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Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

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Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas

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Post  Furbalsmom 10/2/2010, 10:03 pm

Boffer, So glad to find this old thread. Your great instructions and illustrations are what turned the tables (hehe) for my DH to agree to make the 3 - 4 X 4 TTs for me this fall.
We are caretakers at a county park and recreation area. Our camphost is currently away for a month but will be returning in early November. His wife had a stroke 2 yrs ago and has to use a walker to get around. She misses her gardening as she can't get down to garden. I am hoping I can talk the camphost into making one for her too.
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Post  jerzyjen 10/23/2010, 10:00 am

[quote="boffer

But, if you're handy with tools, hand or power, and you would enjoy the satisfaction of making something the old school way, cut corner tenons on your leg tops.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Corner10


See how the weight of the box sits on top of the post; this way nails and screws aren't carrying the weight. Each corner should have knee braces on it. Another plus, the 4x4 takes up less space inside the box.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Boxont10



[/quote]

Boffer - Question for you about this method. Do you have to add any hardware to keep the box on the post or will it be ok just sitting on the cut out part of the post?

I'm making 2 x 6 boxes and I'd like to use this method. I'm not handy enough to do it this way but I'm going to enlist hubby's help.
Also for a 2 x 6 box, if I go with the plywood bottom method, do I need to add additional boards at the bottom for bracing? If so, how many?
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Post  LittleGardener 7/26/2011, 4:41 pm

mckr3441 wrote:Boffer... your instructions are awesome :!: :!: :!:

We're going to make TTs for our 91 year old neighbor who just can't do the row thing anymore.
We have an old desk and an old chest of drawers we were going to put them on.
Probably will be 2x4s. Guess the desk and dresser should hold the weight. What do you think?
Who'da thought: taking an old bed-FRAME, & Drawers, & old metal tables - would serve as perpetual cheers Garden-structures...

This thread with oodles of Suggestion is just the most exciting bounce thing, ever!!
Grateful, I THANK you!!
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Post  AprilakaCCIL 7/26/2011, 9:28 pm

Love this very informative thread. Thank you Boffer. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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Post  CarolynPhillips 8/1/2011, 2:00 pm

I already have 4 Table Top Gardens that are 2x8ft.
A friend was closing her silk flower shop and gave me
5 wooden tables....I want to turn them into TT Gardens.
3 of them are at least 2x 8 ft long= untreated rough cut 1x4s
1 is 4x4.= untreated rough cut 1x4s
1 is 3x4= painted.
I will be adding 1"X 10" sides to box them in But I will not completely fill them up with soil cause I want room for mulch at the top.....
I will have to add some center support.


Did Anyone paint the inside of yours?
Should I paint mine?
I will be painting the outside of them.
I put plastic liner on the inside of my other TTs but I really don't like the plastic and would have to change the way I lined it if I used plastic again.
I would like for the boxes to be healthy and last a very long time but I
personally don't think paint is that harmful==at least not as harmful
as the air I breath. Rolling Eyes

I saw a few subjects on Table Tops but I want to see more.
It is my newest obsession besides growing tomatoes because
I have arthritis = severely. I want to build these gardens before it gets too bad.

Will you post your Table Top Gardens and feed my obsession? Show some that have plants growing in them too. I need veggie ideas. I know squash takes up a lot of space in a table top garden but it is sooooo easy to see those ugly nasty squash bugs so I can kill them with my duct tape.

This is what the tables look like now. I hope they work out.
Any suggestions before I start this construction would be great too.

Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 100_1372
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Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Empty To paint or not to paint

Post  hankyknot 8/2/2011, 10:38 am

Personally I wouldn't paint preferring instead to either build from a more naturally resistant wood such as cedar or using a more natural wood preservative. You could of course consider using a natural "paint" rather than a manufactred oil based product too.

Oh and btw I made 3x3 tabletop gardens mounted on 4x4 sheets of ply and find the 6" shelf all round the edge to be a godsend. It means I get to keep all my stuff at the same height rather than leaving it on the floor and bending down as much to pick stuff up as I ever did gardening at ground level.
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Post  CarolynPhillips 8/2/2011, 11:48 am

I thought about that too=== a ledge around the tt garden. One of these tables is 2 1/2 feet wide. That would give me a 6 inch shelf on the front if I made the box 2 ft wide. Glad you mentioned it cause I forgot to. Have a million and one projects happening around here. Rabbit cages, chicken coops, goat barn, and my own home.
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Post  boffer 8/2/2011, 12:02 pm

For those of us trying to utilize every square foot available for growing, the advantages of shelf space pales in comparison to gaining more growing space.

That being said, shelves are wonderful. I made a couple that hang on the side of my TT boxes. They can be moved around from box to box, but I have found the area that seems to be centralized, and I just leave them there. They hold plant tags, markers, trowel, coffee cup, and seed packages, as well as provide a dry writing surface.
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Post  UnderTheBlackWalnut 8/2/2011, 3:35 pm

I like the idea of shelves too -but will probably rig something up that sits slightly under the table (rather than becomes something I have to lean over)...because at only around 5' tall, my arm's reach is not so long...yea, I'm not short I'm vertically challenged... Smile Boff - I like your idea of a movable 'holder' for all those kind of things - right now mine is one of those plastic bins like you see at the Wal store that has a handle in the middle that folks often put cleaning supplies in. Smile
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Post  boffer 8/2/2011, 3:49 pm

UnderTheBlackWalnut wrote:right now mine is one of those plastic bins like you see at the Wal store that has a handle in the middle that folks often put cleaning supplies in. Smile

I'm pretty sure I know what you mean; I can see one of those with some brackets bolted on, so the brackets slip over the top edge of the box.

I also have a couple large rural mailboxes (the kind next to the street on posts) in the garden areas to hold even more 'stuff'.
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Post  CarolynPhillips 8/3/2011, 1:01 pm

I like the mail box tool box. Thats a good one. And a shelf on the end is good too.
I agree about the shelving verses garden growing space. It won't be a perfect square foot but it will grow a lot of food in an 8 ft span.
I really appreciate all these wonderful ideas. The mail box is definitely a future project
and will do a shelf on the end for now. I have wood for that. bounce
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Post  janezee 11/13/2011, 11:15 pm

This is such an excellent thread, I thought I'd bump it. Is there a way to save a favorite on this site, rather than on my browser? Is this a sticky? Shouldn't it be?
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Post  shannon1 3/18/2012, 3:21 am

This is a great thread. Not a handy person I used milk creats stacked 2 high and they work great.
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Post  boffer 5/20/2013, 11:35 pm


UPDATE

I sure love my tabletops! But I wanted to pass along a downside to them that I found. It's related to my climate in the PNW; I don't know how applicable it is in other climates.

Four years ago I noticed that some warm season crops like squash and cukes were not growing as well in my TT as they did in the ground. I thought it was odd, because cool crops grew well in my TTs. I had good MM in my TTs, and 5 way compost on the ground.

Then I wondered if the amount of direct sun was the issue because my TTs don't get as much sun as the ground garden does. The next two seasons, I grew the squashes in boxes right next to those on the ground. Same sun, but the box stuff still didn't grow as well as those in the ground. I just couldn't believe my MM was to blame!

Last year I built a greenhouse. I planted squash and cukes in a box in the greenhouse, and in a box outside, and in the ground. The plants in the greenhouse box and those in the ground grew well and were comparable. Those in the outside box still lagged way behind. AHA! Now I was able to eliminate sun and growing medium as the culprit.

This spring, I took regular temperature measurements of the growing medium in my TTs, the ground, and in the greenhouse. The TTs were consistently 5-8 degrees cooler than the ground or greenhouse boxes.

Conclusion: In my variably cool climate, TTs with welded wire bottoms don't warm up, and stay warm, as well as the ground, which slows the growth of some warm season crops. So, I recently started putting foam board on top of the welded wire to see if that helps the MM retain warmth better. I'll update again when I find out.

If we have a summer where we're lucky to get a stretch of +80° days, our nighttime lows may still drop to the low/mid 40s. Having the open bottom on a TT allows the MM to cool off too quickly at night. On the other hand, cool crops appreciate the cooler temps, and it helps prevent bolting.

If you're growing squashes and cukes in a TT in a hot climate, how are they doing for you?
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Post  plantoid 5/21/2013, 7:08 pm

Boffer ,
If you encased the TT's in a skirt of material of any sort , you will stop the air movement and thus slow the evaporative cooling effect of the wind on the underside of the beds in the shade which as you have found out makes the beds several degrees cooler . You will need to leave some path for air movement but it only needs to be an inch hole or so on each face mid way between growen and the base of the table .
With you adding the foam sheet to the underside you have done just that in a slightly different way .

Historic fact ...
Before the advent of air conditioning by modern aircon machines the big stores in the USA in the early 1900's used coconut fibre mats by the main entrances soaked in perfumed water for customers with leather soled shoes to walk over , , the soles soaked up a bit of water and then they walked around the stores , which when it evaporated dropped the store temps considerably in high summer .
Big electric suction fans on the roofs drew the air in from the ground floor customer access dors s and other piped vent floor areas in other levels .
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Post  boffer 5/21/2013, 7:33 pm

Good idea, plantoid. The skirts would be an easy retro-fit for the existing boxes until it's convenient to empty them and lay in foam board.

Wet shoe soles to cool off a building; how clever is that!

How about if we bring back the huge ceiling fans that are linked by drive chain to a stationary bicycle? It would create jobs , reduce energy use, contribute to the economy, and it's green to boot! alrighta
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Post  bnoles 5/21/2013, 7:36 pm

Those wet sole shoes would bring nothing but law suits in this day and age. Sounds like it was a good idea at the time and would be pleasant to the nostrils as well.
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Post  merelydicta 8/14/2013, 9:59 pm

boffer wrote:I'm a big TT SFG fan.  Here's a thread listing some of the reasons you might want to try one.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/general-sfg-talk-f5/tabletops-take-sfg-to-a-higher-level-t41.htm  



This thread is about building a TT SFG.

In it's simplest form, a TT is a SFG bed sitting off the ground, at the height of your preference.  Kitchen counters are typically 36 inches high, and that is the height of most of my beds.  For beds 4x4 and smaller, the simplest solution is to attach a piece of 3/4 inch plywood, with a couple 1/4 inch drain holes in each square,  to the bottom of your box, and set it on something.  It could be something free or cheap like cinder blocks, an old cabinet, old roll around toolbox, sawhorses, a table, an upside down cart,  a trailer frame, a couple chairs, a picnic table or benches, a metal garbage can, a barrel, or the edge of a deck that's the right height; I'm sure you can think of others.  Perhaps you want to experiment one summer with one box to see if you like TT SFG.  These would all work, with little investment, in case you didn't like it.

Here's some ideas for a more permanent set-up.  Cinder blocks are stable and sturdy if you like the look.  If you place 2 of the block legs longwise in one direction, and the other 2 legs turned 90 degrees, you will eliminate most of the wiggle in the table.  Always place your blocks with the holes up; this is the position they are designed to carry weight in.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Bedonb10


This is my neighbor's TT on saw horses.  They are roughly 3x8.  He spent a lot of time making quality saw horses, but now he is beginning to convert them to steel frames.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Neighb10


In the above picture, notice the the angle of the legs that create a large, stable footprint.  In the picture below, the top of the leg has been notched to carry the load of the horizontal board.  This is a technique that was perfected way back when carpenters wouldn't dream of buying a sawhorse.  It's stable, solid, and doesn't wiggle.  My neighbor did his the old school way-with hand tools.  Notice the hardware cloth used for the bottom.  More about that farther on.



Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Sawhor10



If saw horses don't strike your fancy, maybe using 4x4 posts for legs will.  I have made TTs with 4x4 posts, but I don't have pictures of the finished product.  I did take some pictures to show how to do it.  Probably the simplest way is to use an angle hangar, available at your favorite hardware where all the other construction fasteners are located.  You'll need eight, two per leg.

This box is upside down, with the leg sticking up in the air.  I only had one angle hangar on hand for the picture, but each leg gets two.  The hangars use special nails: 8d-10d, 11/4-11/2 inches long.  You'll find them near where you found the hangars.  Important: every nail hole in the hangar must be used (I think there's 12 per hangar).  The weight of the SFG bed is under the max load of the hangar, but still, be safe, do it right.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 4x4han10



The hangars will carry the weight OK, but they'll tend to wiggle.  Put on knee braces.  They look like this, 2 per leg.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Knee_b10



But, if you're handy with tools, hand or power, and you would enjoy the satisfaction of making something the old school way, cut corner tenons on your leg tops.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Corner10


See how the weight of the box sits on top of the post; this way nails and screws aren't carrying the weight.   Each corner should have knee braces on it.  Another plus, the 4x4 takes up less space inside the box.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Boxont10



These two methods of attaching posts are simple to do, and I feel comfortable recommending them because I know they will hold the weight.  rds1955 had mentioned to me the idea of using 4 inch pvc pipe for legs.  Compression strength-wise they would work, but I haven't worked out attachment and fastening details that would be feasible for most everybody.  I'd like to hear about your methods, if you've used other materials for legs.


My last suggestion for TT legs is a steel frame table.  Here's a sample:


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Steelf10


Here it is with a box on it.  I have plywood on this box because I'm using it for an experiment this summer.  At the end of the season, I'll take the plywood off and just use the welded wire that I already put on the frame.  (I'll lose the zip ties then, too)


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Boxons10




If you were to have one made, here's the cheapest way:  use angle iron, 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8 for the whole thing.  Big ball park cost: 90 cents a foot for material, 1-2 hours of shoptime, depending on details.  You could spend more for round or square legs, or you could you use pvc pipe as sleeves to cover the angle iron.   Or you can keep your eyes open for stuff like one of these carts.  It was a steal for a buck each.  I figure one hour to strip it, flip it, remove the casters, and paint it.  I could leave the casters on it, but I don't have any concrete in my SFG area.



Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Steelc10



Here's some of my steel framed TTs.  I'm trying to get them consolidated this year so I can put up deer fencing.  Table sizes are all different, based strictly on what materials I had available when it was time to make a box.  TT's can be spaced closer together than beds on the ground.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Overvi10



Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Origin11



Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Overvi12



TT SFG bottoms:  Plywood vs. hardware cloth


I've heard a number of folks say they've had plywood bottoms on their TTs for over 5 years, and I believe them.  But in my climate, it would never happen.  That's why I use hardware cloth for my bottoms.  All my boxes are made of pressure treated 2x's lined with 6 mil plastic.  

Folks with plywood bottoms also say their boxes warm up just as quickly as their boxes on the ground.  I would say my hardware cloth bottoms warm up a little slower.  Maybe 7-10 days.  For my gardening practices, it's irrelevant.

Don't try to save money using chicken wire.  It won't work.  Hardware cloth can be attached with screws with washers, nails bent over, wire fence staples, or ?.   I space mine every 5 inches or so.

For a 6 inch tall box I recommend  putting in 3 bottom supports on 12 inch centers, using 2x2s.  If the box is taller, you could use 2x4s on 16 inch centers.  I mount mine inside the box using 2x4 hangars.  The hangar comes with nail holes for 2x4s.  You'll have to drill a hole where marked for 2x2s.  With a little patience, all the fasteners can be hidden on the inside of the box.  Be sure to fasten to the bottom supports, too.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 2x2han10



I waited till my neighbor was at church so I didn't have to tell him I needed some 'what not to do pictures".  Here he used old hand railing which is OK.  But, the spacing is way too wide, and it's secured with one screw.  Nails and screws aren't intended to carry weight like this.  If you put your supports inside the box, there's no visible sag.


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Sagbot10



Here's an old bed frame.  The springs offer enough support to use chicken wire..


Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Bedfra11



For TT beds bigger than 4x4, you're on your own.  A 4x8 bed holds over half a yard, and when the soil is saturated-we're starting to talk about some serious weight.  Personally, for a 4x8 bed I would increase the size of the boards.  So unless you have free/cheap wood on hand, two 4x4s are probably cheaper and easier to build than a 4x8.

These are just some ideas to get you going.  If you have suggestions that have worked for you, please post them.
Thanks for the sharing boffer!

This is such a great resource to me!
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Post  kelhami 3/9/2014, 2:31 pm

Ok, so last year, Id planned to make four 4x4 boxes. They werent going to be table top, per say, but I wanted them slightly elevated on cinder blocks, so that, in case we move, the bottoms would still be in good condition (not rotted or whatnot). Not even sure if that makes sense. For some reason I cant remember exactly what I was planning/how I was gonna put this together. Can someone help me please?

16 2x4's (4' long, 2" thick): Outer frames of SFGs
12 1x4's (4' long, 1" thick) : Bottom supports of SFGs
1 roll of thick clear plastic  (I assume this and the next 3 are for the bottom, not sure what order to put them in. Also, did I buy the plastic to line the entire inside of the boxes or...?)
1 roll of welded fencing: see above
1 roll of weed blocker material: see above
1 bundle lathes/sticks: Grid over box
1 box wooden deck screws (to assembled the boxes?)
1 box poultry net staples (for the fencing on the bottom of the box?)
1 box small nails (to nail the laths to frame?)
several small bags of machine screws with washers (to screw the laths together?)

I think the main things confusing me is the bottom... if the plastic, fencing, weed blocker, and wood supports are all for the bottom, what order do they go in and how am I attaching it all? And since I didnt buy cinder blocks, maybe I wasnt going to do them??? I dunno. Very confused, but need to get this project finished today.

Im thinking:

TOP OF BOX

plastic (along inside of box also?)
weed blocker (this seems out of place, not sure why I have this, maybe something to do with blocking the drainage holes through the plastic so the dirt doesnt fall out?)
fencing
wood supports

BOTTOM OF BOX

Advice is appreciated.
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Post  recoush 3/30/2014, 9:31 am

Boffer,
Excellent article thank you, also thank you for telling me how to search for this 
as Table Tops 

Also excellent about the weight of the material (sagging) all excellent suggestions 
Cheers to you 
 Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 3170584802
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Post  Goosegirl 3/30/2014, 9:43 am

Excellent How-To pics Boffer!

GG
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Post  boffer 3/30/2014, 9:53 pm

You're welcome, recoush. Thank you, GG.

I have the materials to make more TTs, but I don't need any more.

I've been waiting nearly two years for an organization in town to get a community garden up and running so I can donate and setup a couple TTs. I know that they're working on it, but it's been a slooooow process. Maybe this year; maybe next!  Rolling Eyes 
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Post  ralitaco 2/14/2015, 1:17 pm

Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Boxont10


How do you attach the plywood to the bottom? do you screw it in under the 2x's or do you attach a ledge on the inside.
I am trying to decide what to do with the one I built
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Post  sanderson 2/14/2015, 3:01 pm

Screw it to the bottom with support at least every 2'.  Simple support sitting on 4" x 6".  Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Raised11
Table top style #1: Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Table_16
Table top style 1 underneath supports: Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Table_17
Short table top / raised bed style #2, my favorite style: Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Raisie10
Closeup corner construction of style #2: Building a Table Top SFG...some ideas - Page 2 Raisie12
Inside the box, there is a flat 2 x 4 screwed to the sides at the midpoint (2' mark), flush with the bottom edge.  The plywood is then screwed down to it when the box is upside down.  Probably not the longest lasting design but should hold for 3-4 years. The beds are 10 1/2" deep so the 2 x 4 does take up much space to be of any concern.

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Post  moswell 3/2/2015, 2:13 pm

Boffer - did you find that the foam insulation worked in helping to heat the box?
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