Brick planters?

[davic]

Hi Peoples!

I did a bit of brickwork at college and I thought I'd hate it but it was pretty good fun IMHO. I am interested in building a brick planter, done a few in wood that went ok but I'd like a brick one.

My main concern is drainage. If its on a concrete path or something what about drainage? Anyone done this?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Are you building directly onto a concrete base? I so you can create drainage simply by leaving out the mortar between the bricks every now and again. I think it's a standard technique.
I'm no brickie!

 

[davic]

Yes it is on a concrete base on one of them but not the other. I thought it'd be something like that; I complicate things cos it sounds too simple to work sometimes....

 

[Lons]

Yep, thats the procedure or if you want to be posh, insert some 10mm plastic pipe through the joint instead, (or semi flattened 15mm copper), or ......if realy posh you can buy plastic weep fittings very cheaply from merchants, screwfix, toolstation etc.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Micro+W ... tor/p27926

The only thing I'd add is it pays to place a piece of geotextile / weed control fabric at the back of the outlet to stop ot getting clogged with soil and line the base of the planter with broken pots, gravel whatever for dranage as well.

Bob

 

[davic]

Tidy!

 

[M P Hales]

When building a planter on concrete always put weep holes on bottom course,put a layer of geofabric at bottom then layer of gravel to allow drainage then another layer of fabric to reduce contamination of gravel with growing medium and if you want to reduce rising damp through brickwork which may discolour bricks and promote growth of moss and lichens you might think about putting a damp proof membrane at the same level as the top of the gravel depending on whether you want to go to the trouble of a DPC or just pressure wash the brickwork if you want it to look clean

M