Homemade wooden potswill work on every balcony and terrace, as long as we secure them properly. Here is a list of tools and materials needed to makewooden pots for the terraceor balcony and step-by-step instructionshow to make wooden potsimpregnated, which will also be insulated, thanks to which the plants will be able to winter outside in them. Everything exactly shown in the pictures!
Wooden pots for the balcony and terrace - the necessary materials and a ready impregnated and insulated pot
The main advantage ofwooden pots on the balcony and terraceis their natural appearance. As a rule, they are also lighter than ceramic pots and do not break, which is important if you move plants indoors for the winter. Although wood is sensitive to weather conditions such as moisture and temperature changes, it can swell, deform, crack and become covered with mold or moss. However, if we impregnate the wood, we will make the pot reliably and protect it against moisture - it will serve us for many years. And if you additionally insulate the pot and choose the right evergreen plants - they will decorate your balcony or terrace all year round, also in winter. That is why it is worth makingwooden pots impregnated and insulated
Wooden pots - which pot to buyBefore you buywooden pots for a balcony or terrace , try to plan how everything will look like on your balcony or terrace. Think about how much space you can have for pots with plants and what plants you will plant in them.Think how big the pots should be and how many of them will fit.
Remember that there must be enough space in the pot for the roots of the planted plants, which, after all, will grow (the volume of soil in the container should be at least twice as large as the root ball of the plants). There must be a layer of drainage of several centimeters at the bottom of the pot. And if you decide to insulate it from the inside (this will protect the plant roots from freezing) - an additional layer of polystyrene with a thickness of 2 to 3 cm must fit in it. On the other hand, remember that the pot cannot take up too much space on the balcony, and the larger it is, the more soil you will need to fill it and the heavier it will be (for plants brought into the rooms for winter, it is worth choosing the smallest pots possible). If you leave a few smaller pots, it will be easier to rearrange something in the future. In several pots, you can also grow plants with different soil requirements, which will not be possible in one large container.
Examplessizes of wooden potsthat are available on the market are e.g. 80x40x30 cm or smaller square 40x40x30 cm. You can also get wooden pots with a shape similar to a triangle (perfect for placing in the corner of a balcony or terrace) or hexagonal.
Wooden pot with dimensions of 40 x 40 x 30 cm
When choosingwooden pots for the balconypay attention to whether they are solid. It is better if they were screwed with wood screws. Pots nailed with nails are less durable. Also make sure that they areimpregnated wood pots- if not (or the protection is insufficient) - additionally buy a suitable wood impregnation outside. By choosing a decorative impregnation, you can give the pot a different color.Wooden pots on the terracewill also require sealing from the inside (lining with foil) and insulation (lining with polystyrene).
How to make a homemade wooden pot
Step 1 - prepare the project and gather the necessary materials
Wooden pots for the balconyor terrace are unfortunately quite expensive and are not always available in the dimensions we are looking for . Therefore, it is sometimes better to make a wooden pot yourselfTo do this, first make a project on paper and carefully calculate what materials and in what quantity will be needed.
Materials needed for the pot homemade wooden :
- sharpened boards,
- metal angles (necessarily stainless) or corner strips,
- stainless wood screws,
- wood preservative for outdoors.
The first thing isbuying the right boardsIf you go to the renovation and construction market, look for the appropriate shaved boards in the construction department (boards used to construct the structure or furniture for the interior of the apartment are not suitable for outdoor use).It's best to buyboards already impregnatedRemember also that the boards sold are quite long (usually 2.5 or 3 m). If you do not have a large enough car - choose a store where it is possible to cut the boards on the spot.
Wooden pots for balcony and terrace - an example of a pot design
Step 2 - cut and prepare the boards
According to the previously preparedwooden pot designtrim the purchased boards. Sand and sand the surfaces and edges that will be visible. Then paint the wood with an impregnation designed for outdoor use. If you do not want to varnish the boards, apply a decorative impregnation that gives the wood a specific color and provides sufficient protection against external factors, not requiring additional varnishing. It may be necessary to apply 2 or 3 layers of impregnation. When the impregnation is dry (which may take from several to several hours), you can start twisting the boards.
Step 3 - connect the boards
Planks intended forwalls of a wooden potare connected at right angles using metal corners or wooden slats (picture 1). We screw them with stainless wood screws.
Note! The length of the corner strip must be smaller than the height of the side wall by the thickness of the bottom of the pot.
Step 4 - assembling the bottom of the potAfter joining the sides of the box, you can proceed to assemble its bottom. Connect the boards intended for the bottom of the pot with crossbars made of boards that will serve as the legs of the box. These boards should protrude beyond the bottom on each side by the same amount as the thickness of the walls of the box. The bottom planks are to fit inside the box, between the planks forming its sides, and the sides are to rest on the transverse planks forming the legs (figure 2). Drill drainage holes in the bottom of the box.
How to make insulated wooden pots
To prevent the plant roots from freezing, it is advisable towarming the pot Although you can cover the outer surfaces of the pot with insulating material every year before the onset of winter, it is worth saving yourself work and insulating the pot from the inside once. Thanks to thisinsulated wooden potwill retain its decorative effect also in winter.
Therefore, I recommendinsulate the inside of the pot with polystyreneHere, use polystyrene boards with a thickness of 2 to 3 cm, from which pieces corresponding to the internal dimensions of the sides and bottom of the box are cut. Styrofoam is easy to cut (you can use a sharp kitchen knife or a wallpaper cutter) but unfortunately it also crumbles heavily. Therefore, it is advisable not to break the polystyrene boards and make the cut in a place where you can make a little mess:)
Wooden pots for balcony and terrace - preparation and cutting of polystyrene
In order for the polystyrene to adhere well to the sides of the pot, you can nail it with nails (with wide heads).Another way is to connect the edges between the polystyrene pieces with thermal glue, thanks to which the insulation will be very tight. At the bottom of the pot, lined with polystyrene, drill the drain holes so that they coincide with the holes drilled in the boards constituting the bottom.
Wooden pots for balcony and terrace - polystyrene insulation
Afterthe pot has been insulated with polystyrenecover its interior with garden or construction foil (0.3 to 0.5 mm thick), which will protect the container against moisture and humic acids from the ground. Attach the foil to the sides of the crate using a stapler gun. If you do not have such equipment - pins or nails are enough. Also make the drain holes in the foil in line with the holes in the bottom of the box.
Ready pot insulated and sealed with foil
Now the pot is suitable for planting: -)
