We have been using raised planters ever since we started gardening. Most of the raised planters have been built with either 2×6’s, 2×8’s, 2×10’s, and even 2×16’s. Each and every one of them was built with the materials we had on hand or were based on what we felt comfortable spending money on. Some were just a couple boards high, others were a couple feet high.
All of those raised planters sat on the ground and they worked out for many years. Each were originally lined with plastic sheets to help protect the wood…that ended up being a big mess because the plastic that was exposed to the sun became very brittle and began to fall apart.
Some of the earlier raised planters we had that sat on the ground also had chicken wire on the bottom to help keep rodents away. I advice you don’t do that. It become more of a pain in the long run.
Over time, the wood rots from the moisture it is constantly in contact with. Termites also made a home in a few of them, further destroying them.
Our garden area has a few very large pine trees in the area. The roots of those pine trees loved the extra water these planters were getting and they decided to make gardening more of a challenge by filling up the planters with unwanted roots.
With all these challenges we faced over the years, we decided to move to these raised drum planters. These are off the ground and are built to a height that is comfortable while standing and reducing the amount of bending over. They are also more portable, which is great for us since we tend to like moving things around, even stuff that should be permanent.
We have made two different size drum planters over the years. Some that are made with 30 gallon drums and other with 50 gallon. Both work great, but 50 gallon allows for more soil to be added and allows for a deeper garden bed. 50 gallon drums are also more readily available, at least in my area. I recommend the 50 gallon, but you really can use what ever size fits you.
If you are into vermicomposting as I am, you may find that these work great for that as well. We currently have three of these drum planters being used for vermicomposting.
This style of planter has been floating around on the internet for quite a few years. Some are made with multiple half drums in one planter. Some don’t have the extra trim around the top. The designs are flexible and you can build them however you wish. This is our take on them and they work wonderful. Keeping them as single half drums allows us to more them around while there is still soil in them.
Project Plans
This planter project is quick and easy to make, which should make it enjoyable for those days when you don’t have all day to work on a project.
Using one food grade plastic drum cut in half and a few pieces of wood and some screws, you will have two raised planters that you can enjoy for years to come at a fairly reasonable price.
Whether you want to call these drum planters are barrel planters, I consider them one and the same and use the terms interchangeably daily.
You can follow along below as I show you how we built these drum planters or you can download a PDF that you can print out and take out with you while you build them. Here is the PDF…
IMPORTANT!
This set of plans is designed to work with drums of various sizes…so please pay attention to the measurements and verify them with the size of drum you select. Not all drums are made equal!
Material List:
- Part ‘A’ – (8) 4 x 4 x 30.5 inches long
- Part ‘B’ – (4) 2 x 6 x length of drum*
- Part ‘C’ – (4) 2 x 6 x length of drum + 10 inches*
- Part ‘D’ – (4) fence boards, length of planter (which is the length of drum + 3 inches)
- Part ‘E’ – (4) fence boards, width of planter (length of Part ‘C’)
- (1) 30 or 55 gallon plastic drum (Preferably food grade) cut in half
- (16) 3″ screws, exterior grade
- (8) 1-3/8″ screws, exterior grade
- (16) 1-5/8″ screws, exterior grade
- (2) or (4) Bags of 2 Cu. Ft. garden soil
*2×6’s can be changed out to 2×8’s, which look good for the 55 gallon drum planter.
Instructions:
- Cut the plastic drum in half lengthwise. I used a skill saw and found that was the easiest method so far. I have also used a reciprocating saw and that worked good as well. If you don’t have one of those tools, a standard hand saw will do. Look for a seam in the drum, that will be your cutting line. Trim off the extra shavings with a file.
- Cut parts ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’. Parts ‘B’ and ‘C’ are going to be your most critical pieces to measure and cut correctly. Get these correct and the rest of the project will go smoothly. Don’t forget to measure your drum first prior to cutting Parts ‘B’ and ‘C’ to length (Not all drums are made equal). I recommend laying down two legs (Part ‘A’) on the ground or large table and attach Part ‘B’, then stand it up and attach Part ‘C’.
- Install the drum with (3) 1-3/8″ wood screws on each side and (1) on the ends.
If it is a snug fit, you may find that laying the stand upside down on the ground to insert the drum will be easier so you can force it in there.
You may need some assistance to keep the drum in place. Get some help from another person, or a simple clamp on both ends will work.
- Now is the time to measure the overall length and width dimensions of the planters. Cut the fence boards (Parts ‘D’ and ‘E’) to those lengths with 45 degree angles on each end. Attach with 1-5/8″ wood screws as shown.
- Drill 3/8″ or 1/2″ holes in the bottom of the plastic drum for drainage. You don’t need to go crazy with the holes, 8-10 should be good enough to allow for drainage.
- Fill the drums with garden soil and get to planting!
Well, there you have it. Some pretty simple raised planters that will last you a very long time. If you have questions or want to share your experiences with these planters, feel free to share them in the comments below.
Rick Simper has various hobbies, including woodworking, metalworking, composting, and gardening. He is an Architect full time and uses these hobbies to get away from the busy week of Architecture.