Table Tops and cinder block question -

llama momma on 9/27/2011, 3:20 pm

As I plan additional boxes for Spring 2012 I would like to try a couple of 4x4 table tops. Yet I wonder about this: I would like to dress up the color of the cinder blocks. Is there a specific type of paint that can be used on them? Any thoughts ??

boffer on 9/27/2011, 7:23 pm

In my climate, I've had good luck using latex primer and paint for wood on cinder blocks. I haven't had trouble with peeling, etc.

But, I prefer using a latex stain rather than paint. The colors are more limited and are pastel, but it's easy to slop on and there's no worry about peeling. It's strictly a personal preference, but I like the less formal look of stain better.

llama momma on 9/28/2011, 3:14 am

Thank You - appreciate your experience and input particularly since my house sits on a slope and will forever get a clear view of those blocks from my windows. I'm thinking greenish blocks to blend in with surrounding grass. Very Happy

**gwennifer** on 1/4/2012, 4:41 pm

Sorry to bump an old thread, but Spring 2012 is right around the corner. Llama momma, did you get anywhere with this? I'd sure love to see a picture of stained cinderblock tabletops. I'm trying to talk my mom into building tabletops, and using cinderblocks (since she's in Vegas, and even the fences are made from cinderblock there).

llama momma on 1/4/2012, 5:40 pm

I will have it soon but not this week. I promise to take pics and share it asap! Pretty much decided on stain as I've used it before and it is runny, should be helpful getting it in all the nooks and crannies of cinder block.

AvaDGardner on 2/17/2012, 7:37 pm

I think I saw your post using security doors as the bottoms of your boxes.

Food for thought...you dirt will get colder earlier since it has air underneath it. Not sure it if will warm faster or not. They will probably get hotter than the ground in the summer.

Lindacol on 2/17/2012, 7:52 pm

AvaDGardner wrote:I think I saw your post using security doors as the bottoms of your boxes.

Food for thought...you dirt will get colder earlier since it has air underneath it. Not sure it if will warm faster or not. They will probably get hotter than the ground in the summer.

That would have been my post with the security doors:

http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/t9881-my-garden-in-january-in-so-ca#95339

I, like you, am also in so CA. The bed on the ground as been in use for a few months now but I have just started planting the tabletop. I would imagine that there will be enough green plants to the south and trellises to the west so that they won't get too hot. The stock panel trellises never got too hot (tomatoes are still going). The deeper bed built out of blocks is to the south of the beds with the security dooor bases.

Dut don't plant in metal garbage cans in this area. I planted potatoes in those last year and they died off fast when it got hot but I still had a yummy harvest.

AvaDGardner on 2/17/2012, 7:59 pm

Where is Bloomington?

For some reason, I thought you were in CO.

Yeah, I've had all kinds of things 'get baked.' Like the first year I had a worm farm on my south facing patio we had 100+ all summer...poor things baked to nothingness.

Lindacol on 2/17/2012, 8:23 pm

AvaDGardner wrote:Where is Bloomington?

For some reason, I thought you were in CO.

Yeah, I've had all kinds of things 'get baked.' Like the first year I had a worm farm on my south facing patio we had 100+ all summer...poor things baked to nothingness.

Just north of Riverside, over the county line in southwest San Bernardino county

llama momma on 2/18/2012, 5:54 am

Gwennifer - after much reading I'm having a tough time making a commitment to table tops. Most of my gardening area gets full summer sun from 8am to after 9pm, and with summer Ohio heat too often in the high 80's, 90's and low 100's, I'm shying away from boiling darling little garden worms. They would have no place to go and cool off in a six inch tabletop. I'm very torn about this. Wanted to put strawberries "up" but I think I will have to make peace with myself and continue sitting and gardening in my ground level boxes from my little padded footstool. I figure if the day comes and I can no longer get up from the footstool, I'm ready for the compost heap myself rofl

**plantoid** on 2/18/2012, 4:28 pm

llama momma wrote:I will have it soon but not this week. I promise to take pics and share it asap! Pretty much decided on stain as I've used it before and it is runny, should be helpful getting it in all the nooks and crannies of cinder block.

I found that sprayed on dark green fence stain soaks well into concrete & cinder block because I can't get them clean where I over sprayed the fence and office using a hand operated fence sprayer .. six years on it's still quire a dark green inspite of strong sunlight ,wind , rain , snow & frost on it.

**plantoid** on 2/18/2012, 4:34 pm

llama momma wrote:Gwennifer - after much reading I'm having a tough time making a commitment to table tops. Most of my gardening area gets full summer sun from 8am to after 9pm, and with summer Ohio heat too often in the high 80's, 90's and low 100's, I'm shying away from boiling darling little garden worms. They would have no place to go and cool off in a six inch tabletop. I'm very torn about this. Wanted to put strawberries "up" but I think I will have to make peace with myself and continue sitting and gardening in my ground level boxes from my little padded footstool. I figure if the day comes and I can no longer get up from the footstool, I'm ready for the compost heap myself

LM ,

I hope that compost heaps a long way off ..

Mean time perhaps think of getting more wood & making a bit more compost with about 30 % by volume added vermiculite , to add another 6 inch " lift " to each bed & top up with your homemade quality five way compost mixed in with the vermiculite , for that's what your beds will eventually end up containing once the peat has rotted away .

llama momma on 2/18/2012, 4:49 pm

Let me get this straight. Are you saying to make a 12 inch deep table top? Bottom 6 inches consisting of 70% compost and 30% vermiculite? Top 6 inches would consist of Mel's mix? And this would be deep enough to guarantee worm survival 85 to 95+ degree weather? This table top would be in the summer sun and heat for at least a minimum of 13 hours a day. That is why I'm so reluctant to put worms in a table top.

CarolynPhillips on 2/18/2012, 5:38 pm

I live in Alabama and I had no problems with the soil over heating in my table top gardens. The soil was cool , not hot. 12 inches deep. 2 feet wide. They did need extra water.

**gwennifer** on 2/18/2012, 6:41 pm

llama momma, thanks for getting back to me on this thread - you're too sweet for remembering my interest.

So, you're not willing to have a garden bed with no worms?

I think table tops are not the only option to keep from kneeling on the ground. Cement blocks stacked two high gets you at 16" - just an inch below accepted chair height comfort standard. I wish I'd made a double stacked cement block bed. I could have capped the blocks off for aesthetics, and then I could sit sideways on the edge of the bed if I needed or kneeled on the edge when reaching in.

Table Tops and cinder block question -

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