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Tried turning an old dresser into a planter box and it totally leaked everywhere
I was out in my backyard in Denver last Saturday, thinking I'd be clever and drill some holes in the bottom of a beat-up nightstand to grow herbs. Water poured out the sides instead of the bottom because I forgot to seal the old drawer joints (rookie mistake, I know). Anybody got a good trick for waterproofing reclaimed wood without using expensive epoxy?
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drew_grant5213d ago
Oh man, that "water poured out the sides" is exactly what happened to my buddy Tim when he tried to turn an old trunk into a raised bed. He ended up using a cheap liquid rubber sealant from the hardware store (like $12 a can) and brushed it all over the inside joints, let it dry for a day, and it worked fine for like two seasons.
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richard_west51d ago
Take a garden hose and spray the inside of the trunk before you put any soil in. That'll let you SEE exactly where the leaks are. @rowangonzalez is spot on about the combo approach - I've done that with an old dresser and the liner catches the big leaks while the sealant fills the tiny cracks. Tim's trick with the liquid rubber is solid but I'd add a cheap pond liner underneath just to be safe. Most of those rubber sealants start cracking after a year in direct sun so putting a liner in gives you a backup plan. It's a bit more WORK upfront but way less hassle than digging out rotten soil later.
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rowangonzalez13d ago
Flex seal in a spray can is the go-to for a lot of folks around here. I remember reading a post from a guy who lined his old wagon with a cheap pond liner first, then hit the inside with that rubberized spray. He said it held up way better than just paint. Might be worth trying a combo of liner and sealant instead of just one or the other.
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