LUSITANO RETREAT — P31 BUILD NOTES
Use only with the main pallet guide and material intake checks. Illustrative dimensions are not a structural rating.

MEASUREMENTS
1. Final panel height, width, rail centres and anchorage come from the reviewed frame drawing.
2. Record each pot diameter, bracket projection and fully wet weight, plus access for removal and watering.

CUT LIST / COMPONENTS
1. Accepted facing boards: cut individually to the reviewed panel schedule after measuring actual cover width.
2. Independently specified anchored frame, pot brackets and all structural connections.
3. Separate suitable pots and liners; decorative boards do not carry pot brackets unless the design explicitly provides that connection.

TOOLS
1. Tape, pencil and square; clamps and a flat bench.
2. Suitable saw, drill/driver and pilot bits matched to the chosen fasteners.
3. Sander with effective extraction; metal detector before machining accepted boards.

ASSEMBLY
1. Choose the actual pots and weigh representative pots fully watered, including saucers and growing media. Record their diameters and bracket projections; mark each position on a paper elevation so removal and maintenance can happen without reaching through other plants.
2. Have the complete support frame, ground or wall anchorage, corrosion exposure, wet loads and wind reviewed for the location. Obtain a dimensioned elevation naming frame members, bracket connections and decorative facing attachment points; an old pallet is not the engineered support.
3. Compare the reviewed drawing against the actual site and mark services, doors, drainage and inspection access. If the substrate or ground differs from the drawing, resolve that discrepancy before cutting; do not improvise an anchor or increase the panel height.
4. Select accepted decorative boards, measure their width and thickness and make a numbered cutting schedule from the drawing. Mark each bracket penetration and removable inspection zone; arrange board ends over the specified support positions rather than spanning an unassessed gap.
5. Prepare a small facing sample with the selected new exterior fixings and actual frame material. Drill and position holes according to the reviewed detail, checking timber splitting and back-face tip clearance; record the successful preparation before producing the remaining pieces.
6. Install the specified frame and anchorage through the competent person responsible for that work, and record the checks before hiding connections. Attach prepared facing boards only at the specified locations, maintaining drainage gaps, bracket access and the designed separation from soil.
7. Attach pot brackets directly to the designed support arrangement using its specified connections; decorative boards cannot silently become the load path. Place pots one at a time in their allocated positions and confirm each can be removed without disturbing neighbouring brackets.
8. Water the plants under normal conditions and inspect where runoff travels, keeping it away from concealed joints and routes. Document the finished positions and initial inspection, then check after wet or windy conditions and remove pots if anchorage, brackets or boards loosen.

FINISH AND CARE
1. Exterior finish suited to actual species and exposure; coat end grain as instructed.
2. Keep pots separate from reclaimed timber; maintain the designed drainage and inspection openings.

COMPLETION CHECKS
1. Frame and bracket checks recorded before occupancy or guest access.
2. Wet pots remain within assessed arrangement; no unanchored leaning pallet or blocked drainage.

Guide: https://lusitanoretreat.com/build-guides/building-with-pallets/#project-p31