so forms sit flush. On a smaller project I painted inside panels with Latex so joints were tight and concrete didn't stick cheers
Here are a few ideas.
Use surgical tubing over the nail instead of plastic pipe. After the concrete sets, pull the nail then the surgical tubing should pull out easily because it contracts when stretched.
Use longer screws to assemble then all you have to do is loosen them to separate the form from the concrete.
If rounded ends are desired so that boxes can be assembled into shapes such as hexagons, cut some pvc pipe and add it at the ends. Or use a diamond masonry blade on a 4-1/2 grinder to trim the ends.
I used 1/2 inch copper pipes then secure the panels with 3/8 rebar, works great. also added another form for the backing filling the form from the top, now I am using these 8 feet sections as a fence with a pattern on both sides. I can't dig any holes so my fence zig zag at 45 degree and added a flower pot between each corner, looks fantastic and the whole fence is moveable if needed. Thanks for the inspiration.
I would love to see a picture of your project if possible.
I'm a little surprised nobody sells panels similar to those. Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge with us. :-)
Thanks for watching!
Great job!
Thank you, I enjoy your videos.
Good work!
I'm excited to see the strength test on these bad boys
Thank you! Why not do leave plastic pipes/tubing in the concrete for further assembling?
If you want them to be strong and long lasting, reinforcement is a must. Many options for reinforcement.
And a little polymer in the mix would help as well.
great work
Great videos. Very impressed with how methodical you are. I’m interested in doing lighter weight (I’m old) for Square Foot Gardening beds. Living in the AZ desert we have 2 growing seasons. These would live longer under the sun than wood. Thank you.
Have you considered making your alignment holes just big enough for rebar or the spike and cutting the plastic tubing to fit the gap inside the tabs/wings? That way you can slide the spike out and the tube stays in the concrete, but you can still pop it out of the mold without disassembly (and still do the wire coil reinforcement if you choose). I’ve been wondering about thet since your very first design... Which I really like the insets BTW, (they look really nice and can be totally customized).
Another idea is to mold in copper. Copper repels slugs and snails (but needs to be at least 2 inches wide so they can’t arch over it). Gardening stores sell really expensive copper tape with an adhesive side, but it never adheres very well (to any raised bed materials and is thin and fragile). I was thinking you slice open a copper pipe length wise, roll it flat and wide, and you could mold it right into the concrete (if the strip covers the 3 exterior sides, it would be continuous, all around the perimeter). You could even get fancy and router a shallow horizontal dado for the copper or just let it inset in the concrete (just make sure it matches/aligns with the copper strips on other panels. It could also look really sweet once it gets a green patina on it.
Anyway... I’m enjoying your videos, You Rock!!!
Would be awesome to put a curvature on the ends so you could snake a retaining wall or to follow landscaping and structures for flower gardens or vegetable gardens!!
Thank you so much for your dedication & time on this series! This will be a huge help to so many of us gardeners. I'll be building these this fall once I get the back yard fenced. Really love the professional look these have in the landscape. But I'm not sure if I will go with a "plain" panel or a "design" as you showed in an earlier video. Can't wait for more videos from you - you explain things so well! Take care.
A simple way to add a design would be to drop a few leaves, flowers, and the like into the form before the concrete. They'll leave an imprint on that face. They may also adhere, but will rot/wash out over time.
Could you put a lacquer varnish on the forms to make them easier to release and create smoother finish? And instead of using wood screws, use machined screws with wing nuts so you would never wear out your forms?
Another well done and well explained video. Would you recommend maybe letting the cement cure sa 3-4 days (depending on air temp)? Once I get the go ahead from my wife I hoping to use this idea in the front yard as both decorative & practical planters . Great job again, thanks.
Excellent ideas here I do miss the indented look of the previous versions but realize your going for max simplicity here. Another great vid. I'm thinking a few seconds could be saved by only loosening but not removing a side during extraction.
Thanks! And I agree.
I like this simplified solution. I have two question if you have a moment. 1. Did you do anything differently on the second casting to make those pop out easier? 2. Do you have any long-term data/info on these panels (and the other formulations) holding up to rain/snow/heat/cold cycles? Thank you for another excellent instructional video. Well done!
Thank you. Great video. I really appreciate you showing the failure, of the dowel holes and removal. I'm thinkng either using landscaping Nails, instead of wood dowels, or even a hard-wood dowels, which will absorb less moisture. I have not reviewed all comments, perhaps these are thoughts you or others already had. Again, great. Now I'm looking forward to your alternate materials for lightweight panels....
Glad it was helpful! You're very welcome!
Looks like it is easy to build than the last one
Thank's for your great video's. My aircrete attempts keeps collapsing even after trying a foaming agent and other types of cement. Maybe my mixing ratios is wrong.
I'm going to try some of your forms on concrete like they do pre cast wall panels, I will post pictures in a week or so.
Thanks!
I was so happy to receive this new version of yours. Thank you for your efforts in sharing your experiments! I see you didn't consider it necessary to use wire mesh to reinforce the structure this time. I wonder if they will break or crack easier and faster...I liked your previous idea to make the panels lighter weight.
Thanks! For simplicity I left the grid and wire wraps out. I do believe that they are beneficial but I'll leave that up to you if you think you need the extra strength.
I like the removable dowel idea in this form but I think I would use it to hold the 1/2" pvc tube and wire you used in the previous versions.
That is an option for sure. The idea here was to keep it as absolutely simple as possible.
awesome video. Would you ever make a mold out of PVC instead of wood?
i like the ideal
Super
Where I worked we got solid acrylic rods that would work if you can find them Even solid rods of aluminum might work. I love what you are doing I want to make some. Have you tried to paint them to see how that holds up?
great video would be easier to do a straight forward rectangular box and in opposite corners screw in a piece of wood thickness of the planter thickness required and half the height with hole straight through it to take pipe steve
It seems like it would require fewer screws as well.
Hello Kent,
Love the Channel.
Question please:
Can you mix Portland and CSA Cement to get the best of both?
Hey Kent, Love the boxes. Where do you get the 12" spikes from? I can't wait to try this.
Thanks! I get them at HomeDepot or pretty much any large building supply. Look for galvanized with a shank diameter slightly less than 3/8".
Would a couple pinches of chopped fiber work as a super simple reinforcement for these panels? Also, could you try a small hole and plug in the base that you could blow air into to pop the form loose
To help release the set concrete from the form build the form so the sides have a very slight taper.
Yes. That would help. But, I was trying to make the forms as simple to build as possible.
Great creation. I stumbled across your videos not long ago. As a suggestion: If you need a better release agent, I recommend using a Silicone Spray. You will get a better result to the oil spray. Regards from the Blue Mountains Australia.
Thanks for the tip!!
Another great video. I like the simplified plans and will be using this version with reinforcing wire mesh for my garden. One note: the shop teaching in me cringes every time you snap the tape measure closed. That shortens the life a lot and makes the end tab become inaccurate as the rivet hole elongates with each snap. Thanks for the series - I really enjoy watching and learning from you.
Thanks Joe! And good tip about the tape measure.
Outside of perhaps yours, I think every tape measure is treated like this, which is why construction/framing excellence is usually to the nearest 1/4".... Anyone can check their tapemeasure by measuring 1" from the 1" mark to the 2" mark. Then compare from the tab end to the 1" mark.
I haven't watched every vid but I was just wondering if you ever used the glassfibre straws put into "commercial"concrete as a replacement for rebar ??
😎👍☘️🍺
Yes he has, there are other videos showing this and he strength tests them too.
whoa! How did u move so fast from 8:55 until 09:27? I've never seen anybody move like that before that wasn't an agent.
There has to be some material you can coat the entire thing in. The make plastic moulds right? Something the the concrete would slide right out of? Given a microscopic angle of slide? Also, easier to build a square mould and slide a solid block of wood in for your offset. Place pvc pipe and leave it for pins. Less screws and aggravation
Good job. The wooden dowels probably would work if you soaked them over nite before casting. I liked your reinforced panels better. Good luck.
Would like to see the panels stacked for higher bins?
if you really want to keep the mold together an be able to remove the casting, a 5 degree draft on the mold would do the trick
Can you use nuts and bolts for most of it that way when you take the forms apart you don't risk wearing out the screw holes
I think that would work just fine.
Can we make garden pots out of this material, TIA
Great improvement. What about the wire mesh? Would it make it stronger and longer lasting.?
Wire mesh does improve strength. I left it out of this version as I was trying the ultimate in simplification.Thanks!
Seeing that it is likely you will be removing and replacing the screws from the wood more than once - it would pay to use M6 or M8 barrel nuts or hex drive wood screw inserts instead of just wood screws. Also you could do away with the need to shape the sides when it is cured by using some thin quad along the inside edges.
That would mean you'd use less sealant too.
My version of the design will use a 1200mm wooden base board. But since I intend to make quite a few of these panels ,I'm using 100mm x 4mm flat bar steel for the long sides. The smaller shaped side walls also in 100mm x 4mm steel with galvanized M10 hex nuts welded to them to pull both sides together. Steel gives a smoother finish and you can use sump oil as a release agent.
May want to plane the boards flat. Any cupping will look odd when transferred to the panel.
I am thinking about making simple boxes for bamboo. They would be about 12-24" in height, about 12-18" wide and 3-4' long. Do you think it would be easier to pout an entire box at one time, or perhaps adapt your designs with ultra-narrow end pieces? What do you think? Thanks.
if i use 2x4's cut them to size to fit whatever length i need then place the form on a piece of plastic on a cemented area(like a patio area) pour concrete on top, use some rebar for strength and also use screws to join all the sides( like the ones that are used when pouring house foundations to join to walls) would this work as an alternative to having to build forms? i've seen cement workers form concrete counter tops for outdoor kitchens this way ....and of course use oil and screws to separate the form from the concrete...
Honestly for the way they look you could have just as easily made the concrete frames in place and in one piece like a house foundation and saved a lot of money and time.
I do really like you light versions of them though.
how about a plan to make concrete fence posts and a copy of the cedar panel? That will make a "forever" fence. Thank you
I have considered that. Maybe in the future.
great video would be easier to do a straight forward rectangular box and in opposite corners screw in a piece of wood thickness same as the depth of mould squared section wood and half the height of mould with hole straight through it (middle ) to take pipe this would save doing the" dogleg" each end, love your vides keep up the good work steve
France
I’m trying to picture your idea
Are you not using the CSA cement for this one
No. This is a very simple version.