Nowadays, wood planter boxes are becoming more popular among most gardeners.
Wood planter boxes are not only affordable unlike planting system kits but also deliver excellent gardening results.
They provide a safe space for growing healthy crops while enabling you to save garden space. Nevertheless, wood tends to wear out after some time, especially when exposed to moisture.
As a result, wooden planter boxes are often susceptible to rotting. Fortunately, there are several ways to boost the durability of your wood planter box.
How to seal the inside of a wooden planter box
The most common method of protecting your wood planter box is waterproofing. Waterproofing wood safeguards your wood planter box from decaying. So, how do you waterproof a wooden planter box?
Step one: Preparation
Take your wooden planter and place it on a firm and dry surface for about two to three weeks. Ensure the surface is dry. Doing this helps you get rid of moisture from the wood.
Step 2: Create drainage holes
After the wood planter box is dry, take time to drill holes in the wood planter. The holes should measure approximately 0.75 inches.
Drainage holes are responsible for preventing the excessive accumulation of water in the soil. Hence, they foster healthy plant or herb growth.
Step 3: Fix all cracks
Once you create the drainage holes, it’s time to fix all the wooden planter box cracks. Do this using silicone caulk. Applying silicone caulk will help you seal all joints and cracks in the wood planter box.
It would be best to wear tight-fitting garden gloves to protect your hands from the harmful effects of silicone caulk. Once you apply the silicone caulk on the gaps, use a wet glove or finger to remove any overlaps.
Then, leave the silicone caulk to dry completely. This will take some days. Apply a water sealant after the silicone caulk has dried.
Step four: Varnish the wood
Wear protective gloves to apply an oil-based varnish to the wood planter box. Note that you should use the varnish on the exterior side of the planter box. Pay attention to where the drainage holes are cut as you apply the varnish.
Typically, you should constantly apply the varnish until the wood stops absorbing it. There is a wide range of varnish products on the market. The one you choose will depend on your requirements.
Step five: Curing
After applying the varnish to the wood planter box, allow it to cure for about 24 hours. Also, use a clean cloth to get rid of the excess varnish.
Step six: Re-application
After 24 hours are over, use fine-grit sandpaper for sanding the varnished surface. Then, apply another layer of varnish on the wood planter box. Give it another day to cure completely.
Step 7: Line the wooden planter box
Use thick plastic to line the wooden plaster box. One of the best materials you can use is six mil polyethylene sheeting. This material is often used in greenhouses. But if you can’t find this material, a plastic garbage bag will work perfectly fine for you.
First, consider folding the garbage bag into two to enhance the thickness. Then line it around the wooden planter box and cut any overlapping sections. As you do this, create holes in the plastic bag that complement the drainage holes. Doing this will facilitate adequate drainage.
Step 9: Spread a permeable fabric to over the drainage holes
Spread a tiny piece of porous fabric over the drainage holes. More often than not, the material is responsible for preventing soil particles from falling.
After you spread the porous fabric, pour your planting soil into the wood planter box.
You won’t need to staple the plastic liner onto the wooden box since the soil will secure it for you.
Besides, stapling or nailing the plastic bag onto the wooden planter box is not safe. This is because it can create holes and destroy the wood.
How do I keep my planter box from rotting?
Wood planter boxes are susceptible to rotting when exposed to moisture. Luckily, you can prevent them from rotting through different techniques. The most common technique used by gardeners is lining the wood planter box.
Typically, lining the wood planter box is the most effective method of preventing the planter box from rotting.
How do liners prevent the planter box from rotting?
Minimizing contact with moisture: Plants need moisture to grow. Therefore, you need to water your plants regularly. A wooden planter box can start rotting when it comes in direct contact with moisture. Placing a liner will protect the box from coming in direct contact with water.
Consequently, it will protect the box from rotting. Moreover, fungi present in the soil can make wooden planter boxes rot. Placing a plastic liner on the box will undoubtedly prevent this from happening.
Air Circulation and Protection with Formed liner:
Spreading a plastic liner on the backside of your wooden planter box allows for maximum air circulation. Proper aeration dries up all excess moisture in the planter box.
Subsequently, it prevents rot. Also, proper aeration will extend the durability of your wooden planter box.
Liners prevent wood treatment from leaching into the soil:
When you spread the liner across the wooden planter box, you prevent the chemicals used to treat wood from draining into the soil.
These chemicals are harmful and can affect the soil’s fertility. In turn, they hinder the growth of plants. Ultimately, plastic liners will make your plants grow healthy.
Different planter liners based on your requirements
Let’s take a look at some of the best liners you should consider for your wooden planter box based on your requirements.
Best budget-friendly planter box liner:
If you are looking for a budget-friendly liner, go for a plastic liner. Plastic liners are extraordinarily cheap. One garbage bag costs less than five dollars. And the best thing is that plastic liners work perfectly fine.
- Highest durability:
The best planter liners that offer the highest durability are copper or galvanized liners. These liners also help you prolong the lifespan of your wooden planter box. In addition, metal liners provide the highest durability.
- Simplest Planter Liner to Install:
A preformed plastic liner is the easiest to install. This liner is lightweight and adaptable. Thus, it requires minimum effort from you during installation. The preformed plastic liner is the best for garden beginners.
- Best Customizable Planter Liner:
Do you want to customize your planter liner? Get a liquid liner. Because liquid liners are adaptable, you can tailor them to your specific needs.
Overall best Planter Liner
At the end of the day, the planter you choose depends on your requirements. We highly recommend a self watering planter.
Gardening experts report that the plastic liner is the best. Plastic liners are affordable and work perfectly fine for protecting your wooden box planter. As a result, the majority of gardeners often go for plastic liners.
Waterproofing your planters well
After months of use, wooden planter boxes tend to rot when exposed to moisture. Therefore, you have to do your best to protect wooden planter boxes from rotting.
Fortunately, there are many techniques you can use to prevent your wooden planter box from rotting. However, the most common way to do this is to use a plastic liner. Spreading plastic liners across your planter protects the planter from direct contact with moisture and prevents the leaching of chemicals into the soil.
Also nothing stops you from buy a quality growing kit from Aerogarden.