Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Apr 05, 2020 02:01pm | #1

   I've never had luck with longevity on solid wood window boxes. They just deteriorated too fast. My favorite material for those is MDO. It's the stuff they use for highway signs. It takes paint really well.

2. 
   Mick182 | Apr 05, 2020 02:35pm | #2

   Thanks john, will look into MDO.
   Just thinking out loud here, but if the wood is primed and finished properly, what would make this any different than a wood deck for instance? They can last for years, no?

3. 
   Deleted | Apr 05, 2020 03:43pm | #3

   “[Deleted]”

4. 
   gulfstar | Apr 05, 2020 05:10pm | #4

   Here in the northeast we use eastern white cedar air dried from the sawmill. I prefer a white exterior stain to paint, it does not trap moisture and does not peel and is easier to re-coat.

5. 
   hotdogman | Apr 05, 2020 06:25pm | #5

   Give Cypress, White Oak, Sassafras a try. These will hold up to moisture pretty well. Good number of drain holes in the bottom will help.

6. 
   john_c2 | Apr 05, 2020 09:03pm | #6

   Decks are dry most of the time. When they get wet, they don't stay wet too long. The inside of a planter is wet all the time. The MDO doesn't let moisture migrate, so the paint doesn't peel like it will with solid wood. But since MDO is a plywood product, I don't know if it would violate the "No composites" requirement.

   Spanish cedar is good for outdoors, but all of the better solid wood outdoor options are a lot more pricey than a sheet of MDO.

7. 
   _mj_ | Apr 05, 2020 09:52pm | #7

   I built a bunch of these last year. The boxes will rot if you fill them with dirt. I made them in cedar, BUT I built them to house long plastic planter boxes bought at the orange place.

   Inside I put strips to elevate the plastic, drilled holes in both the wood and plastic for drainage, and stapled screens over the wood holes for critter control.

   I told the client the removable plastic would make it easier to work on thier flowers at ground level and they were very happy.

8. 
   Mick182 | Apr 06, 2020 12:35am | #8

   Thanks for all the advice guys. Much appreciated

9. 
   rob_ss | Apr 06, 2020 02:09am | #9

   I have built a few large planters. I use H3.2 treated pine. Cheap and nasty but very good. Lasts forever.
   I line mine with thick black plastic so they can be any size.
   I have not tried painting them, preferring a planed wood surface, so I just pass my sticks through the thicknesser to get one side looking nice, and rout edges for effect.
   Treated pine is a difficult material to build fine stuff with, but you can do some interesting outdoor work with it.

10. 
    curmudgeon | Apr 06, 2020 08:04am | #10

    Red cedar from the orange store IMO. I built several five or six years ago. Red cedar takes paint well. I never lined any. We make certain to empty the dirt out each fall which limits the overall moisture exposure. Stainless screws. Weep holes drilled in the bottom and a thin layer of pebbles in the bottom to aid with drainage. I imagine they’ll eventually start to rot, but they’re not plastic after all.

11. 
    geedubbee | Apr 07, 2020 11:26am | #11

    Odd set of requirements since these will be painted. Rhetorical question: Why would one care if they were wood, composites or PVC planks?

    Be that as it may. Wood siding survives well with a good primer and a good house paint. So will most paintable materials. The best material will depend on where you are.

    Cypress, cedar, redwood, white oak, MDO, PVC, ipe, teak, . . . the list goes on. Budget, availability and finish will be your selection drivers on painted outdoor projects.

12. 
    stantheman | Apr 07, 2020 02:37pm | #12

    I also use red cedar fence slats, or deck boards for a neater appearance. They're relatively cheap around here. I have some on my house that were painted with exterior house paint and have survived with no maintenance for 10+ years.