make Thin CSA Concrete Garden Boxes PART 4 - cast garden forms
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- Make your own Thin, Lightweight CSA Concrete Garden Boxes! Build the forms and cast your own reinforced high strength concrete panels that join together to make long lasting and durable garden boxes. I'll make a thinner, stronger, lightweight concrete panel for my garden from CSA Concrete. This is Part 4 of the series.
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#csaconcrete #concrete #thinconcrete
I now have molds ready-to-go here: manabouttools.com/store-plastic-concrete-molds/
Are the molds based on the original design or the thinner version that you made in your part 4 video?
@@nate11718 Hi, I have molds for both the original and the thin design.
This man must be the kindest soul on youtube. He's the Bob Ross of concrete garden beds
Ha! Thanks for that! ;o)
Those look like happy beds to me
Or gay....🙄
Yep! A gentle voice explaining clearly and plainly - without background music - is so pleasant to the ears! I subscribed.
@@terrijuanette486 I don't like background music either, he speaks succinctly even my mom can understand him
Thanks for the video.
Design suggestion #1. Since you switched to 2 x 12 lumber instead of plywood, you can take advantage of the wood grain. If you torch the lumber and then wire brush in the direction of the wood grain, you will pull up the wood grain. This texture will transfer to the concrete. You could then do a color wash, and dry rub paint job to bring out the look of wood grain in the concrete. This would leave a more nature oriented vibe to the garden, instead of an industrial vibe.
That's a great idea, Frank!
Yeah but that would make it grip the form more too.
@@petertrezza9456 use a concrete mold release agent from a concrete building supplies business
I used to see this technique at a pre cast concrete panel factory I used to work at. Looks good. Also, you could get very creative with designs on the mold that leave the impression on the mold
Wow thats on a whole new level. Amazing!
As a computer scientist working with abstract ideas all day long, I can only say I love seeing something concrete. :-)
BOOOOO
*badam tissss
LOL!
😂
Man, that was _almost_ funny...
As a diy home handyman, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching this series. Thank you. The obvious (to me) thought is that there must be significant market value in supplying these panels in a ready-made format. While many of us will enjoy making our own panels, I expect ten times more people would prefer to just buy them at a local building store. Great product idea.
ditto, my thoughts too.
Absolutely correct, I believe, about the ten times more people wanting to buy them premade. I'm one of them. In fact, I stopped the video and came to the comments to see if anyone had mentioned buying them. I agree with what you said 100%
How much one should go for? Any ideas?
Someone could make a nice little home business with this idea.
Vibrating out the air bubbles with a reciprocating saw body - absolute genius!
just use a sander
you could use your wife s vibrator too...lol
Did this with a concrete counter top using the same rapid set for a vanity... Works like a champ
@@tkstruck Did you use the same type of concrete for your counter top? MY son has been wanting a portable kitchen island with a concrete countertop but I was concerned about the weight. This sounds like a viable option....but how did you seal the top?
Genna Hargis
Hi there! I used the rapid set mortar mix with flow control and a little set control for a vanity. If you care about the finish use melamine for the form it’s sacrificial and gives a smooth finish. This guy does a good job m.th-cam.com/video/T7mYB6x68DY/w-d-xo.html I sealed it with food grade granite and stone sealer. The vanity was approx 42x 27 with a cut out for the sink and I could manhandle it into place, though it’s not light! Hope that helps
I love how meticulous, clear, and thorough and accurate you made this video, good job!
Exactly!
Exactly!.. I have learned so much. Thank you so much.
@@brandyf1932 ùttyýt555545r
I agree, extremely detailed instructions.
Very nice
you could also use the finished cast to create a silicone rubber mold that could be used repeatedly it wouldn't be strong enough to hold the form by itself, but when inserted into a box for rigidity, then filled, it could be popped out of the box when the concrete is set and peeled of the finished cast. one of the advantages is that you would not have to keep dismantling the mold every time you made a cast.
I was curious about this too! Have you tried it? I have only seen this technique used for small molds. I wonder how thick the silicone would have to be to hold up to repeated uses, and whether you would have to cut the wood larger to compensate for the thickness of the silicone. I was also curious about using silicone spray over the mineral oil.
I did this to make a urethane rubber mold of a foam arrowhead stepping stone I sculpted a few years back. I cast several of the arrowhead stepping stones for my wife's flower bed. I don't think the CSA mortar mix would affect the urethane any. It pulled right off the cement I was using - no trouble at all. A quick rinse & paper toweled dry, then I sprayed it with PAM cooking spray & it was ready to go in just a couple of minutes.
Smooth-On has the rubber that I used for the mold.
I thought about this, too, because I’d like to emulate his process for making benches for gifts, but I’m concerned about how the pvc pipe could be incorporated using a silicone or urethane mold?
I love how you have revisited this design over and over, experimenting, sometimes failing, but making it better each time. You don't stubbornly stick to your initial design in defiance of reason and experience. If all things in life could work this way, the world would be a much better place.
Hi Kent... Once again, a FANTASTIC and comprehensive effort for solving the rot problem on wooden raised beds. I love how you tested many varieties of mixes and thickness for optimal structural integrity and density to arrive at the thin CSA solution. While all of them look to work well, my back spoke loudly, "Go with thin CSA...!"
Thank you very much!!
I am using this project in my year 1 construction technology class. After poured the students will sell these.The plans look great and the video is very clear.
This: "I'm amazed at the wealth of knowledge out there, and I so appreciate everyone who has shared it." We're just as amazed and as appreciative that you shared yours!! Thank you!!!
A tip. The compressive strength of the concrete is keeping the centre fairly stress free. Better to lay the reinforcement one third from the outside edge.
I agree. It's just a bit of a challenge to get the grid placed exactly where it's most effective.
What an absolutely amazing amount of value you are providing to your viewers with this series. I am extremely grateful for these plans and tutorial videos. Thank you so much!
I was drinking my morning coffee brainstorming about how to make raised beds out of concrete. I really appreciate this tutorial!! Can wait to start😉
I have been in construction for over 25 yrs. This is fantastic..thank you so much..great idea..
Who would have thought this ? Was really smart!!!
As much as I like the content, I really appreciate the production quality. These are some of the most professional work I've seen in all my years of following TH-cam. You should make a video on how to make a video!
Thanks very much Neil! I really appreciate the kind words! Kent
Check out DarkHorse Workshop. He also does a really well put together video.
He does leather work for costume and cosplay as well as leather tooling and carving videos.
Liked the idea, very much! Admired your CAD skills as well!
I used your idea, and reworked the form, so its just 3 components. one side and end, complete, twice, and a base board.
I used coach bolts to hold the side and ends to the base board, as they also act like dowels.
The rounded heads can be recessed into the wood, and tapped out easily.
The perimeter shapes are on top of the base board.
I've had some formwork experience, and if the parts are painted with exterior wall paint they seem to release very easily.
For the base board, I would use 30 mm green chip board, its cheap, and doesn't warp. (Ply is ridiculously expensive in France where I live.)
An alternative would be kitchen worktop, as the melamine surface is already pre-finished, and releases superbly.
Thanks for the idea. I've also had problems with garden box rot, even with treated wood.
Mix in iron oxide with the mortar to achieve different permanent colours - like dark green, terra cotta, etc.
Btw Great work!
I'm a woman. Great idea. Thank you! More than an idea, I surely wouldn't have thought of adding color pigment/metal oxide. Does the Iron Oxide actually create green color too? Terra Cotta and rust colors are nice as well.
Great idea!
I would imagine you could also use the same tinting powders used for coloring clear epoxy.
Traci Scheelk if you add colour you will need to seal the concrete. UV will eventually remove the colour if you don’t.
Keith Marlowe concrete colour is based on the quantity of cement. If you don’t know how much cement there is in the mix it’s hard to guess how much colour. Go heavy if you try it again, but
to much will cause other problems.
You can use a sheet of plastic food wrap off a roll to line the forms. No chalking required and the finish is very smooth.
Then throw away the plastic?
@@Eggs4ckley
When you take off the forms save the plastic and use it to cover the new uncured concrete after you wet it. This helps the cure and is a second use of the
plastic wrap.
Plastic food wrap leaves wrinkles in the cement. But I guess that could be part of the design :-)
Listen to meeeee: I watched the original playwood construction part one 2 hours ago and just could not stop. I have binge watched concrete drying :( I dare you to judge me. :-) HOWEVER, I am very impressed by the continuous improvement mindset of MaT. I will attempt these and the variation in part 3. Everyone who can, should grow things. (some assembly required hahahah)
My understanding of concrete reinforcement is that the embedded metal increases that section of concrete's resistance to tension fractures. With these garden boxes the main force to be restricted is the expansion of the raised earth on the inside. That would cause the panels to bow from the flat inside to the decorated outside. So the inside of the panel will experience compression stresses (which concrete is naturally good at without reinforcing) and the outside of the panels will experience tension.
Here is a "Practical Engineering" video on the topic (about 9 minutes) th-cam.com/video/cZINeaDjisY/w-d-xo.html
Long story short, I think you want your reinforcing mesh closer to the front of the panel (the outside of the garden box) not the inside.
I think your point is valid, but mainly for areas with really harsh winters. One fix would be to cover them with plastic at the end of the season and let it dry out a bit. No water equals no expansion.
@Steve Sherman pretty sure the ''glass fibers'' were basalt..
@Steve Sherman I'd use galvanized stock panels (fencing) for reinforcing. Rather thick wire and galvanized - it'll probably far outlive the maker.
Your inserts are not only decorative, they're useful to grab the panels! Your videos are excellent!
Thanks!
I cut the pvc in half and reassembled them with a pvc coupling, then cut them to the correct length. This prevents the pvc tubes from accidently being pushed out of the mold.
Design suggestion #3. The rods at the joints are a function of the design not a feature. Make the rods a feature.
You have been cutting the rods to length so that they can be pounded down flush with the top of the garden boxes.
If you left the rods much longer, they could be used as fence posts to hold fencing to keep predators out.
or even to mount plastic film for a small greenhouse
@@miketodesco6915 good idea if you can extend the growing season for low-lying crops
Great idea
@@miketodesco6915 - Great Idea! If you were to leave the rods about 6-8" long, you could potentially bend a thin-wall pvc pipe from one to the next, creating an arch. Could add additional rod pipes at half-way along the 4' panels for additional arches. Then cover with plastic sheet for greenhouse.
Also for extra strength one end with just a hollow pipe like you did here and the other end with a metal pipe with a thread inside -> use a threaded rod or a long bolt to attach the pieces together for a solid structure.
When cutting the plastic pipe... Try turning your carbide toothed blade backwards. I was amazed at how nice it cuts.
A pvc cutting tool is the way to go: www.amazon.com/ABN-PVC-Pipe-Cutters-Ratcheting/dp/B00T3DPL2M/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=pvc+cutter&qid=1586491359&sr=8-10
Thoroughly enjoyed the video, the idea, and the instructional format...great job...Just cannot understand why anyone would put a thumbs down on this entire presentation. Even the comment suggestions are worth taking on board.
Did you ever think that you would get an audience anticipating your next video for... concrete garden boxes?
Francis, I never thought there would be anyone interested.
I look at it this way, he is doing all the prototyping for me. I will be batching these suckers out like crazy this fall/winter for next spring. And he is also pretty good at building things too.
@@adamliske His explanation of the process has got to be the best I've ever seen. I'm definitely going to build these!
@@adamliske Make sure you do not forget about him. Royality would help
@@MANaboutTOOLS Can you ad color?
Thanks for the video and the plans. I'm thinking of a modification to hold hoops up for a floating row cover tent. You know, to keep those pesky white butterflies off cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
I'm thinking the same thing. Did you come up with a good solution?
@@MarjNap haha lot has happened since I wrote that comment. No sorry Marj
We thank you ! Excellent job......they make fiberglass electric fence poles so no rust issues with the corner pins.
Thanks! I forgot to mention alternative materials for the pins. Thanks for adding that! Cheers, Kent
@@MANaboutTOOLS would these be ok for a building a fire pit?
@@puppay I don't know if this type of concrete can handle the heat.
Those fibreglass poles are horrible when they splinter and degrade. It might be difficult to remove them intact.
@@MANaboutTOOLS Actually then you need to see this: www.airkrete.com/FireDemo.html
What I really appreciate about your video is that although you have plans available for purchase, you also show the process with such detail that they aren't even necessary for those who are confident in their building/fabrication skills. Many hide as much as they can and only promote the sale of the plans
Typically, I never watch videos over 10 minutes. But there's something about this man that draws and soothes me to keep watching. Awesome tutorial. Thanks!
This is going to be sooo useful in the garden of my near future homestead. I'm glad I came across the video and thank you for making it.
Absolutely brilliant. I am replacing my wood framed raised beds every six or seven years. Thank you for your clear demonstration of how to build these.
Since we are talking raised beds . A great free way to make beds . Look for old pressure treated throwaways such as deck and pool deck tear downs .Having been out in the elements already , you will know what parts of the pt won’t hold up . Then acquire an old
Above ground pool or two , not soft ones . That metal is great for many things not the least of which is lining the frames that you build from the old PT
A little stain on the frames , you have great looking raised beds for just about nil
The ideal bed is just over 30 inches high imo
Cool video. I would consider putting the notch or tab on the same side of each panel so that pin removal will be easier during disassembly. This way you could lift at least one end staight up and off the steel corner pin without having to fish out the pin.
But then you would lose vertical direction symmetry if you were doing something more ornate or angled, as some would need to be upside down ?
@@tablatronix If the tabs and the relief are centered correctly there is no up or down for each panel. Same side tabs would aid in assembly and greatly aid in disassembly. With staggered tabs, once the steel pins are driven home they cannot be readly removed because the weight of one adjacent panel would still be holding the panel down and the panel could not be slid out because the pins are still achoring the panels to the ground and interlocking them to the adjacent panels.
Evolution of this concrete garden boxes is amazing. Thank you.
Glad you like them!
Once again, this is a fantastic video. I am becoming a big fan of this series. As I have said before I have cast four of these, each time perfecting the method, myself. The last one came our excellent, and even has glass tiles inserted for decorative purposes. It was a test to see if the glass (as used for a splash guard for a kitchen) would cause it to crack, and no, it worked well and looks sharp. Now, going forward I am going to make mosaics in the cement walls. I must thank you for the series, and request DON'T STOP!!
Hey we would like to see those. Ceramic tiles would a nice contrast to the gray concrete.
@@toododd I would like to, but am not sure how. I know how to share a video, but sharing a picture not so much. I would like to do a video response and when I do I can share that with you if you like?
Here is a video of the mosaic wall. The volume is very quiet because I used my phone, so I am sorry about that:
th-cam.com/video/vn6azPQ1lcs/w-d-xo.html
If you have any idea how to share this with Man About Tools, I am game. Maybe I will just post it above.
I hope you enjoy!
Maarkaus J Looks great! Your garden is going to look awesome next year.
@@fishsquishguy1833 Thank you! I love to garden. The bigger the better.
This is a beautiful example of the principle of the five P's - Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. Great Video, well done.
As a first time watcher, I immediately subscribed. This was an outstanding video presentation, and I love the way you do your work so precisely and beautifully. Thank you!
I like the corner rebar. For building trellis for support wires for climbing plants just use long rebar
I didn't catch if there was a cost comparison between the different tests. I would personally prefer what you have done with this video. Strength wise and function seems better with the wire mesh.
Thank you for the videos!
Right now a bag of Portland is $3.70 and a bag of Rapid Set is $22.57
Concrete exposed to freeze thaw action requires air entrainment. You can do this with an air entrainment additive or a bit of Dawn dish soap. Doing this will help to prevent surface spalling when water trapped in the concrete expands as it changes from frozen to liquid state. This is a great idea. Thx for sharing
Thank you! And thanks for the comment.
This guy is just a great teacher. I subscribed just because I like his style. Not sure ill ever pour concrete (unless MaT has some system for keeping the work area clean) but I enjoy watching and learning what he is putting out.
I watched your initial video several years ago. I loved it! I am not a gardener by any stretch of the imagination, but I was trying to figure out a good way to make a fire pit. I used your idea and built several panels and placed them in a 2'X2' square, then placed a metal 50 gallon barrel cut to height in the center and filled the space between the barrel and panels with sand. It has worked wonderfully for several years. I'm now interested in making the light weight and thinned panels to form up a couple of old window wells. Thanks for the excellent videos and fun!!
I am quite surprised this product is not marketed and sold. Gardeners all over would want rot proof raised boxes.
Man, never thought about using the saw-z all for an agitator! Excellent! Thank you sir!
Maybe I missed it in the comments somewhere, but it would be great to have a cost in your video description along with a cost comparison to making beds out of wood. Also, I assume that concrete will out last wood by many many years. Thanks for the video, it's awesome!
That bag of Rapid Set Mortar Mix is US$18 a bag. Materials to build two forms is about US$200 (mainly due to the lumber and the screws).
The wire grid seems more like a personal safety feature. If one of these slabs were to break while you were carrying it you could easily destroy your foot, assuming the jagged end hits you just right. I'd keep using some kind of reinforcement, even if were just heavy plastic farm fencing.
Concrete has high compressive strength but has low and unreliable tensile strength, it's also prone to cracking. It is for these reasons that reinforcement is used in concrete, which might span a void or be lifted (even if only temporarily). There are many in the concrete industry who argue that reinforcement is unnecessary (or even a negative) for some paving applications.
Thank you! This is such a resource. I can point people to this when they talk about building garden boxes. Personally, soil holds itself up so I don’t feel the need, but boxes are so popular and there are so many poor choices of material available. I love these. That center indentation is perfect for embellishment: tile, beads, glass, shells, etc.
Where can I find this magic soil you speak of? Soil that holds itself up? What a wonder!
@@idontthinkso666 They’re called hills. Smaller ones often known as mounds. There’s a German term called (taking a stab at the spelling) hugelkultur. Hugelkultur beds are about 5 feet wide, and you dig down a couple feet, lay down brush and sticks followed by manure or other accumulated compostables, followed by the sawmill he removed. The result is around it over a mound that’s highest in the center, an arc in cross section. This is a shift from the usual flat top raised bed. The ark gives you a significant increase in surface area to plant. The rough stuff buried under the soil will decompose in its own time, lowering the height of the bed somewhat. NBD, we will still retain the increased planting area from the same square footage. And you don’t have to shred your branches and brambles! Looking back issues of organic gardening magazine, I think you’ll find it. Or… rip out the deep tap Ruthy perennial weeds, cover the bed with 45 layers of newsprint (dampened to keep the wind from throwing them around.) Cover the area entirely with as much quality compost as you can muster. If you have a stock pile of fall leaves and or grass clippings free of pesticide, keep that over everything! Grass clippings of tons of nutrients, dead leaves turn soil into chocolate cake! If you can get it, it’s phenomenally good mulch for a lazy, deep mulch system. If your neighbors don’t use Weed & Feed, Take those dead leaves off their hands!
I just had a good idea, to create a space to drive a pin down on corners use a long thin candle in wet conrete, then melt it away!
If I had my own yard.. and tools... I would be making these TODAY ! I'm even thinking ... Much smaller forms for flower boxes.. of all sizes ! Love this series .. esp part 4 so far ... : D
KEEP PRODUCING THESE, AND YOU WILL SOON BE A CONCRETE BILLIONAIRE!!!!
This is a much lighter way for making these boxes! You are doing such a great job, thanks!
I've been looking for a way to make a border for my flower bed. I was actually thinking about making a silicone mold to make blocks, but I thought that it would take too long. Then I got an idea about making light weight concrete blocks and found this! It's awesome. I just have to rescale it for a flower bed. Great 👍 video
totally outstanding, and at a time when I have been struggling with what material to use for our raised bed systems. Thank you.
I bought your plans(out of gratitude), but probably won't follow them exactly. 🙂
I absolutely love the look of the CSA panels. People should be more generous with the likes!
I built a raised bed once using 4" block, 1 1/2 blocks high. I had to cut the blocks as well as a channel in the top to hold the rebar. It worked out well, but was VERY laborious and permanent.
I intend to use a rich sand mix of 2-2.5 parts sand to 1 part regular cement... like Ferrocement. I will reinforce with chicken wire. This should be cheaper than CSA and hopefully look as good. I will probably make them wider, so I can set them into the ground a bit to keep Bermuda grass from going under so easily. I will offset the inset so it is centered above ground.
Bermuda grass is my main reason for making beds in the first place.
Thank you very much! The biggest drawback of CSA is the cost. So if you can use your own blend then that's a good idea.
Looking forward to 3.5!
For 4 maybe you could do some low profile ones for garden edging.
For 5 you could do more of the same but curved - probably need to be poured vertically.
Thanks for the great ideas and exploration.
This is probably the best and most useful video ive seen about creating concrete blocks and frames for them. Thank you for sharing.
You could try fine perlite and Portland cement at a ratio of 5 parts perlite to 1 part Portland cement
He showed a similar mix comparing different lightweight options in part 3 of this series. th-cam.com/video/ddedMmuj7xY/w-d-xo.html
Perilite is more rigid than vermiculite although not as light. It's a lot lighter than sand though. Perilite may be a good option for making light weight concrete while retaining much of it's strength.
Perlite might be a great choice if you don't mind it failing miserably.
On the cracking and warping issues. If you let them dry slower it would prevent some of that from happening. Try keeping them wet for a longer period of time. Then allow to cure for a couple of weeks. May also fix some of the durability issues.
Those are slick and the application could be endless.
Okay. I keep watching these raised bed videos and each time I think “that’s awesome, I’m building it.” And, then up pops another video improving it. At this point, I don’t care what other improvements you come up with, these are easy, durable, and cheap. You’ve reached the point of garden bed perfection!! (As far as I’m concerned at least). Great job!!
You have such a wonderful product with so many other uses other than for garden boxes. You said they are stackable, so I imagine you can stack them high enough to form concrete boxes that will function as sewer leeching with plants cultivated on top. In places where hot climate is more of an issue rather snow or very cold weather, houses can be built fast and cheap by stacking those blocks. In fact my house is prefab with blocks similar to yours. Concrete fences also comes to mind.
Ever tried to stand up chain link watch bracelet... It tips over with waves... Also the cost of each panel is about $5
I was just thinking make one 8' long and one 10' long stack them and you have a nice shed. Put solar panels on them. Removable.
@@freetrailer4poor how is your idea better than standard 2x4 structure... Concrete blocks Will cost about $150 per side. 10' Wood wall will cost $20 lumber, $40 plywood, $20 siding
We used to use transmission fluid brushed on concrete forms for ready release. But that was 1984. Maybe mineral spirits is better. But it's something somebody might have laying around in the garage already. Thank you for the video! It's a beautiful production without overbearing music. Other TH-camrs that should take note on your style.
I can't get enough of your garden box videos! Thx!
something to try with this high strength mortar mix would be PAREX USA INC 2165 4.5OZ Fiberglass Detail Mesh (Amazon) instead of the wire reinforcement. i would suggest filling the form 1/3rd full, placing a full length piece of mesh, adding another 1/3rd mortar mix, another piece of mesh and then topping off the form. this mesh is used in the light weight synthetic stucco systems to give strength to the skim coat type cement applications over foam.
there is also a thicker version of fiberglass netting called Armor Mesh which is primarily used in High Impact areas (up to 10') to help keep the synthetic stucco from being damaged by contact.
I have to say you are meticulous and your approach is solid. Please Please do a video on rounded segmented panels to build around say for example a tree.
After pricing out the planter bricks, and alternatives, I thought why not cast some concrete forms. As with most of my ideas, the Web gods have provided the tube for guidance. And here your are. Have not decided exactly how to approach this yet, but thank you. If you ever go the Jim Manson route of providing forms, let me know. Vacuum formed forms maybe?
I would keep using the wire grid. The CSA cement, like Portland cement, is very weak in tension, which is what the wire grid is there to compensate for.
14:02; 14:54
As a proud alumnus of Cal Poly SLO,CA. I'd suggest looking at the annual national concrete canoe competition. That is a really refined use of high-performance concrete. Those boats are an engineering marvel.
For the raised bed panels, the wire mesh might just be the ticket for avoiding damage during handling and assembly. That end design does look more fragile to me than the main section, but the glass fiber reinforcement should help.
I had a friend who built a ferro-cement sailboat in the 1970's. That's such old technology now given advances in low permeable, lightweight, fiber-reinforced, superplasticized, fly ash, silica fume concrete. I wonder why we haven't seen this in boat construction.
I cast my first four 11" X 48" panels without steel and 12 hours out of mold they broke very easily . Curing must be a critical part of the formula. 1 oz of fiberglass instead of 1/3 oz seemed to be useless.
Best Raised Garden Boxes ever !!!
Great videos. You should always include the steel grid. It gives the panels tensile strength. Try to push the grid to the very center of the walls. This gives the grid maximum cover from the elements. Any service cracking will have less chance of reaching the steel reinforcement. It also will provide additional tensile strength, getting the steel farther away from the inside of the panels. Having the steel closer to the inside of the panel reduces its effectiveness, since the inside of panel will be in compression. The pressure of the soil against the forms is creating tension on the outside of the panels, so moving the steel closer to this point will have a positive effect on the strength of the panel.
Do you think it might also be worth spraying the steel grid with rust paint? I've seen many concrete structures that seemed to fail where the rebar started rusting away.
@@keithmoore5512 Better to replace it with glass fibre rod then.
Hardware cloth such as this;
www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-Actual-25-ft-x-3-ft-Rolled-wire-Galvanized-Welded-Wire-Garden-Hardware-Cloth-Rolled-Fencing/4780957
I stumbled onto this video due to TH-cam "recommended" and I'm so glad I clicked on it. I used to work with my step-dad in the summers pouring concrete slabs for homes and shops. And I recently started casting bird baths from light weight concrete. This looks like a project I would really like to try. Thank you so much for making this video. Now I need to watch the previous vids in the series.
Great job on the tutorial,but I can never let my wife see this post until I can figure out how to paint the outside panels and put some kind of insert into the depression that can be changed seasonally. Been married for 40 years, I know her all too well.
These boxes stacked up would make a pretty good compost container, thanks for sharing. One of the cleanest, tidiest small construction jobs I’ve ever seen.
Thanks! Others have commented as well about the compost bin idea.
Brilliant! Too many termites where I live (Australia) to use wood, so my next raised beds will be made using these panels. Excellent design, and great documentation of the design process. Nice clear diction and easy to follow instructions. Well Done!
I have seen concrete blocks made with cement, sawdust and woodchip. The ones I saw were years old, and being used for a base for some steps, they were light, and in perfect condition, though they were directly on the ground. There is no sand or gravel in these, the wood replaces them both. You are a very good workman and thank you for sharing these beautiful concrete boxes, they are magnificent. Maybe they will keep some of the rats and mice out of the strawberries!
I have to say thanks! Great work - camera work, sketch-up animations, plans, list of materials used. Not to mention it is a great project, and outcome. Thanks from Florida!
Wow these animations are fantastic. By the way, thank you so much for not overlaying all this with cheezy distracting music ... very nice and serious presentation.
garden box? heaven, i wanna see a garden shed or even a house build using this panel..
OMG Wow You make my mouth water :-D YES!!!
I have been thinking and planning the same thing myself.
This would be the Ultimate Workshop Idea ! :-D
Glad I am not the only one who thinks of these things.
Slow your roll... that is coming up in our next episode :-)
I did a search for concrete forms and 3 hours later I finished your series. Great job on the videos, the research and the sharing of your abilities with the rest of us. I look forward to making some molds and casting my very own raised beds in the future. If you put out more videos I’ll be sure to watch them. Thanks
One more thing - You might want to research "Hempcrete" - Amazing stuff ...
Don Smith II exactly. Or aircrete
Yes, absolut great videos! Keep it comming! And as a fella from Europe, I really appreciate that you calculate and show us the data in the metric system, M, gr, etc..
Just an FYI. While your at home depot, they also sell liquid colorants for the cement. Maybe gray just isn't your color? ; )>
Even better... Powdered colorants. Just dust the insides of the forms before pouring.
www.surecretedesign.com/product/fresh-concrete-color/#tab-wootab_104
thank you for including both metric and imperial measurements.
Excellent video capture and post processing complements your craftsmanship and delivering the story. Thank you for sharing this
Thank you! I really appreciate the support!
I don't know who this guy is but he's a genius working with concrete forms and growing vegetables in raised garden boxes.
knocked it out of the park with this one! genius.
Vibrating the bubbles out with a sawzaw is brilliant
Do you mean a "saws-all"?
Love the videos. Do you think using latches instead of screws to hold the form together would make your work go faster easier?
You could latch the ends but I think the sides would have to be screwed
I was planning on using thin concrete block to make those and then stucco it to look like concrete. However, after watching this video I will cast the planters. Much better, and you can move them if you ever want to change the landscaping. Love the idea and the how to. This man has it down to a science. Thanks so much.
I built some with 4" thick blocks. I wanted to make it a little higher than 8", so I cut some of the blocks in half so it was 12" high. I set 1/4" rebar between the blocks to stiffen it. .. It worked out well, but was slow to build and, of course, not moveable.
FYI you can cover the concrete with plastic to retain moisture/help it cure. The longer you do this, the better for strength, up to 27 days which is the full curing time.
VERY nice boxes, btw.
He usually throws them into a tub full of water. That helps keep them wet.
I switched 1/4” pex pipe and drilled it out after it set up. You end up with a roughly 1/2” penetration. I used a 3/8 metal bit from both sides. It only took a second before it cut and twisted the pipe out leaving a perfect hole for a stake. Further you could cast the panels even thinner especially with CSA concrete they are plenty strong.
Nice... I’m definitely going to make a few of these. I’m thinking of adding some dye to the mix to give the boxes some color!
Or pigment and texture...there r so many variations when google ....... I think I will just make them out 2x4s or discarded wood from pallet and coat them..
@@nc3826 If you use for veggie garden, need to be careful of treatment chemicals leaching from treated pallet wood (some is, some isn't and can be hard to tell).
@@PinataOblongata Very good point but even concrete can have leaching issues such as from calcium carbonate or calcium sulphate or even fly ash to name a few...and when using pallets it's just a matter of checking the IPPC stamp on treated pallets which tend to rare since treating pallet wood adds cost... and I will just looking at one use disposable pallets....www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/ but for thx for your feedback...
@@PinataOblongata also plan to coat with a natural oil to preserve it... but it would also reduce leaching too... in the case of non label treated wood....
@@nc3826 Never even thought about potential for fly-ash in concrete! Yeesh.
hello friend, my name and Carlos and i live in Brazil, i have been following your videos and the stress tests on aircrete concrete, i want to congratulate you for sharing all your effort in transmitting all this experience, thank you very much, i have a suggestion if you are interested, you can do with two layers, a first thin layer of pure cement and a second one using foamed concrete, I believe that this would allow a piece with a more resistant front to the lawn mower and at the same time a light piece, thanks friend and congratulations.
I like your series however one thing I would’ve liked to know about is the costs between each version
A 50 lb bag of premix concrete about $4. A 50 lb bag of Rapid set about $17.50. If cost isn’t an option Rapid set is so easy, but way more expensive.
Holy crap..that is expensive..but lasts a life time..wood wont last that long for sure..
@@dr.phil-federalinspector6023 If you wanted to you could use some very well weathered wood to keep a beautiful look of wood grain to the panels... Yup !
@@dr.phil-federalinspector6023 wood here lasts maybe 3 seasons if I'm lucky. Wood is not cheap either. I'm getting pretty tired of replacing the beds all the time.
I want to make a long box about 8 feet long, about 20" deep, and 20" tall. I think this will be a good way to pour the panels, but I think I will use melamine to make it perfectly smooth for the bottom. And instead of overlapping the corners, I may add threaded inserts so I can bolt them together. I'm going to use it to grow bamboo for a privacy wall and will want to be able to take off the front panel when it is time to thin out the bamboo. Great idea in the video and comments!
Share with Michael builds. He loves that concrete.
Calcium Sulfoaluminate (CSA) concrete is also highly resistant to sulfate attack, so it is perfect for use around livestock where subject to manure exposure, wastewater treatment and conveyance systems where subject to Hydrogen Sulfate gas, and in soils that are high in sulfates.
Hardware cloth or heck even chicken wire could be an option for the inner wire.