Commercial
metal planters

An industry leader in custom premium commercial grade
metal planters, partitions for over 40 years.

C3 Planters has been an industry leader in custom metal planters for over 40 years. We strive for excellence, and try harder to do the right thing. We fabricate our commercial planters out of aluminum, stainless steel, corten steel, pre-galvanized metal and fibreglass, and offer inhouse CAD design and engineering to ensure you get exactly what you want.

Our decades of industry experience allow us to make large reinforced planters for commercial applications with ease. Whether your desire is to have a fuchsia planter, or a planter that is just your perfect shade of grey, we can make that happen. Find yourself on a tight timeline and need your planters yesterday?*

*Based on shop load when orders are placed, rush charges may apply.

standard planters

cubes

columns

troughs

partitions

tapers

cylinders

Custom Fabrication

custom modular

custom shapes

custom site furnishngs

metal options

powder coating

additional considerations

commercial Fiberglass planters

rosa

Product Details

Flora

Product Details

Calla

Product Details

about us

Established in 1979, C3 Planters have been leaders in precision custom metal planters, troughs, partitions and custom metal fabrication for over 40 years. As a family-owned business, we live up to our reputation of excellent customer service by going above and beyond to meet your unique planter needs. Our high-quality custom premium commercial grade metal planters, partitions, and custom metal on-site furniture are sure to exceed your expectations, and make any space look great!

With our turn-key manufacturing, our CAD design team assists with 3D modeling and prototypes, through to the production and powder coat finishing stage of any custom planter. Our CNC precision equipment ensures your planters are made accurately and efficiently every time. No job is too big, too small or “outside the box” – we enjoy a challenge.

At C3 Planters, we view our customers like family; we’re proud of the relationships and partnerships we’ve earned over the years. We are a division of CODE ELECTRIC PRODUCTS LTD. Come visit us at our 50,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Port Coquitlam, BC; or reach out to us via phone or email…we’d love to work with you on your commercial planter projects.

Cubes

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: Standard 1″ lip

dimensions and weight chart for cube planters

Columns

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: Standard 1″ lip

troughs

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: Standard 1″ lip
**1 1/2 lip with 1″ return
+stiffeners

partitions

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: Standard 1″ lip
**1 1/2 lip with 1″ return
+stiffeners

tapers

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: Standard 1″ lip

cylinders

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: None

metal options

Aluminum

We make our planters out of a variety of different sheet metals, but typically we use thick gauge, marine grade aluminum. Aluminum is the best choice when it comes to making planters as it makes them light, strong, corrosion proof, easy to ship, handle & install. Our go-to is 1/8” thick 5052 aluminum alloy. We primarily fabricate using this thickness and employ techniques that make our planters incredibly strong so that they will not bow out or deflect. These techniques enable us to keep pricing competitive while supplying a robust and premium product. When needed, we can also fabricate out of thicker gauges of 5000 & 6000 series aluminum.

Weathering Steel
(Cor-ten)

We also fabricate custom planters out of Weathering Steel. Weathering Steel is often referred to by the generic trademark name COR-TEN steel. It is a steel alloy with great tensile strength that over time develops a stable rust patina finish. This process of surface oxidation and complete self-sealing can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending on environmental factors such as temperature cycles and precipitation levels. We typically fabricate our custom Weathering Steel planters out of 11-gauge material and internally reinforce it like our powder coated aluminum planters, to produce a strong and robust product while keeping costs down.

Galvanized Steel

Galvanized steel is steel coated in zinc that makes it quite weatherproof. We can fabricate galvanized planters in two different ways. The first way utilizes pre-galvanized sheets that we assemble using rivets or lock forming sections together. We do this because galvanized steel cannot be welded as that process produces poisonous fumes. The results is a more industrial aesthetic where seams are visible on the planters. The second way involves a process called hot dipping. This is where we fabricate planters out of thick steel plate and then dip them in molten zinc. This technique works great but requires us manufacturing using thicker metal, so the planters do not warp from being dipped in hot molten zinc. Costs associated with hot dipped galvanize planters tend to be significantly higher than powder coated aluminum planters.

Metal Thickness

There is no generic metal thickness that applies to all projects. However, when placing an order or asking for a quote, we will definitely recommend a metal thickness that will be the most appropriate for your project.
We approach these recommendations by properly balancing the fabrication requirements of your planters while providing you with the best possible price. This means that in most cases we will be able to utilize 1/8” thick material or at the most 3/16”.

powder coating

Our planters are not painted, we powder coat them instead. Powder coating is an environmentally friendly process that produces no VOC’s and creates a more durable finish than wet paint.

Powder coats are available in a plethora of colors and finishes, so you can have your planters in any colour you want! We have 8 Standard colours that you can choose from at no extra charge, however, if you do need a custom colour or finish, we can easily help you with that.

At C3 we specifically use “Super Durables”powder coats for all of our planters. Why is this important? Well, planters go through a lot of wear and tear… starting from the on-site installation process to daily traffic and even aggressive plant growth… they really take a beating. We want to make sure that the powder coat we utilize is the longest lasting in all types of harsh conditions, because our goal is to have planters that look great for decades. Super Durables are a critical part of that equation.

What makes a “Super Durable” a “Super Durable?” There are three main things.

First, they are impact resistant. This is a hallmark of all powder coat types, but it is an added benefit when choosing a “Super Durable”. Secondly, they are resistant to salt spray… which is essential in marine or seaside applications. Finally, they are UV rated… which means the powder is specifically formulated to resist fading in the sun compared to regular powder coats. This unfortunately doesn’t mean “Super Durables” won’t fade… everything eventually fades in the sun, but this powder is formulated to retain its brilliance for as long as possible.

The Powder Coating Process

The first step is dressing. This is where we grind smooth the metal that has been welded. We want our welded seams to look exactly the same as the sections we have bent. This process is important to get right, as any anomalies will show up in the finished aesthetics.

After the planters are finished being dressed, they need to be properly washed to remove any dirt and oil that could impede the powder from adhering to the surface of the metal. Once this light chemical wash has been completed and the planters are dry, they are moved to the next phase.

The process of powder coating uses electrical charges. The powder is essentially small plastic granules. We use an electrostatic gun to negatively charge and then spray those powder granules onto a planter that has been grounded. What you end up with is an even film of plastic granules, adhered to the surface of the metal planters as a result of being electrically charged.

After coating them with these charged plastic granules, they are then gently wheeled into a large oven that is approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This heat melts the plastic granules onto the surface of the planters evenly, creating a uniform durable coating. This baking process takes approximately 20 minutes.

Afterwards they are inspected to make sure they are evenly coated.

From the beginning of this process to end, we are meticulously adding the most durable coating to your planters and not missing any details!

The planters are then wheeled out of the oven to cool down.

additional considerations

Shipping

We are teamed up with logistics partners that help us move planters all over the world. Alternatively, you are welcome to arrange pick up of your order from our factory at no extra charge. For all of our orders, we make sure they are well packaged and protected, so they show up to your site in pristine condition.

US Customer Benefits

We ship all over the world, but many of our projects are in the US. To make shipping to the US seamless, we carry a continuous bond that allows our orders to clear customs & travel across the border with ease. In addition to our US customers inherently saving on their orders due to currency exchange rates, our products are also not subject to any tariffs or duties as they fall under the CUSMA free trade agreement. Additionally, we do not collect any State or Federal taxes for orders going to the US, as the remittance of those are the responsibility of the end user. The result can be significant cost savings for our US customers.

Insulation

Surprisingly insulating the inside of planters has more to do with warm weather than it does cold weather. In situations where your planter is going to be exposed to the sun, it would be best for the inside of the planter to be insulated. This especially holds true the darker the powder coat colour.

What will happen if you don’t? Well, the sun will hit the sides of your planter and heat it up… this in turn will heat up the soil inside the planters which will then essentially bake the roots of your plants. This will kill off your plants quite quickly.

What should you insulate with? Our go-to is 1” thick rigid foam insulation. You can get it from most home improvement stores, and it’s easy enough to cut to size and silicone in place on the inside surfaces of your planters when they are being installed on-site.
Alternatively, for an additional cost, we can insulate your planters for you, but either way, if your planters are going to get a lot of sun, it’s best to insulate them properly. Keeping your plants healthy and happy.

custom modular

MATERIAL: 0.125″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat
DRAINAGE HOLES: Yes/No
TOP LIP: *1 ½” Lip, 1″ Return

Plan View

Side View

End View

Modular Design

Bolt together sections
Creates a continuous planting area
Size of planter is unlimited
Drip irrigation easily used
Material usage maximized
Cost Effective
Shipping optimized
Easy handling and assembly

custom shapes

Features

Custom Sizes

Any shape or dimension you can think of we can make with precision and excellence.

Custom Colors

Any color is possible, send us your RAL or Pantone choices and we will make it happen.

Material Options

Aluminum

Lightweight, strong and resistant to corrosion, perfect for commercial grade planters.

Corten

When looking for a stable rustlike appearance in combination weathering resistance.

Galvanized

A cost effective option for basic industrial looking functional outdoor planters.

Stainless

Strong, resilient and corrosion proof, these sleek metal containers will make your space luxe.

Need planters that differ from our standard sizes and colours?

No problem, just let us know what you are looking for and we will be happy to make your custom planters a reality.

No planter is too big or small for us to make at our 50,000 square foot production facility. We fabricate out of aluminum, galvanized steel, corten steel and stainless steel. Our decades of industry experience allow us to make large reinforced planters for commercial applications with ease.

custom site furnishings

MATERIAL: 0.188″ marine grade 5052 aluminum
FINISH: Durable, UV rated powder coat

manufacturing specifications

Standard

1″ Lip

1″ Lip, 1″ Return or 1½” Lip, 1″ Return

(Up to 60″ Planter Length)

Stiffeners Added:

When LxW greater than or equal to 1600 square inch
c/w drop-in tie bars

Modular

1½” Lip, 1″ Return

Stiffeners added:

When LxW greater than or equal to 1600 square inches
c/w struts & drop-in tie bars

stiffeners

For Stock: Punched on CNC
Pieces cut, formed and welded at desired length
Mounted on ¼ – 20 Studs, Clearance holes ø0.375″ on stiffeners
Welded before ends are welded

drain holes

Corner
2″ x 2″ From the corner
ø0.625″
Maximum 24″ between holes

Typical shop drawing example of modular/custom planter

welding instructions

File or grind inside corners. Remove weld swirls for square corner look.

drop-in tie bars

3/8 Rod, bent

warranty & care

Turnaround time

If you are in a rush, we can do our best to accommodate your needs, so feel free to reach out and see how we can help. Standard planter orders typically take 4-6 weeks with Custom orders usually taking 6-8 weeks, not including drawing approval delays.

*Based on shop load when orders are placed, rush charges may apply.

Warranty

C3 Planters products carry a 5-year limited warranty on build/structure and a 1- year limited warranty on powder coat finishes. This limited warranty applies to defects that arise during normal use of the product and does not apply to damage due to shipping, accident, alteration, misuse or unintended use tampering, negligence, abuse or normal wear and tear.

maintenance

Proper care and cleaning can extend the life of your product. To maintain finish, clean regularly with a soft damp cloth and when necessary diluted mild detergent.