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....
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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. :)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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....
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!!!
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?
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!!
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 love your videos Kent, they're so easy to understand and follow. While I was watching the Part 2 of the Super Simple Concrete Garden Boxes, I wondered if you'd considered using a Quick Release Toggle Latch Clamp on the corners of the forms to aid removal of the cast instead of taking them apart when the cast is stuck ? Just an idea (or thinking out loud) !!
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
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...
Thank you very much for your amazing ideas, to tell you, the whole idea is contagious in a way that I can’t wait to go back to gardening provided my husband makes me planters at least similar to what you are fabricating, he said it is illegal to copy somebody’s work as it is patented. Pls advise if you are selling your fabricated form or pattern. I would appreciate very much if you can advise me, thank you, Becerlyn
Thanks for your support and kind words. You can make these panels yourself. I have online instructions and the plans are here: manabouttools.com/concrete-garden-box-panels-version-iv-digital-plan/
Would it work if instead of using cooking oil, you use some kind of thin liner? I’m thinking of something everyone has readily available at home such as newspapers (dampened), plastic food wrap or aluminum foil.
When you apply the caulk, couldn't you put plastic wrap or non-stick spray on the sides to prevent the caulk from sticking to them? That way it wouldn't peel off when you disassemble the form and you could re-use the caulk multiple times. Just a thought.
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?
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 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.
I did a panel and it crumbles apart after curing. Very weak, I tried putting rebar inside to strengthen which helped a little but it’s still very weak. I’m using the same concrete as you. I’ve been using diesel in place of mineral oil.
I like it, but the ground freezes here, so I plan on making them without the interlock and without the pvc pipe. Instead I'll make them so they butt against each other and imbedded with SS eye bolts so I can tie them together with SS wire. I think they will be easier to design with, like maybe a T butt. I'll make some short and some long one's.
I think the Rebar for stacking these panels is the better way to do it, and the way you've used the pipes in these simplified molds is probably the best way you've made it so far. The dowels in V2 as locator pins is problematic. Have you considered making a much taller panel out of a plywood base and dimensional lumber sides? I did a google search and noticed there's a company in Nanaimo that is building panels in a similar design but much taller (about 2'x36" wide).
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
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.
Is it worth the extra expense to use concrete with fiberglass reinforcing in it? cost is a little less than double for the concrete. I have 4' long boxes which take a little less than one 80 lb bag of concrete. I think I can pour 4 boxes with 3 bags, not tried this yet.
I'm sitting here in HD, not sure which cóncrete weight you used, the bags lóoks like 30# all they have is 60 and 80? 60№ half a bag? I have your plans, thanks can't wait to build these.
What if you tried a fairly rigid inlay for the corners - think stainless or brass tubing - then wrap stainless wire from one end to the other and use a tourniquet / twist-tie kind of action to put that wire under some decent tension. Leave the tube in the final casting and now your entire block is under compression since the wire transfers the force into the tubes. Even if the far edge chipped off, the tube would still be pulled into the concrete and wouldn't come off. Maybe you could get away with galvanized bailing wire if it was sufficiently covered in concrete? I'd be a bit worried about water ingress along the pipe eventually causing the pre-tensioned wire to fail, hence the knee-jerk "stainless!"
How long would you dare make one of these? I would like to go double the length. I guess that could get dicey. Im thinking about experimenting with a long one with stone tiles baked in, maybe CSA so the weight is manageable.
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.
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!
I love the ravens croking even when your going fast motion.
We have lots of them in our area.
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.
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 👍
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.
These will be great in our greenhouse. The economy and simplicity are two very inviting benefits. Thanks a bunch.
I liked leaving the 1/2in PVC pipe in the concrete. And I think some reinforcing is needed, at least the glass fiber.
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.
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.
Hello, 1 year after, the garden box with that version is still alive ?
No damages ?
You have a very nice YT channel !
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.
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.
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!
A couple more ideas: concrete mailbox post, and something a bit more tricky would be concrete fence post for a rail fence.
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.
Love your saw horse too super duty !!!
A 3 bay concrete compost bin design project would be awesome!
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!!!
Very good !!!
Congratulations from Argentina.
I've been following since the beginning, great job!
Awesome! Thank you!
Almost to 100K! Incredible work buddy!
Purchased your plans after I built my first box's wanted to say thank you for your creativity
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.
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.
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.
I'm a little surprised nobody sells panels similar to those. Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge with us. :-)
Thanks for watching!
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. 👍
Excellent. I love this design and that you walk through the entire process with us. Thank you.
I'd love to see you experiment more with the aircrete.
Such an interesting material
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 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.
Good work!
I'm excited to see the strength test on these bad boys
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?
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.
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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. :)
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.
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.
Great video, you did a fantastic job. Thanks for sharing.
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.
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.
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.
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 liked the decorative rescess you had on your first panel. As soon as I can I will build several for my garden. Thank you!
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!
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, I will be using your form, very nice and you have simplified it so well.
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
Thank you! Why not do leave plastic pipes/tubing in the concrete for further assembling?
Looks like it is easy to build than the last one
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.
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!!
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.
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.
Thank you, I enjoy your videos.
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!!!
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
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?
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.
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!!
I understand you wanted to keep this build simple. Is this panel too thin to add the decorative insert?
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.
great work
Good job. The wooden dowels probably would work if you soaked them over nite before casting. I liked your reinforced panels better. Good luck.
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.
I love your videos Kent, they're so easy to understand and follow. While I was watching the Part 2 of the Super Simple Concrete Garden Boxes, I wondered if you'd considered using a Quick Release Toggle Latch Clamp on the corners of the forms to aid removal of the cast instead of taking them apart when the cast is stuck ? Just an idea (or thinking out loud) !!
Would using something like marine grease on the wooden dowels be a more effective lubricant than the cooking spray?
Great job!
Can you leave it assembled while applying mineral oil?
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
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...
Thank you very much for your amazing ideas, to tell you, the whole idea is contagious in a way that I can’t wait to go back to gardening provided my husband makes me planters at least similar to what you are fabricating, he said it is illegal to copy somebody’s work as it is patented. Pls advise if you are selling your fabricated form or pattern. I would appreciate very much if you can advise me, thank you, Becerlyn
Thanks for your support and kind words. You can make these panels yourself. I have online instructions and the plans are here: manabouttools.com/concrete-garden-box-panels-version-iv-digital-plan/
Would it work if instead of using cooking oil, you use some kind of thin liner? I’m thinking of something everyone has readily available at home such as newspapers (dampened), plastic food wrap or aluminum foil.
When you apply the caulk, couldn't you put plastic wrap or non-stick spray on the sides to prevent the caulk from sticking to them? That way it wouldn't peel off when you disassemble the form and you could re-use the caulk multiple times. Just a thought.
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?
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 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.
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.
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 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!
I did a panel and it crumbles apart after curing. Very weak, I tried putting rebar inside to strengthen which helped a little but it’s still very weak. I’m using the same concrete as you. I’ve been using diesel in place of mineral oil.
I like it, but the ground freezes here, so I plan on making them without the interlock and without the pvc pipe. Instead I'll make them so they butt against each other and imbedded with SS eye bolts so I can tie them together with SS wire. I think they will be easier to design with, like maybe a T butt.
I'll make some short and some long one's.
I think the Rebar for stacking these panels is the better way to do it, and the way you've used the pipes in these simplified molds is probably the best way you've made it so far. The dowels in V2 as locator pins is problematic. Have you considered making a much taller panel out of a plywood base and dimensional lumber sides? I did a google search and noticed there's a company in Nanaimo that is building panels in a similar design but much taller (about 2'x36" wide).
Are you supposed to soak the panels for a week after removing the molds? I've heard conflicting directions about that step.
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
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.
Is it worth the extra expense to use concrete with fiberglass reinforcing in it? cost is a little less than double for the concrete. I have 4' long boxes which take a little less than one 80 lb bag of concrete. I think I can pour 4 boxes with 3 bags, not tried this yet.
David, I have not tried much with fiberglass for reinforcement. I've only added small amounts for crack resistance.
awesome video. Would you ever make a mold out of PVC instead of wood?
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
I'm sitting here in HD, not sure which cóncrete weight you used, the bags lóoks like 30# all they have is 60 and 80? 60№ half a bag? I have your plans, thanks can't wait to build these.
3 1/2 quarts of water, too, right?
Roger. His were 30 kg
What if you tried a fairly rigid inlay for the corners - think stainless or brass tubing - then wrap stainless wire from one end to the other and use a tourniquet / twist-tie kind of action to put that wire under some decent tension. Leave the tube in the final casting and now your entire block is under compression since the wire transfers the force into the tubes. Even if the far edge chipped off, the tube would still be pulled into the concrete and wouldn't come off.
Maybe you could get away with galvanized bailing wire if it was sufficiently covered in concrete? I'd be a bit worried about water ingress along the pipe eventually causing the pre-tensioned wire to fail, hence the knee-jerk "stainless!"
How long would you dare make one of these? I would like to go double the length. I guess that could get dicey. Im thinking about experimenting with a long one with stone tiles baked in, maybe CSA so the weight is manageable.
Do you have a rule of thumb for length to thickness ratio minumums?
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.