How to Build a Concrete Raised Planter Bed Part 1 

Mr. Odell. My Dad was a carpenter and general contractor for just short of 3 decades and it is an absolute pleasure to see another man place so much emphasis and detail to things PRIOR to the actual job to ensure a smooth transition for the actual job!! Your attention to detail and methodical ways reminds me of days gone past with my Dad and for this I salute you Sir! Keep up the great work and awesome videos!

Great tutorial for everyone who dislike wooden raised beds !! This will last for long without any maintenance :)Agreed the POWER OF CONCRETE !!

wow just wow! not only that Mr. Odell and his team knows very well what they are doing and how to do it well.. the result is amazing and by how they built it, would probably last for at least another 80 years

The strongest raised bed garden design I have ever seen! Love your work!

Your workmanship is excellent as usual. These videos make me wish I had gone into concrete work when I was younger.

this is brilliant exactly what im looking for in my own garden. thanks for the great tutorial

Prolly my favorite video so far. I think I may try this for the front of my moms house.

I used to be a mason helper and I think your worker's did a beautiful job :)

Holy F dude, you can build a two story on that planter bed! Great job!

That was a awesome video!!! I like your craftsmanship and attention to making the finished product very clean!!! Very professional !!!

This is great for those who have the money to hire someone to do it or have a half dozen family members to help.

This is one of the best videos on RU-vid! I hope you do a whole lot more just like this one. Thank you!

Thank you, David for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience in all these concrete videos. You do a great job explaining your choices/decisions along the way as well as providing insights and tips to help others. I am learning a lot and am grateful! A question regarding the height of this planter: would you need vertical rebar every 16" or so to support a 20" high wall?

Another name for your company can be Odell Concrete Craftsmen. Your work displays the skill and craftsmanship to build a quality product.

Beautiful finish on the poured coping.

I'm not into DIY construction... but this was interesting and educational-- good job

Dad blast it, my wife caught me watching this, guess what I’m making now. This is very cool.

You make it look so easy! And, I know it's not...good work!!

Great video! I’ve been binge watching all your stuff. Better than Netflix

That's some nice work! It is always a pleasure to see someone take pride in their work and do an excellent job.

Nice to see a craftsman at his trade.

Very good instructions and video, great job. Also I noticed the guy tapping the sides with a hammer so you need to point out that this is done to vibrate the air bubbles up; I Io use used motor oil on all surfaces.

Very well done video, appreciate your taking the time to share, you have a very relaxing nature, makes for good watching and learning, keep up the great work, truly a lasting legacy!

you gave this house the WOW factor good job

Nice. The only thing I noticed missing was putting some pipe sleeve insulation on that irrigation line that runs through the pour. Just to ease any differential stress on the line and to make it easier to replace the line if it happens to break at some point.

What a great idea. Thanks for posting. I sure wish I could move at high speed.

Great Job ! suggestion i cut my bottom board edges on a 15 degree that seems to help me remove boards easier

I wish you guys were in my neck of the woods. I would get you to build about 150 feet of this in my yard.

I just started watching your channel last night because I want to build a short decretive wall in my back yard. I saw this video and the one you did for the guy who was "energetic" and wanted you to do things very specifically, you used block to build the wall. Whats the difference between using block and pouring the whole form? is one more expensive less work more work? what would you recommend for short long border wall in the garden? Thanks! Your videos are so helpful! I have never done anything like this and never understood how cement works and your videos are just so informative! I live in the Middle East and so I don't have anyone to ask about it all, that can explain it. So thanks!

This is great work and a well documented tutorial. Thank you.

Watching this makes me miss doing concrete work.

you guys make good projects and good finished of the jobs , keep showing good videos. congrat.

Layla kicking it off is the best, just wanted to say that..

Great tutorial and even better the fine points in the voice over....on to part 2 thanks!

Excellent workmanship!

try to 45 the top edge of 2x12 with the bevel edge in and the point top outside of 2x12 will make for easier form pulling.

Sick ass FINISHERO hands down 🙌🏽

just awesome. great work guys. lovely finish

Thanks man for sharing your work and knowledge

I have no idea what anything you said meant but I do know a great job when I see it.

Like how there taking turns get the brick work up

Thanks for a very well done video. My son wants to build a similar concrete planter at his house and this is quite helpful. The only question I have is in regard to the depth of the foundation. I am assuming that your planter must have been built in in a warm climate. My son lives in TN where the ground can freeze over a foot deep during a bad winter. Is it necessary to build the footer below the frost level?

Thank you for the helpful videos! When building this style of wall, do you need to go below the frost line to prevent cracking, or is it low enough that it isn't necessary? Thank you!

thank you, exactly my next DIY project, from malaysia with love! thank you

your videos are really great to watch, thank you very much.!

Thats some good looking form work, thanks for taking the time to give the details that u do.

What a nice and beautiful work. 🇫🇴🇫🇴

very pedantic. Impressive

Very great video!! Buttttt aren't you supposed to spray the oil first? Then put in the rebar??? Because I think I think I'm not 100% sure but if the rebar has oil on it then the concrete wont neccesarily stick on the rebar? I'm in the union and they want oil first than rebar. I just want to know and get more educated because I like your videos! I've learned many great tricks and tips from your videos. Thank you

How much taller and longer can you make one of these before the mass of concrete is a curing problem? Thinking of this technology to make a retaining wall because I don't relish carrying bricks down stairs and I can build the forms over a long period and have it poured in and a vibrator brought to bear. Had considered curves but here can do a > 90 degree corner and monuments.

Nice Work. I prefer to lay blocks for my beds. No mortar or anything. I prefer that over concrete due to future changes my wife and I may make. Much easier to make changes to size, H/W of beds. Just makes things easier to remove or add to. Nothing permanent so to speak

I'd like to take back my jerk like comments I made to one of your videos. I said something mean about the way you laid some pavers/ brick in a driveway.... I'm sorry for saying it. No matter what type of job you're doing it always turns out awesome. I'm a fan!

Muito Obrigado! Vou partilhar Por favor - quantos minutos - para se poder retirar as tábuas de cima? Qual o traço da argamassa? Ou seja, quantidade de areia e cimento? Tipo de areia? Obrigado

Very meticulous work...NICE!

Learning a lot from your videos. Thanks! I am curious how long was it from when you finished the pour and when you stripped off the front form on the cap and started shaping it?

It looks like you only used a finishing trowel. Do you worry about trapping water inside the concrete?

Should try to run a thin steel ruler between top of 2x12 on outside bottom form and underneath of cantilever when you take off your top outside form, so to break the bond, then you might not have to rip the bottom from to try to remove it!

Good clear instructions, interesting content, glad I watched

Great video. I'm going to use this technique to build a fire pit. Question though, how long after you poured the concrete did you start to remove the 2x6's? Thanks and keep these vids coming.

fucking nice! I like everything from the intro to the narration and video editing.

Kia Ora from Auckland, New Zealand…

Beautiful 🤩!!! Love it !! How mami bags of concrete mix I need to build one like that?

awesome tip about the used oil..so you use a regular garden sprayer? Suggestion: before and after pics at the end! :)

I really like this. Do you go bigger? I've been watching people build raised beds from timber and steel, but they've got a life expectancy of 5-20 years tops. I reckon concrete would do it better!

What kind of fiber do you add to the concrete mix, and how much footing is needed for a single layer of cinder block planter? Thanks!

Beautiful work as always, question using the motor oil does it leaves a oily smell if so i guessing it fade over time.

Why do you not waterproof the inside? Just wonder because I did a similar planter. Thanks good job

Thanks for the video, nice job. I am doing a garden wall on each side of my driveway just like this, 12 inch high, 6inch wide, 20ft long on each side. I looked at the cost of pavers($1.00 each 12x12 paver), block and concrete and concrete was the best and cheapest way to do it. Can you tell me how many bags of concrete that took if you remember. I calculate about 15 - 50# bags for mine per side.

Hello David, awesome work as always!! Great content. How much did this project cost total with labor and materials?? Thanks I appreciate your time.

Great job! Here I was getting ready to use stacked retaining wall stones (the small ones) to build a flowerbed, like this much better. As my flower bed will be up against a wooden fence, what would you suggest to protect the wood fence from the soil backfill? I have pressure treated rails at grade and at the flowerbed height. Corrugated metal, visqueen, or something else?

David, have you ever done this any taller? I'm thinking about doing this for my driveway retaining wall, 4 foot tall then doing it again above it in a tiered fashion. This looks awesome 👌.

Dude you are the best... i've been watching a bunch of your videos and love them. Did you ever cover the basic steps in trowling and finishing the concrete once its poured i think you would make a good one that i would be interested in? Also do you have any tips for setting cobblestones in a soldier course along a flower bed or driveway? thanks in advance!

Hey love the work alwasy looks good we need some skill like that here i watch your vids and try to learn concrete finishing technique do u think you will do a vid teaching about the tools and how to use them and what there are used for ?

How soon after you poured the concrete did you remove that upper board, so you could smooth out the finish?

Wow 😮

I do not understand the purpose of have all that soil, root, shadows and moisture against the foundation of a house. Looks great!

Most people who want a raised bed are looking for a way to grow veggies, so would like to avoid the soil being close-up near and against concrete or treated lumber. What would you suggest if I wanted the concrete raised bed, but wanted to have a redwood liner or some way to not despoil an organic garden?

Great music choice.

Thanks for the video. I will attempt something similar myself. How long after the concrete is poured in should the formwork be removed? Thanks

How do you know when you can pull off the cap boards? To where the concrete kept its form/shape.

Thanks for the idea.

Good work, Odell

Did u ever use. Pvc or a. Foam. Stair nosing ? On a pool or. Steps. Cantilever. Edge

Would this method/example work for something like a short wall that will be the base of a metal fence (aluminum)? Approx total length 150'. AWESOME videos btw!

Looks great

How long did you wait (approximately how many hours) before removing the 2x6 for the cantilever edge along the top? Also, how many days did you wait before removing the 2x12s?

Splendid job.

Would it be easier with two 2×6 for the face? Maybe it would eliminate the need to rip the 2×12? Let me know what you think I'm considering doing this in my front yard

love your videos you do good work. you should put benny hill music on your videos,they run around fast like they do on benny hill. :-)

4 years later this is exactly how I want to make my retaining wall

I’m getting ready to build something similar. How long did you wait before removing the top boards exposing the cantilever and cleaning those edges?

That looks real nice

I like your guys work. However, I think a planter up against a building is a bad idea. Termites, moisture, and makes building maintenance harder as it's hard to get a ladder up there to reach the eaves. I think it's better to have a sidewalk around the building to make future maintenance easier.

I want to pour beds under my windows up to 8 inches below the window. My home is concrete block. Will there be any problem having the dirt in the pot text to my house? Or do I need to pour the back of the planter next to the wall?

How long should you wait for the concrete to set-up before removing the forms?

Should I do this or concrete blocks with stucco? Pros and cons

Nice video, hope you keep making them.

Great video TFS!

May I ask the cost? Thanks!

So what if you decide the next year that you wanna change it and make it bigger? Just outta luck?