Fabricating Planter Boxes with Stone Exteriors?

[horn4life]

Well here is the deal. I am trying to design a new deck for my buddy and want to do some contrasting stone planter boxes to flank the two steps up to the back doors. Normally I would just go ahead and make them out of regular stone and mortar. However these are going to be sitting on top of the decking a couple feet off the ground so I want to keep the weight down.

I was thinking of perhaps making the boxes out of cement/blue board and then using thin cut stone to make the fascade. So it would look like the things were big solid stone but were actually much less heavy.

Any reason this wouldn't work?

Any ideas on the best way to get the cement/blue board to adhere to form the box?

Any potential problems that I might not realize that would cause this concept to become a nightmare?

My alternative is just to do the planters out of the same synthetic material as the decking, but the stone contrast would be a LOT cooler looking.

Thanks in advance for suggestions

 

[BigWill]

Hmmmm.

You could build plywood boxes, screw the cement board (you're talking a tile backer, no? Such as "wonder board"?) to the plywood, and use faux stone or stone veneer. Problem is waterproofing the boxes. The board isn't waterproof, and the stones may fall off if the board gets wet.

Maybe line the boxes with a pond liner material?

 

[horn4life]

Yeah after i put up the first post I started inthing about maybe using some plywood for the framing. I need to have some sort of drail hole anyhow so water doesn't accumulate and cause root rot for the plantings.

I have waterproofed stuff before using the tubes of either roofers tar or similar adhesive and just smeared it around in a pot when I made a fountain one time. Worked great as far as waterproofing. waterproofing the sides.

I want to use real stone to match with his house, just shaved down into thinner pieces. I may have to check into some adhesive to the board and then just have mortar be decorative....

 

[Bevoldemort]

Might ultimately be easier to reinforce the deck.

 

[EEE]

you could build a shell with treated 2x4 then screw on cement board. blue/green
gypsum board is not waterproof and will fall apart. then you have a perfect
substrate for faux-stone ceramic tile adhered with thinset. that'll be
as waterproof as a shower or tub. in the center of the thing would be
the plastic planter bucket.

 

[horn4life]

The deck is going to be substantially reinforced in these areas. We are going back and forth on whther to simply make a box and put a plant in it in a seperate container (easier for me) or to make the boxes true planters.

It's going to get pretty pricey after we do the stone accents and the composite decking material. But it's not my dime so I am more than willing ot help him spend the money.

I also wonder since I am going with the composite if I should reframe and remove the pressure treated wood. there is one spot I am concerned about where the pressure treated wood already seems to be in contact with the ground. I want this sucker to last pretty much forever so replace the wood MIGHT be worth the additional expense.

thoughts?

 

[7Titles]

I think I would pass on all the hassle and buy some nice large glazed pots. I guess its just me but a stone/mortar pot on a deck seems outs of place.

 

[wolfman]

Ever thought of getting a large plastic planter then screwing Hardy Board to the outside of it then attaching the thin cut stone. It would obviously have to be a planter with flat sides.

 

[horn4life]

The problem is that we are dropping the deck down below the level of the stone work on the back of the house. By using stairs at the french doors and some sort of planter we are able to disguise that the stone doesn't reach down to the main level of the deck.

I am seriously thinking of going with stucco instead on the boxes and top them with cut limestone as of right now.

thanks for the input