A foldaway PLANT STAND

This handy foldaway plant stand, ideal for potted herbs, or patio.

By Rod Baker

There is no complex carpentry required here … almost all the cuts are 90 ° , the only angles to be cut are for the feet, and those are simply angled cuts – in this case, 22 ° for the backrest and 33 ° for the main frame feet. Pot plant trays – as used in this project – are available in a range of sizes. Ensure that whatever size of trays you decide on, they will be wide and deep enough to accommodate your choice of pots. Also available are troughs or boxes, again in a range of sizes, and if you go this route, you need to be aware of their dimensions as well.

There’s no point in making the trays too narrow or too short that they cannot accommodate your choice of containers. But bear in mind that all the trays are exactly the same width – only the depth varies – so that you don’t end up being able to fit only two-and-a-half and not three pots/trays across.

Also, bear in mind that you will be placing drip trays under the containers, so their diameter must be taken into account too.

I suggest you take a tape measure to your local garden centre and measure the various containers and their drip trays and then size your planter trays to suit your choices as closely as possible.

NO MESHING ABOUT …

As this planter stand uses mesh bases for the trays to allow free drainage of overflow water, the widths and depth of the trays are governed by the mesh size – in this case 25mm – hence 25mm squares. Thus, all the trays in this planter are 25 mesh squares wide (21 bars), plus, of course, the 22mm each side for the tray sides, but tray depths are as follows (in mesh squares):

• Top: 7 (8 bars)

• Middle: 9 (10 bars)

• Bottom: 11 (12 bars)

• Plus the 22mm front and rear for the tray front and rear.)

TIME Two weekends

COST

R1 000

Skill Assistant

YOU WILL NEED:

• Meranti – 22x44mm – 8 lengths of 1 830mm, cut as follows*:

• Trays:

• 6 lengths of 555mm

• 2 lengths of 180mm

• 2 lengths of 232mm

• 2 lengths of 278mm

• Back legs:

• 2 legs of 750mm – tops bevelled at 45° and feet at 22°

• 1 brace of 648mm

• Main frame:

• 2 legs of 1 040mm – tops cut square at 90°, feet bevelled at 33°

• 7 braces of 600mm

• Mesh (25mm) – one length

540x1 000mm

• Sash cord rope stays – 6mm – 1 length of 2m

• Fasteners:

• Decking screws – 8x75mm – 28

• 6mmØ S/S threaded rod – 2 lengths of 1m cut as locking bars to suit tray depths

• 6 S/S dome nuts – 6mm – tray fronts

• 14 S/S Nyloc 6mm nuts – tray rears, tray pivots, leg pivots

• 12 S/S fender washers – 38mm x 6mm –tray fronts and rears

• 6 S/S 40mm 6mmØ – tray pivots

• 2 S/S 60mm 6mmØ bolts – leg pivots

• 24 S/S 6mmØ flat washers – tray pivots

• 36 S/S 6mmØ 30mm fender washers – tray pivots, leg pivots, sash cord washers

• Waterproof wood glue

• Finish of your choice – I chose high-gloss interior/exterior marine varnish.

*If you decide on different tray sizes, and go for a wood or slatted wood base rather than mesh, then the cutting list and materials will differ from the above.

TOOLS:

• Jigsaw or circular saw (preferred)

• Drill/driver

• Hacksaw

• Socket spanners and/or adjustable spanner and/or spanners.

HERE’S HOW:

Having decided on your tray width and depth, clamp down the mesh (it arrives at the retailer in rolls so you need to clamp it flat, temporarily, to measure each panel of mesh accurately), snip along the middle of the mesh squares, as shown here, so you have 12mm ends projecting – they will be inserted into the tray’s sides.

Repeat the same procedure for the other side and for the two lengths. This shows the junction between the tray’s one side and its one cross-member. The illustration shows how the trays come together. You can also see how the mesh actually aligns the wood components and reinforces their junctions.

Allowing for about 6–8mm on each end, cut the 6mmØ threaded rod to length.

This shows one (temporarily) assembled tray. The other two trays are assembled using the same procedures.

Here are all three trays. Each is exactly 555mm wide, but as can be seen here, the depths vary, from shallowest on the top, to intermediate (middle) and deepest at the bottom.

To set the distance between the main frame legs and to allow full and free folding of the trays, I inserted a piece of 8x44mm cover strip (on one side only) and clamped the trays to the main frame leg.

I cut the 1 040mm main frame legs and the 750mm back legs to length. Then to set the right distances between each tray when folded away – namely 44mm – I used a couple of 22x44mm meranti offcuts as spacers.

To ensure the stand would close properly, I positioned the back leg pivot between the top and middle tray closed positions. Note that I have bevelled the tops of the backrest legs at 45 ° , partly for aesthetic reasons and also to ensure there are no square-cut corners to snag on either tray.

I inserted a thinner 3mm piece of ply (on one side only) between the back legs and the main frame legs (with the trays still clamped in position as shown just above) and cut the brace of 648mm. This will ensure that the backrest fits comfortably against the main frame when the unit is folded.

Then I checked the amount of wood behind the pivot and marked off a cutting position to trim it. I trimmed the offcut and drilled a 6mmØ pivot hole 67mm from the trimmed end.

This actually came later, but this is how I marked off the bevels on the main frame and back leg feet – first ensuring that the frame and back were spread sufficiently. Alternatively, you can carry out this step after assembly.

Then I secured the brace in position 50mm up from the feet using two decking screws and glued each end to assemble the back leg assembly. I used offcuts to lock the legs at exactly 90 ° while the glue cured.

I then used the offcut as my template for each tray’s pivot hole positions, which is on the centre line and 67mm from the outer rear edge of the frame. This is how the locking bar passes the recessed pivot bolt head. It means that even if the nut falls off the outer end of the pivot bolt, the bolt is still locked in position by the bar.

With the pivot spacing set as per the illustration, I used a length of 9x44mm cover strip as a gauge to set the position of the pivot hole in each tray side – using a level to ensure the offcut was level. At this stage, the main frame top and bottom braces had been added and temporarily strapped at the correct spread angles so that I could level the trays.

This is how the rear edge of the tray should rest against the main frame cross-member. lf you set the tray too far back you will you lose space in the tray itself (the cross-member protruding into the tray space) and will also make the tray less stable – its mass, with and without pots on it, should be heavily biased towards the front of the tray. (Also refer to the main illustration lower left detail.)

As you can see from this image, the cross-member does not take any storage space out of the tray itself.

In turn, I temporarily fitted each tray in position, starting with the bottom tray, again using a level to get it level, and clamped a 600mm brace under it just touching the underside of the tray, having applied glue to the surface.

If you cannot use a level by resting it on top of the tray because a clamp is in the way, hold it up against the underside.

As I was using 6mmØ bolts 40mm long, I countersunk the inner ends of their holes in the tray sides. I inserted the bolts (each with a 6mm flat washer) from the tray side to the frame.

I drilled two pilot holes in the end of each brace, but to ensure there would be no splitting, I clamped the ends and further secured the join with two 8x75mm decking screws. This shows one driven in.

For the pivot bolt heads to be fully recessed, I countersunk each hole to a depth of about 5mm …

Hint … there is a 6mmØ 30mm fender washer between the frame and the tray – and it was a devil to align. So, attach a short length of masking tape to the washer(s), ensuring they are aligned, and shift the washer/washers until you can push the bolt through.

RUST? NO PROBLEM …

With the tray in its open position, I repeated the procedure with the upper brace.

… like so. The bolt heads must be recessed sufficiently to not snag on the back legs when the stand is closed.

The tray is free to pivot, but the pivots do not take any strain as the lower (front) and upper (rear) braces take all the strain.

I applied three coats of varnish to all three trays (including the galvanised mesh to further protect it against corrosion), and when the final coat dried, fitted the trays into position.

There is no problem should any of the mesh panels become corroded and require replacement at any time. The trays are held together only by the threaded rod locking bars (there are no screws passing through the frame pieces securing them together) with the mesh keeping the frame pieces aligned, so if mesh needs replacing, simply unbolt and remove the locking bars, withdraw the pivot bolts, and remove the tray from the stand. Now all you do is pull the tray frame pieces off the old mesh, cut a replacement mesh panel to the same size as the old one, slip the frame pieces back on, reposition the tray in place on the frame, insert the pivot bolts, insert the locking bars and rebolt them. Job done and as good as new!

It is important to have a washer in this position to prevent the tray sides and inner surfaces of the frame wearing against each other. That would, in time, remove the protective varnish finish and allow water to penetrate the wood, possibly causing it to swell in wet weather and making folding the trays more difficult.

A close-up of the feet. Note that the front (outer) edge has been trimmed to around 80 ° This blunts the feet, making scratches less likely, and minimises the risk of chipping or splintering. This illustration shows the various measurements of the stand featured here, but bear in mind you may decide on different dimensions according to your requirements.

I drilled a 6mmØ hole about 75mm in from the ends and on the centre line in the rear leg brace and the bottom brace on the main frame and cut two lengths of sash cord as my rope stays. The 6mmØ 30mm fender washer stops the ends of the cord wearing against the edges of the holes. I kept the cord knot at the front quite short.

The end passing through the rear leg brace can be a bit longer; as the cord stretches, you might need to take it in a bit. You might also want to adjust the spread depending on the slope of the surface on which you place the stand.

These materials are available at selected Mica stores. To find your closest Mica, go to www.mica.co.za. If your local Mica does not stock exactly what you need, they will order it for you or suggest an alternative product or a reputable source.