Planters are wonderful additions to landscaping, supplying an increasing area for plants and flowers which is rich with good soil and nutrients in a place where the ground soil may be less than perfect. To build up a planter, you can use an assortment of materials, like cut stone, wood or brick. Many use brick because it is simple to handle and provides a completed premium quality appearance, but if you don’t install it correctly, you might step back to find that the mortar lines are twisted and the top isn’t level.
Dig a trench along the region in which you need your planter to be located. The simplest way is to lay out a layer of bricks to mark the exact place for the planter, and cut to the soil with a scoop. Then remove the bricks and dig into the ground, where you marked it. Eliminate soil to a depth equal to the depth of the brick and 5 inches.
Fill the base of the trench with 5 ins gravel and smooth it out. Check the gravel using a level. If the base isn’t level, none of the rows will be. Tamp the gravel down, and check again. Add or remove stones until it’s level.
Place the first layer of bricks to the trench. Their tops should reach ground level. Secure the bricks with mortar between the ends of the bricks. Spread the mortar with a little trowel.
Spread a layer of mortar on the tops of their very first row of bricks. Work in small sections of 3 feet at a time so the mortar doesn’t dry out. Put another row of bricks on top of the mortar, making sure to apply mortar between the ends of the bricks as you go. Stagger the ends of the brick as associated with the row underneath to ensure a stronger wall. Place a level on top of the bricks to check them. Adjust if necessary by pressing a brick to the mortar, or even removing it to include more.
Insert a third row of bricks as you did the first, and repeat to the height you need for your planter, that typically is no more than two feet. Continue checking the degree as you go and adjust if required.
