Hi, this is Kent from Man About Tools. Today, we're building plywood molds to cast our own concrete garden panels. These panels link together to create long-lasting rot-proof garden edges. If you're like me, then you've made many wooden garden edges, only to see them rot away over time. Now, I know wooden edges have their place and they're cheap and easy to build, but they just don't last. I've tried plastic liners, longer-lasting red cedar, and cheaper called lumber, but no matter what I do, they still rot away. So, I decided to try making some edges from concrete. One option is to build plywood frames, stake them into the ground, and pour them in place, similar to pouring building foundations or retaining walls. That works well and I like that option if you have the materials. But today, I want to make a more decorative and unique garden edge, one that might be more suited for flowers or closer to the house, instead of a large vegetable garden. The panels that I make interlock in the corners in a straight line or at a 90-degree angle. I cast in plastic pipes so they lock together with rebar. Pouring your own panels gives you the flexibility to modify this simple design to your liking. You can easily change some of the dimensions to make them longer, shorter, taller, or thinner. You can also combine panels of different lengths, as I'm going to do in this video. I have two identical molds that make a 48-inch long panel that is 8 inches tall by 2 and a half inches thick. Today, I'm going to make four similar panels, but I'm going to shorten the length to 36 inches. I have plans available for download from my website, manabouttools.com, and I'll drop a link...
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