How to Build a Rock-Solid Concrete Planter

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With basic carpentry tools, a wheelbarrow, and some tinted concrete, you can build this sturdy home for houseplants.

By Joesph Truini

Concrete Form Plans (PDF, .5MB, requires Adobe Reader)

\n\nToday, we use concrete for everything from home foundations to kitchen counters. It\'s also a great material for making smaller items, such as the planter shown here. Super-sturdy but simple to build, it requires the construction of inner and outer wood forms to mold the finished product. Basic carpentry tools, a wheelbarrow, and an 80-pound bag of concrete mix are all you need to do a job that would make a Roman proud.", credit: "Reed Young", sourceid: null, sourcename: "", sourceurl: null, sourcelogo: "", thumbsrc: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/wc/concrete-planter-01-0712-smn.jpg", src: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/Y3/concrete-planter-01-0712-lgn.jpg", srcwidth: 450, srcheight: 600 }, { id: "slide2", url: "how-to-build-a-rock-solid-concrete-planter-2", slidetype: "image", title: "Form and Cast", description: "Screw together the inner and outer forms. Coat the exterior of the inner form with glue, and cover the surface with aluminum foil. Do the same for the inside face of the outer form. Spray cooking oil on the foil surfaces.\n\n

\n\nPlace the inner form, top-down, on the mounting board. Screw through the bottom of the board into the form\'s cross supports. Place the outer form over the inner one, and use angle brackets to secure the outer form to the mounting board. \n\n

\n\nEmpty an 80-pound bag of Quikrete Countertop Mix into a wheelbarrow. Add about 5 ounces of buff liquid cement color to 1 gallon of water in a bucket. Add the tinted water to the powdered concrete a couple of cups at a time until the mixture is malleable but not runny.\n\n

\n\nPour the concrete into the form. Repeatedly plunge a scrap-wood stick into the concrete to consolidate it. Overfill the form, then run an oscillating sander (without sandpaper) over the entire form to vibrate out voids. Strike off excess concrete. Form drain holes by pushing two dowels coated with petroleum jelly through the concrete.", credit: "Reed Young", sourceid: null, sourcename: "", sourceurl: null, sourcelogo: "", thumbsrc: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/o8/concrete-planter-02-0712-smn.jpg", src: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/VR/concrete-planter-02-0712-lgn.jpg", srcwidth: 450, srcheight: 600 }, { id: "slide3", url: "how-to-build-a-rock-solid-concrete-planter-3", slidetype: "image", title: "Strip the Outer Form", description: "After letting the concrete set for 18 hours, unscrew and disassemble the outer form. Grab and twist out the dowels with pliers.", credit: "Reed Young", sourceid: null, sourcename: "", sourceurl: null, sourcelogo: "", thumbsrc: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/TC/concrete-planter-03-0712-smn.jpg", src: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/pP/concrete-planter-03-0712-lgn.jpg", srcwidth: 600, srcheight: 450 }, { id: "slide4", url: "how-to-build-a-rock-solid-concrete-planter-4", slidetype: "image", title: "Pull the Inner Form", description: "Remove the screws driven through the bottom of the mounting board and into the inner form. Tip the planter over and pull out the inner form). After the concrete has cured for 24 hours, apply a liberal coat of clear masonry sealer to the entire planter. Once the sealer cures, you\'re ready to plant!", credit: "Reed Young", sourceid: null, sourcename: "", sourceurl: null, sourcelogo: "", thumbsrc: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/Rj/concrete-planter-04-0712-smn.jpg", src: "/cm/popularmechanics/images/xC/concrete-planter-04-0712-lgn.jpg", srcwidth: 600, srcheight: 450 } ] };

Concrete is just as useful and versatile today as it was when the Romans discovered how to make it 2000 years ago. Early masons used the humble mix of cement, sand, stone, and water to build impressive structures such as the Pantheon (A.D. 126), which is still in use as a house of worship. With its stout granite columns and massive concrete dome, the Pantheon gives new meaning to "built to last." Today, we use concrete for everything from home foundations to kitchen counters. It's also a great material for making smaller items, such as the planter shown here. Super-sturdy but simple to build, it requires the construction of inner and outer wood forms to mold the finished product. Basic carpentry tools, a wheelbarrow, and an 80-pound bag of concrete mix are all you need to do a job that would make a Roman proud.

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