From the Shop Floor: Elevated Planter Box

We just wrapped up the first session of the brand new class Basic Carpentry Skills 102: Elevated Planter Box! We had a great group of students in their 30s to 70s, from right here in town to as far as Rhode Island and the Hudson Valley! As a "102" class, Elevated Planter Box was open to students who had previously completed our Basic Carpentry Skills 101 class, so we had the joy of welcoming some familiar faces into the crew.

Students built super functional and ergonomic elevated planter boxes. We revisited essential tools and skills like the circular saw, drills, and drivers, and took things to the next level by introducing the table saw, chop saw, countersink bits, and techniques like pre-drilling for fasteners. As with any brand new class, we hit a few bumps along the way, but we couldn’t have asked for a more positive, kind, and creative crew to build with.

Have you heard of larch?
Also known as tamarack, larch is a naturally rot-resistant wood species. It's a perfect choice for vegetable and herb planter boxes because it contains none of the harmful chemicals in pressure-treated wood. You won’t find larch at big box stores, but here in Ithaca we’re lucky to have a few local sawmills where we can source it. It's also great for building outdoor furniture, so we use it in Build an Adirondack Chair!

We’ll be running this class again July 24-25, so if you’ve taken Basic Carpentry Skills 101 and want to level up your skills with a truly satisfying build, sign up!