Garden planters - how to render??

[Steve111222]

Hi,

I've built my garden planters from 7n concrete dense blocks with the help of bricklayer friend - not sure what i need to do next -pls can someone advise?

1. What steps do i need to take to get it rendered?
2. Do i use K-Render or Sand/Cement + Paint (on the inside and outside)
3. Once it is rendered do i just fill it up with top-soil?

Would appreciate any advice / guidance please as a bit stuck on this..



This is what i have at the moment:





This is the sort of thing i want to get:

 

[lostinthelight]

If its yours I think I would have done somthing about the fence first or is it easier than it looks to get at now?

 

[Steve111222]

we don't own the fence - the owner of the property that does, doesn't want to change it or let us replace it unfortunately

 

[Steve111222]

any ideas... pls help...

 

[StephenStephen]

I wouldn't bother rendering the inside, I'd personally use sand and cement (but I'm no expert)
I'd use a mixture of topsoil and peat free compost

 

[Steve111222]

What would be the Sand and cement mixture? and what type of sand - is it just Sharp Sand?
can you do the scratch coat and top coat on the same day?

 

[conny]

4 sand : 1 cement would be ok.
You can do a top coat if the base coat has dried thoroughly. Don't forget to scratch the surface of the base coat before it sets but not when it is still quite wet.

Builders red sand will be fine.