or maybe apply some sill nosing somehow? and then, glue all the planters onto that?

Are you afraid the cat (or the wind) might topple your planters over the edge of the ledge? Why can't you install a piece of weather-proofed wood or metal railing across the opening at a point low enough to restrain the planter but not too high to block the plants? Your gorilla tape idea is not going to work on such a rough surface like stucco. I've used gorilla tape and it's like electrician's tape on steroids. It's very sticky, but it's not THAT strong to do as you want to do.

Thank you for great ideas. HOW KIND! THANK YOU!

Well, yes, I am up very high and can not risk having a plant fall below and hurt someone. I also do not want them to fall on My patio, either! Or, worse, go flying in a high wind and break my windows..

I want to stay away from metal, as it rusts.

You are right about wood, and I might end up "having to" use wood, but wood gets moldy, (it is crazy humid here and it rains Every day for months here). I can use treated wood, but eventually, even that can get moldy...

How to attach the wood to stucco? Driling into the stucco is not encouraged here, as that can begin the whole stucco melting /molding/leaking problem. Stucco is weird.

I am not allowed by HOA to install bars across the openings, and that would probably include the wooden bar you describe. That IS a good idea, and i did toy with it, but, that would involve drilling a hole into stucco, which i am "trying to" avoid doing,

and the HOA would complain sooner or later about a bar there.

Yes, i have not yet used the gorilla TAPE, but their website "says" it sticks on brick and cement, and "rough" surfaces, so i would think it would stick on stucco, too? but maybe it won't...

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0787PGKWR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That link is for the pre=cut squares, but it is also sold as double sided rolls.

It is, however, apparently VERY hard to remove and would damage the stucco under it when i remove it.

so i was thinking i would like something over the stucco to protect it.... not sure.THANK YOU FOR HELPING< it is nice to have someone to discuss this project with!

I was wondering if i hired someone to build me a shelf type of thing, (probably wood.. sigh)

that would slip on and lift back off. Not permanently attached, more like a topper i guess.

LIke an UPSIDE DOWN U shaped thing, with maybe 6 inch overhangs on each side of the ledge.

and paint this with ____?_____? something waterproofing ?

and then,

i could lift it off entirely for hurricanes and tropical storms, (I live in Florida) and, if i decided to go digging off a planter i had glued on, i would only be ruining my own wooden shelf.

I would prefer plastic but i don't know how to find people who can make an item like that out of plastic..?

so i am guessing it'd be weatherized wood.

What do you think of this idea? It might get coslty though, i have no idea what they would charge to build this for me. I would need 3 of them.

__OR__ what if i cut some type of thicker, slightly pliable-ish plastic to fit and either nailed or gorilla taped that to the top surface of the stucco ledge,

and glue my pots onto THAT plastic instead of directly onto the stucco..?

This seems like it would give me a better chance to be able to remove my pots now and then. I could scrape the gorilla tape off of the smooth plastic probably...

i wonder where i could get this plastic?

How about a shelf suspended from above? A few eye-bolts, some chain and a2x12 cut to length should work fine. Kinda like a swing seat.

INteresting idea, Thank you! I am not sure that would deter the cat from sitting on the ledge (my original goal with all of this!) OR worse, the shelf might swing and knock my cat to his death below...

and it "might" make it harder to secure plants on a moving item.. but it is thought provoking idea to mull over! Hanging something from above the opening is an idea...

One good idea leads to another!

to Rdback, if there was some way to secure that board... so it would not swing...

If the pots are secured there how would you prevent their drainage from staining the stucco?

tj

well, i am hoping to just place artificial plants in them, no dirt involved. But honestly i am not sure. Pots with "flowers" would look cute and it would prevent my cat from trying to jump up on this ledge which is actually four stories up in the air...

but it is possible even water could stain the stucco i think, (not sure).

so, that is why i would wondering if i should place "something" like a plank of pressurized wood or some type of vinyl or plastic underneath, and glue the pots to THAT instead of directly only the stucco...

but how to attach that to the stucco? Just use gorilla tape? or nails? or, will i end up drilling into the stucco after all, even though i am "trying" to avoid drilling into the stucco..

I am now looking over outdoor "stair treads"... maybe i could place these stair treads over the stucco ledge..? by using.. gorilla tape? nails? (not sure..)

i wonder if the stucco itself would grow moldy under the stair treads IF i decide to use stair treads to protect the stucco from the gorilla tape....?

I wonder if the stucco itself would grow moldy underneath "whatever" i choose to cover it with...?

That is why i am also toying with the idea i describe above, about building a cap of sorts, built to be like an UPSIDE "U", that i could slide on and off of the ledge. It would cover the ledge and also have 'overhangs' of about 6 to 10 inches on both sides of the shelf. I could lift it up and put it back on as needed.

and then,

an advantage would be, if i decide i want to chisel off one of my glued on pots? i am only damaging my own wooden shelf and not the stucco....

..........i wonder if there is some way to treat the stucco to prevent mold from starting ?

If i built the upside U to place on and lift off of the ledge, is there any other material that anyone can think of using besides weatherized wood, which i do fear would eventually get moldy in this humidity and rain...

This is an example of the suspended plant concept. I borrowed these pics from a pepper-growing e-friend in Romania. I don't think he'll mind.

Just something to knock around. Plus, I think it looks cool lol.

OH Esther, that is brilliant! I do love that idea! I do not know much about composite lumber, but, i like that this appears to be a design that i could lift on and off, for hurricanes or potential mold growing underneath it.

Or for when i move out.

And it appears i would not have to drill into the stucco either...?

I am off to the hardware store to buy a bit of composite lumbar. Hopefully, they will can cut this to the proper lengths for me? I do not know. I do not own a saw.

HOw will i attach the frontpiece hanging down to the part that lays upon the ledge itself? With gorilla glue for wood? or nails? or what? OH, i see you write that i should use stainless steel screws. Will i need a drill,

or an electric screwdriver to insert them? (I have neither)

The ledge is 7 inches wide. I have 3 ledges, one is 4 feet long, and the other two ledges are both 6 feet long.

Composite lumbar does not mold, right?

Composite lumber is not real wood and I believe it does not mold. That's why I suggested it. You would use stainless steel screws to attach the parts, as they will not rust. Yes, I designed this so that you wouldn't have to put screws into the apartment stucco; it can be removed and used elsewhere. I know Home Depot will cut lumber you buy there; I don't know if this extends to composite lumber. You need precise measurements of the width of the window opening so the front piece can be cut to extend BEYOND that width to keep the platform from falling backward. You need the width of the ledge and its depth (looks like you have the depth already).

If you choose real lumber to work with (like, if Home Depot won't cut composite lumber for you), make sure to choose pieces which are not cupped and not warped. Holding the lumber up, let the other end set on the floor and sight down its length to detect cupping or warping. You don't want those pieces if they do. Hold out for very straight pieces. Also, avoid cracked pieces or ones with other major defects.

So you need:

1) Pieces of composite lumber OR real 1 x 4" lumber (you will have to apply a couple coats of polyurethane finish to preserve the real lumber from the weather, which is not hard to do) which extend a few inches beyond the window opening on either side.

2) Pieces of composite or real lumber which are 7" wide and X" long (depending on which window it's for) for the bottom piece resting on the ledge itself.

3) Pieces of composite or real lumber which are the same length as the bottom piece resting on the ledge, and which extend down like 4". Boards are generally a tad less than 1" thick due to being kiln dried to avoid warping, so your downward back piece needs to be like 5-6" wide, with 1" being taken up by making a butt joint with the bottom piece that is flush with the bottom piece surface. I'm not sure if there is a glue which becomes weatherproof upon drying; very likely there is.

4) Stainless steel screws which are about 1 3/4" long--almost 1" of that length will be taken up by the thickness of the front piece, with the remaining length extending into the bottom piece, and the same kind of screws going through the downward back piece into the other side of the bottom piece. Perhaps you can BORROW a drill from a friend or neighbor to make a pilot hole less than the diameter of the screws you are using so that you can then screw the screws into the lumber and have it bite into the wood for a secure joining. There are also self-driving screws which can make their own starter hole, but I rather prefer drilling a starting hole and then screwing in a regular screw. And then perhaps you can BORROW a screwdriver from a friend or neighbor; it doesn't have to be an electric screwdriver. Sure wouldn't hurt to keep a few straight and Philips screwdrivers around the house for a quick repair here and there.

You may need some medium rough sponge sanding blocks to take any cutting burrs off the cut edges of the composite or lumber, to give a more finished look and avoid splinters.

Good luck and have fun!

I would ask the HOA to CLARIFY their "no bar" policy. I'd be willing to bet that what they actually mean is they don't want bars completely blocking the window opening, like burglar bars. A single low bar a few inches high, that's a whole 'nother story. That would not prevent exit from that window during an emergency, like a fire.

Another material you might use is the same nylon they make nylon (those antibacterial kind) cutting boards. I once designed a U shaped custom litter box to fit inside a bathroom vanity, U-shaped to fit around the plumbing trap. I made it out of said nylon cutting board material. Where did I get it? I called a couple of companies which made custom-made nylon cutting boards and asked them what was their least popular color (turned out it was black). I then asked them about acquiring some of their scraps at a good price, and we worked out a deal. Obviously it's weatherproof and can be attractive, yet structurally strong. We assembled the litter box with silicon caulking and stainless steel screws. I used that litter box for 12 years until I moved. Then I remodeled a thrift store serving cabinet with double doors into a cat litter hide. Works great.

Your outdoor stair tread idea will be unstable and could fall. That's why I designed my doohickey for you to straddle the window. You need that bar in the front to prevent plants from falling off the ledge onto passers-by. Explain THAT to the HOA darlings.

The suspended plants in the other idea might look cool, but what happens when there is considerable wind? I could visualized the pots swinging violently back and forth and plants falling off those "swings", possibly hitting people below. That's why I designed you a stable "land based" doohickey. Your gorilla tape may very well not stick well to the stucco, especially if it got wet, and it might damage the stucco if you tried to remove it. So you could have problems either way.

If you are concerned about mold, it would be extremely easy to attach some low feet to the horizontal part of the doohickey to give a bit of air clearance under it to avoid mold.

OH THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!! YOU are a gem!! Now, what do i coat the wood or composite wood with? There seem to be a LOT Of various waterproofing sealers, do you know which one is best for hot rainy climate? Or, should i be coating it with an anti-mold solution?

ACtually, i guess i should i post a whole new topic for that last question..?

gorilla tape will not work on stucco. I tried it when stringing xmas twinkle lights. It came off quickly!

Kaysville Plastic Railing Planter