Expert: Dan Griffin - 3/13/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Dan;

I'm hoping you can answer my question.  We want to expand our patio to the north but there is a beautiful planter that the former home owner built.  It is not attached to the current patio but surrounded by the patio on two sides.  The planter is about 2 feet by 6 feet and about a foot and a half high.  Looks like he poured a footing and then there must be some sort of frame under stones set into concrete that forms the planter.   I'd love to have it moved to a different spot on the property but am afraid it might get damaged.  The other problem is that it's impossible to get any kind of machinery back there.  I was thinking of digging all around it and then renting a pallet jack (or two) and trying to move it that way.  I know there has to be a way.  After all, the pyramids were built without machinery!
Let me know what you think.

Thanks for your time.

Kimman

ANSWER: Have you dug out the planter to see all of the inside?

If it is a stone planter on the outside with concrete on the inside, I suspect it was cast flat on the ground, face side down.  It would be extremely difficult to do this in vertical forms (not impossible, though)  If so, there will be 4 separate pieces bolted, screwed, epoxied together at the corners which may or may not be pinned to the footing/rat slab/base.  You should be able to separate into 4 pieces and move them.

If I did not understand the description of the planter, give me more information.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Dan;
I don't think it is bolted, screwed or epoxied because the corners are curved and rounded concrete.  I would like to send you a picture but I don't know if this format allows that.  I'm not very good at describing and a picture will tell you so much more.

Answer
Kimman, you are correct that this forum doesn't facilitate pictures.  There are a number of free posting sites like photobucket where you could post one.  As you said, they built the pyramids without cranes and dozers.

A pallet jack may be capable of the weight.  You would need to be able to get the planter on top of the pallet jack (about 4").  These things don't roll worth a flip even on hard surfaces - you would need to build a plywood,3/4 minimum, road to the destination or leap-frog the sheets.
There is a tool called a spud bar/Johnson bar/pry bar that would help raising and nudging the thing. Make sure to protect concrete edges with scrap 2x4 or similar to avoid marring.  Using pipe would probably work as well as the pallet jack, though more material and time.

If you can get one end of the planter raised up, you have a doable project.  You would need cribbing, blocks, pipe rollers, and leverage.

You could always bet the right personality - don't we all know one? - that it can't be done.  Beer and barbeque can help.