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Check out the Big ReUse-apalooza Project Reveal

May 16, 2017

Civil War Rolling Planter Box
Designed & Built by David Costa, David Costa General Contracting, LLC

This rolling planter was constructed from milled pieces of an 8-foot door, a stone plumbing display countertop, and scrap pieces of a PVC type sheet stock. Other misc. materials include heavy duty caster wheels, clear silicone, metallic spray paint and teak oil.

Perspective:
When milling the door into usable pieces, I noticed that the door had been constructed with large ‘mortise & tenon’ joints, which appeared to be hand cut. The door was laminated with a 1/4″ white oak exterior, and a 1/4″ fir interior, over pine.

Given the type of workmanship of this door, I would guess that it was constructed sometime in the early 1900’s. Given the size and cut of the wood used for the door, I would estimate that the seedlings for the trees used in this doors started growing around the time of the American Civil War, if not decades before. Hence, the project title.

Use and care:
The planter can be used as a container, if desired. The PVC material will not rot. The container was sealed with silicone, so moisture should not leak thru the sides; however the bottom was not, to allow for drainage. Additional holes could be drilled into the bottom if desired, or it could be sealed up to make waterproof. The wood is finished with natural teak oil, and additional coats can be applied as desired. I wouldn’t suggest leaving the planter outside year long unprotected, primarily to preserve the wood’s integrity.

What is ReUse-apalooza? ReUse-apalooza is a Designer Challenge event benefiting EasterSeals and Building Value where local designers craft re-purposed functional pieces and “object d’art” culled from Building Value’s inventory. The resulting objects are always curious, creative and often real gems. The pieces are sold by silent and live auction during the ReUse-apalooza party.

When is it? The event takes place on May 19 at Building Value in Northside.

Click here for more information about this awesome event benefiting the local community!