Balcony Planters & Weight Limits: Saturated Soil Data for UK Balconies

Balcony planter weight is decided by rainfall, not by the figure on the box. Furniture in Fashion sets out a volume based method for UK balconies: calculate the fill volume of every container in litres, plan for the saturated condition rather than the dry delivery weight, and remember that water weighs 1 kg per litre, so retained rain is the variable that moves the load. We explain why no single saturated compost density figure is credible across peat free, loam based and topsoil mixes, why balcony load allowances have to be confirmed for each individual building rather than assumed, and how distribution matters as much as total mass. Practical guidance covers placing heavy containers against the building wall, using narrow troughs instead of deep central planters, avoiding sealed saucers that hold water, and treating wind loading on tall planting as a real force on exposed flats. Lease restrictions on railing fixings are covered too....