How to attach copper sheet as snail protection?

[Boolean]

Hi,

Promised my wife a small raised bed for vegetables and it turned out reasonably okay (built it with two plastic tubs). However, the happiest ones were the slugs that got a tasty salad.

I don't want to put up electric cables.

Since I have some copper sheet left over from a roof renovation, I decided to test the rumor that slugs don't like copper sheet. I tested it by placing the sheet in front of both large Spanish slugs and smaller snails. Amazingly, it worked - the slugs oozed slime and foam and turned around each time.

My problem now is attaching the metal.

I thought of clamping the strip between two boards, but the gap in the wood will get too big over time.

You can't attach copper with other metal due to corrosion.

Copper nails/tacks are hardly available, and if you find them, a box costs more than the entire raised bed.

My ideas:

Make my own tacks by cutting small pieces of the copper sheet. Possibly bend them into sharp pieces and hammer them into the wood. But, clumsy/ugly and risk creating sharp edges?

Attach with plastic tacks. Is there even a durable version?

Use regular metal nails and insulate with something like a gasket/insulation piece. Possibly small nail washers. Will the washers be visible and look ugly? You could use brass nails. That's still my best idea right now.

Glue? The sheet will expand and contract with temperature changes and will come loose?

Have I missed an obvious solution?

It doesn't hurt if it looks nice

 

[Stubai]

Stainless steel screw is, as I understand, a reasonable alternative when copper options are not available.

I believe I have both nails and screws in stock and have been able to sell individually, but it depends on where in the country you are located?

 

[Boolean]

Thank you very much, but I have stainless listspik.
Still, I think there will be a reaction with the copper sheet after a year?

 

[Walle85]

Now I understand that you actually wanted to use some copper scraps, but if you don't think it's particularly important and can consider spending about 100 SEK, then copper tape might be an alternative.
I ran it around the children's sandbox, no snails have gotten up/into the sandbox, and the tape has stayed in place for about 2 years now.

 

[Dilato]

The difference between copper and brass respectively stainless steel is so small that they can be combined without the risk of corrosion.
https://www.koppar.com/kopparror/koppar/2003.html

 

[Dilato]

Thank you very much, but I have stainless listspik.
Still believe there will be a reaction with the copper sheet after a year or so?

Hardly, stainless & copper are very close to each other in the galvanic series.
Then it's only when it's damp that something happens.
https://www.teokonsult.se/pdf-filer/Korrosionstabell-2010.pdf

 

[Boolean]

Now I understand that you actually wanted to use some copper scraps, but if you don't find it particularly important and might consider spending about 100 SEK, then copper tape could be an option. I wrapped it around the children's sandbox, no snails have gotten up/in the sandbox and the tape has held up well for about 2 years now.

Yes, thought of a synergy effect with old stuff from the basement
Ok, two years, I thought this tape was less "noble" and effective. Good input

 

[Boolean]

Hardly, stainless & copper are very close to each other in the galvanic series.
Then it's only when it's damp that something happens.
[link]

Ok, then that's my probable solution - thanks!

 

[Troberg]

You don't want to run electricity, but why not strip a cable and run bare copper wire, without electricity?

 

[Thomas_Blekinge]

Hi,

Promised the wife a small planter box for vegetables and it turned out fairly okay (built it using two plastic tubs).
The snails, however, were the happiest with the tasty salad.

I don't want to put up electrical wires.

Since I have some copper sheet left over from a roof renovation, I decided to test the rumor that snails do not like copper sheet.
I tried it by placing the sheet in front of both the large Spanish slug and smaller garden slugs.
Amazingly, it worked - the snails secreted slime and foam and turned around every time.

My problem now is attaching the metal.

I thought of clamping the strip between two boards, but the gap in the wood will become too large over time.

You can't attach copper with another metal due to corrosion.

Copper nails/tacks are hardly available to buy, and if you find them, a box costs more than the whole planter box.

My thoughts:

Make my own tacks by cutting small pieces of the copper sheet. Possibly bend them into sharp pieces and hammer them into the wood.
But, clunky/ugly and risks creating sharp surfaces?

Attach with plastic tacks
Is there even a durable variant?

Use regular metal nails and insulate with a type of washer/insulation piece. Possibly small nail washers.
Would the washers be visible and look ugly? You could use brass nails.
That's still my best idea right now.

Glue?
The sheet moves with temperature changes and will come loose?

Have I missed any obvious solution?

It doesn't matter if it looks nice

You can buy copper nails cheaply from me. How many do you need?

 

[Boolean]

You don't want to run electricity, but why not strip a cable and run bare copper wire, without electricity?

A thought, but I think a single wire won't stop a snail; when I tested, you need about 2 cm for them to have time to react and turn around.

 

[Boolean]

You can buy copper nails cheap from me. How many do you need?

Cheers!
But I have brass nails and they seem to work.