Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
fishmonger
Posts: 817
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:20 pm

Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by fishmonger »

Looking to kill some time this upcoming weekend and build a couple raised beds. My 9 yo daughter has a growing greenthumb.

Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
Topic Author
fishmonger
Posts: 817
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:20 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by fishmonger »

Oops, should have been in Personal Consumer Issues - mods, can you move it? My bad
WhyNotUs
Posts: 2610
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:38 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by WhyNotUs »

If you are growing food, I wouldn't use pressure treated.

I build a raised be with concrete landscape blocks and have an elevated bed with cedar. I thought about composite but am growing food so decided not to use it.
I own the next hot stock- VTSAX
weirdsong1
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:39 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by weirdsong1 »

fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Looking to kill some time this upcoming weekend and build a couple raised beds. My 9 yo daughter has a growing greenthumb.

Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
I've built several planting beds in my life, and I've gone back and forth. As you suggest, cedar is fantastic and will last, but it's very expensive for big enough/strong enough boards. Assuming you're talking about a vegetable garden, definitely do not use treated wood...it will seep in your soil which is the most important tool in gardening. Adding organic compost regularly will ensure your garden is successful for years to come. No reason to possibly poison the well from the start.

I've ultimately gone to untreated construction lumber -- 4x4s for corner posts and 2x10 or 2x12 for sides on a 4x8 plot. In my experience they hold up quite nicely and for a fraction of the cost (I've got several in my yard). Contrarily, I've built several smaller potters for the patio and always use cedar, both for durability and aesthetics.
corysold
Posts: 960
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:58 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by corysold »

How about cedar cedar fence pickets? The won't be quite as thick, but you can either line the inside with them, so your soil isn't in contact with treated lumber, or I'd imagine depending on the size of the bed that they'd hold up fairly well on their own.
hicabob
Posts: 3796
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 5:35 pm
Location: cruz

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by hicabob »

Concrete landscape blocks last forever, are easy to reconfigure (if you like lifting heavy stuff) , are safe for food, and are reasonably priced when on sale. I had a bunch left over from a big hardscape project and used them for raised beds. Came out very nicely.
User avatar
oldcomputerguy
Moderator
Posts: 17932
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:50 am
Location: Tennessee

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by oldcomputerguy »

fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:44 am Oops, should have been in Personal Consumer Issues - mods, can you move it? My bad
No worries. :happy
This topic is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum.
There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way. (Christopher Morley)
pshonore
Posts: 8212
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:21 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by pshonore »

weirdsong1 wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:21 am
fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Looking to kill some time this upcoming weekend and build a couple raised beds. My 9 yo daughter has a growing greenthumb.

Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
I've built several planting beds in my life, and I've gone back and forth. As you suggest, cedar is fantastic and will last, but it's very expensive for big enough/strong enough boards. Assuming you're talking about a vegetable garden, definitely do not use treated wood...it will seep in your soil which is the most important tool in gardening. Adding organic compost regularly will ensure your garden is successful for years to come. No reason to possibly poison the well from the start.

I've ultimately gone to untreated construction lumber -- 4x4s for corner posts and 2x10 or 2x12 for sides on a 4x8 plot. In my experience they hold up quite nicely and for a fraction of the cost (I've got several in my yard). Contrarily, I've built several smaller potters for the patio and always use cedar, both for durability and aesthetics.
Good advice although I'd use 2X2s (rip a 2x4) and 1X for the sides. Add a couple of the 1X with pointed end for long runs. Even plain old 1X is getting expensive . 1x12 at HD run about $3 a linear foot. If you have a local sawmill you can probably find if for $1/bd ft for pine, fir, etc. And I'd use screws to fasten together (#8 X 1.5" outdoor screws)
jeff1949
Posts: 876
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:43 am
Location: Salem, OR

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by jeff1949 »

Here is another vote for concrete blocks. I was lucky to find a manufacturing plant that would sell me blemished seconds for about 75% off retail.
User avatar
indexfundfan
Posts: 3962
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:21 am
Contact:

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by indexfundfan »

I used concrete blocks too. Personally I like the look of a raised bed built with concrete blocks.
My signature has been deleted.
jobiewan
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:10 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by jobiewan »

corysold wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:39 am How about cedar cedar fence pickets? The won't be quite as thick, but you can either line the inside with them, so your soil isn't in contact with treated lumber, or I'd imagine depending on the size of the bed that they'd hold up fairly well on their own.
This is definitely the way to go IMO. Cheap and very easy to work with. Sturdy enough to hold up. My first go round way back in the day I used the full thickness cedar boards that cost a fortune. Couple years ago, I built 8 beds using fence pickets and they perform just as good.

I stacked 2 high per side, so my beds are about 12" tall. I used the 5/8" thk boards. Once you get all your tools out you can crank these out pretty quick and it is not backbreaking work like working with concrete blocks would be.
User avatar
MikeWillRetire
Posts: 790
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 12:36 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by MikeWillRetire »

I use 2x8 framing lumber from Lowes, and I make 4'x4' boxes. I get 4 to 5 years of life out of them here in the mid Atlantic region, and then I replace them.
weirdsong1
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:39 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by weirdsong1 »

pshonore wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:51 am Good advice although I'd use 2X2s (rip a 2x4) and 1X for the sides. Add a couple of the 1X with pointed end for long runs. Even plain old 1X is getting expensive . 1x12 at HD run about $3 a linear foot. If you have a local sawmill you can probably find if for $1/bd ft for pine, fir, etc. And I'd use screws to fasten together (#8 X 1.5" outdoor screws)
I'm with you...costs in the lumber world are not what they used to be. I'm always happy to shave costs on a hobby that's supposed to have an element of practicality. However, not to disagree, but the only time I built a planter bed with 1xs is only one that hasn't lasted. If it were a small enough bed and perhaps placed on top of a well-drained area, then I'd consider this again.

Additionaly, I should add that at Home Depot (and Lowes) find warped and slightly damaged boards and then talk to the manager of the lumber section. They'll discount them significantly (upwards of 75%). Obviously ymmv on this...but if you buy when they're not busy, I've almost always had success. It's very easy to hide imperfections on the inside of a planting bed.
medic
Posts: 186
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:30 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by medic »

jobiewan wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 10:03 am
This is definitely the way to go IMO. Cheap and very easy to work with. Sturdy enough to hold up. My first go round way back in the day I used the full thickness cedar boards that cost a fortune. Couple years ago, I built 8 beds using fence pickets and they perform just as good.

I stacked 2 high per side, so my beds are about 12" tall. I used the 5/8" thk boards. Once you get all your tools out you can crank these out pretty quick and it is not backbreaking work like working with concrete blocks would be.
I've used pickets too. Use 2x2 cedar in the corners and 1.5" deck screws.
These have held up well for the past 4 years.
Cost about $40 in materials for 3 3'x6'x18" beds. The organic soil cost several times more than that.
chomusuke
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2020 11:32 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by chomusuke »

If I had a yard, I would think about making some of these concrete garden boxes. :)

https://youtu.be/x7jz96MDvyo
goaties
Posts: 542
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:15 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by goaties »

deleted
Last edited by goaties on Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
hicabob
Posts: 3796
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 5:35 pm
Location: cruz

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by hicabob »

chomusuke wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 10:58 am If I had a yard, I would think about making some of these concrete garden boxes. :)

https://youtu.be/x7jz96MDvyo
Very nice, but I bet the fellow in the vid works for "Hardway Engineering inc."
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8525
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by lthenderson »

fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
Cedar four-quarter deck boards (1" thick) are plentiful and easy to come by in the decking section of your home improvement store. That is where I get mine to build raised planters. I don't like concrete blocks because they can absorb a lot of heat energy and make the surrounding soils too hot for many types of garden plants. I just doubled my capacity two weeks ago in light of current world events.
CRG
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:17 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by CRG »

lthenderson wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:11 am
fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
Cedar four-quarter deck boards (1" thick) are plentiful and easy to come by in the decking section of your home improvement store. That is where I get mine to build raised planters. I don't like concrete blocks because they can absorb a lot of heat energy and make the surrounding soils too hot for many types of garden plants. I just doubled my capacity two weeks ago in light of current world events.
Would you mind linking to an example at Home Depot or Lowe's? I can't seem to locate the product you're referring to. Thanks!
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8525
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by lthenderson »

CRG wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:57 am
lthenderson wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:11 am
fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
Cedar four-quarter deck boards (1" thick) are plentiful and easy to come by in the decking section of your home improvement store. That is where I get mine to build raised planters. I don't like concrete blocks because they can absorb a lot of heat energy and make the surrounding soils too hot for many types of garden plants. I just doubled my capacity two weeks ago in light of current world events.
Would you mind linking to an example at Home Depot or Lowe's? I can't seem to locate the product you're referring to. Thanks!
I don't live near either of those but do a Menards. Here is a link:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-m ... c-5674.htm

P.S. I misspoke and said four-quarter when it is actually five-quarter.
CRG
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:17 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by CRG »

lthenderson wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 12:14 pm
CRG wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:57 am
lthenderson wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:11 am
fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
Cedar four-quarter deck boards (1" thick) are plentiful and easy to come by in the decking section of your home improvement store. That is where I get mine to build raised planters. I don't like concrete blocks because they can absorb a lot of heat energy and make the surrounding soils too hot for many types of garden plants. I just doubled my capacity two weeks ago in light of current world events.
Would you mind linking to an example at Home Depot or Lowe's? I can't seem to locate the product you're referring to. Thanks!
I don't live near either of those but do a Menards. Here is a link:

https://www.menards.com/main/building-m ... c-5674.htm

P.S. I misspoke and said four-quarter when it is actually five-quarter.
Excellent. We have one of those near us as well. Thanks.
User avatar
CAsage
Posts: 3539
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 6:25 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by CAsage »

There are some kits available with galvanized metal. If you have a lot of space and free materials from neighbor's surplus, brick or concrete block is durable. In many areas of the country, termites are so annoying I would not build anything in touch with damp ground without putting up a "free buffet!" sign. The metal kits are pricier, but they should last, you can order them online and they are pretty easy to assemble. Check out the "four square garden" method for planter "Mel's mix". Note they take a surprising amount to fill; for a garden you can really do with 6" depth.
Salvia Clevelandii "Winifred Gilman" my favorite. YMMV; not a professional advisor.
steadtler
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 7:28 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by steadtler »

I made a two-tier raised bed/vegetable garden out of pressure treated lumber. The research I did indicated that this is safe to do these days. I'll be sure to let you know if I turn green soon.
bighatnohorse
Posts: 544
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:04 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by bighatnohorse »

corysold wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:39 am How about cedar cedar fence pickets? The won't be quite as thick, but you can either line the inside with them, so your soil isn't in contact with treated lumber, or I'd imagine depending on the size of the bed that they'd hold up fairly well on their own.
Double up the cedar fence planks to get the desired thickness.
john_nh
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 2:58 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by john_nh »

Dimensional framing lumber (2x6, 2x10, etc) is very cost-effective for making raised beds. However, not all framing lumber is created equal. If you want it to last, seek out Douglas Fir (commonly available but not sold at all lumber yards). It is a much denser wood and holds up MUCH longer in ground contact than other framing lumber.

For actual framing, some contractors don't like Douglas Fir (it can be less straight and splinters easily when toenailing) but for raised beds it will definitely last much longer (in my experience) and generally doesn't even cost any more.
avidlearner
Posts: 118
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:51 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by avidlearner »

I used untreated 12X8 and cut then into two and 6X8 and cut into two and created a square bed, I used outdoors screws to join them and it held good for 4 years, I have now started seeing the wood rotting and may need to repeat again.
mjdaniel
Posts: 129
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:20 pm
Location: Temecula, CA

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by mjdaniel »

I built 8 raised beds using this article out of Sunset Magazine about 8 years ago, still going strong:
https://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard- ... bed-how-to
iamlucky13
Posts: 3527
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2017 4:28 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by iamlucky13 »

I was just this weekend revisiting some past research I did on the same question this weekend for my own beds.

As a baseline, I found some fence post test research documenting untreated pine posts failing in as little as 2 years in wet climates, pressure treated posts in the same location lasting for some treatments more than 30 years, and creosote treated posts lasting beyond 50 years (the duration of the study). I don't think they tested cedar posts. If I remember right, osage orange was good for 20-30 years.

Pressure treated wood for garden beds is a polarizing topic. A lot of the discussion is anecdotal or presumptive one way or the other, not based on research, but since that discussion is primarily health related, it's off topic here. The main thing I can say is that in 2003, lumber manufacturers agreed with the EPA to stop pressure-treating wood for residential use with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) over concerns about the arsenic in particular. There have been studies about arsenic leaching and uptake in fruits and vegetables, but I don't think it would be allowed to link to those or discuss them here.

Pressure treated lumber today is primarily made with a copper solution and a fungicide. The most common seems to be copper azole. It is more expensive than CCA, but as far as I know, has similar effectiveness as a wood preservative. As with CCA, you're on your own for searching up studies about whether there are health concerns with copper azole.

A known non-health concern is that many plants are highly sensitive to copper, so even small amounts of copper leaching can cause growing issues. Some people make raised beds with treated wood and paint them or line the insides with plastic to mitigate this concern.

I also found a study specifically looking at effects of wood preservatives on plant growth. Copper naphthenate was found to have little to no effect on the plants. Copper azole was not tested. However, note that there are two types of Copper azole in use. One of them contains boric acid. Borax was tested in the study and although boron is a plant nutrient, it's use as a wood preservative apparently resulted in enough exposure to severely injure plants.

In the end, after my research I chose to make my own vegetable beds out of pine and treat it with copper naphthenate, which is available off-the-shelf. My expectation is this should give me moderate life, at lower cost than pressure treated wood. If I had used pressure treated wood, I would have lined the inside with heavy plastic to guard against copper or boron harming the plants.

Use galvenized nails or good deck screws for assembly. Regular zinc electroplated screws or sinkers don't have enough zinc for sustained ground contact, or for the galvanic reaction that happens with the copper in treated wood.
CRG
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:17 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by CRG »

mjdaniel wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:27 pm I built 8 raised beds using this article out of Sunset Magazine about 8 years ago, still going strong:
https://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard- ... bed-how-to
What type of lumber did you use?
ballons
Posts: 782
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:05 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by ballons »

goaties wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:08 am Fly ash (waste from coal-burning power plants) can be mixed into today's concrete blocks. They are not required to be labeled as such. Fly ash in itself is quite toxic. It is arguable how much toxin leaches into the soil of a raised bed from its surrounding blocks, but I wouldn't want to trust it. Make your own decision. Here's one fairly balanced presentation of the issues from the U of Maryland:

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/m ... aised-beds
You can go insane worrying about things you "trust." Do you trust where your topsoil, compost, etc came from? Organic is very meaningless for your soil medium. Does your water contain PFAS? Are you using lead-free adapters on your water hose? Do you "trust" your rubber or plastic water hose/irrigation to not leech?

I use blocks and they are great; however, I don't plant in the holes.
User avatar
Tamarind
Posts: 2810
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:38 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Tamarind »

I also use concrete block. They hold up great and keep the bed a little bit warmer during the last potential frost days.
ballons
Posts: 782
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:05 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by ballons »

fishmonger wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 8:43 am Looking to kill some time this upcoming weekend and build a couple raised beds. My 9 yo daughter has a growing greenthumb.

Wondering what the best material is to use? I've read cedar in the past, but in my experience 2x6 of cedar are very hard to find. Is pressure treated out of the question due to toxins? Same with Azek or something similar?
If money is no issue, get galvanized horse feed/water troughs (stock tanks) and drill holes in the bottom.

e.g. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/stock-tanks


My ranking:
1. Concrete blocks (or stone if you have the money to spend).
2. Corrugated galvanized panels (line top with rubber hose to protect any sharp edges).
3. Wood
MP173
Posts: 2609
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:03 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by MP173 »

Raised bed gardener since 2010 with a major garden expansion in 2014.

The 2014 expansion is showing signs of deterioration and certain 2x6s will be replaced either this year or next year.

Ed
CRG
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:17 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by CRG »

Some very nice looking stuff here, and prices are hard to beat when comparing against cedar -

https://www.metalgardenbeds.com/
User avatar
Brianmcg321
Posts: 1875
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2019 8:23 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Brianmcg321 »

We built three raised beds about 4 years ago. We used cinder blocks. Got them on sale.

Just stack them up three high to the height my wife wanted. Then got a couple of loads of soil in my truck bed from a fertilizer distributed.

I didn’t do any ground prep or securing of the blocks and they have stayed put where I put them 4 years ago.
Rules to investing: | 1. Don't lose money. | 2. Don't forget rule number 1.
User avatar
celia
Posts: 16774
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:32 am
Location: SoCal

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by celia »

This year I’m going to make raised beds using these concrete blocks from Home Depot that are made for raised gardens:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oldcastle-7 ... /206501693

The grooves on the side hold 2x6 planks and you don’t have to fill all the grooves. The simplest plan is to get 4 of these, put them, let’s say, 4 feet apart in a square or rectangle and connect them with any length planks you want. Let’s call this a “garden square”.

But maybe you want one or more “garden squares” to be taller. Ok, stack multiple blocks on top of each other and put a rebar through the vertical hole. A change of height throughout the garden will make it look more interesting, give more room for soil for plants with bigger roots, and make it easier for you to reach (instead of sitting on the ground). You can put an optional 2x6 across the top edge too as a place to sit.

And you can put the garden squares in an “L” or “U” shaped raised garden bed. For example, instead of having just 3 parallel raised beds, you could connect the ends of two beds with a plank and another set of blocks and a plank 4 feet away along the parallel edges. Do this again with the third parallel bed to make an “E” shaped planter.

Scroll further down the page to find a video from the store and example gardens in customer reviews.
DWNY
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 9:22 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by DWNY »

Lumber choice will depend somewhat on where you live. Cedar, pressure treated should be available all over the US. You might want to give your cooperative extension office a call and see if they have a raised bed recommendation for your area.

Black locust would be my first choice for a decay resistant wood, though can be hard to find and is $$ compared to pressure treated. It also will likely outlast me. White Oak is often used in the Northeast for raised beds. Local sawmills are a good source for white oak boards. Or you can order a fancy white oak rasied bed from this company in Vermont.

https://eartheasy.com/farmstead-raised- ... ree-sizes/
mjdaniel
Posts: 129
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:20 pm
Location: Temecula, CA

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by mjdaniel »

CRG wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:15 pm
mjdaniel wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:27 pm I built 8 raised beds using this article out of Sunset Magazine about 8 years ago, still going strong:
https://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard- ... bed-how-to
What type of lumber did you use?
I used redwood purchased from Home Depot, and had them cut it for me.
Luke Duke
Posts: 1333
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Luke Duke »

What are you guys considering expensive? In my area, you can build a 4' x 8' x 16" raised bed out of cedar 2" x 8" boards for <$200. I built mine 5 years ago and I expect at least another 5 years out of them.
Last edited by Luke Duke on Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CRG
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:17 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by CRG »

Luke Duke wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:28 am What are you guys considering expensive? In my area, you can build a 4' x 8' raised bed out of cedar 2" x 8" boards for <$200. I built mine 5 years ago and I expect at least another 5 years out of them.
That same size bed from metalgardenbeds cost less and should last forever, at least theoretically.
OffGridder
Posts: 149
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2015 8:03 am
Location: Eastern WA.

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by OffGridder »

Luke Duke wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:28 am What are you guys considering expensive? In my area, you can build a 4' x 8' raised bed out of cedar 2" x 8" boards for <$200. I built mine 5 years ago and I expect at least another 5 years out of them.
Just added two 6x4 raised beds to our garden this week. Used 2x12 Douglas fir for sides, 4x4 Douglas fir for corner braces and 1 lb of 2-1/2 inch deck screws. Total combined cost for both was $92.

Forest products are major industry in our region with a large mill 25 miles away. So that does have a bearing on our costs. YMMV
"Goodness is the only investment that never fails." | H.D. Thoreau
Onlineid3089
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2020 2:47 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Onlineid3089 »

This thread is from a year ago, but just thought I'd chime in that I just spent $440 on 2x12 Douglas Fir (112 linear feet) to put together some garden beds for my wife. We did one that is 4'x12'x2' for veggies and two that are 3'x3'x1' that she plans to put strawberries in along side her grape arbor, plus enough to make two more of the smaller boxes for her mother that I haven't put together yet. I used some spare 2x4s that I had on hand for the corner and center braces on the bigger bed.

Thank goodness our small town has a nice compost lot that I can get free well composted material, and that I can grab regular topsoil from my dad's/brother's farm. That bigger box is doing it's best to wear me out, but I still have a few weeks before I have to have that one completely filled.

This summer I'm going to grab some pallets from the farm to make a couple leaf mold bins so we can save them and make better use of them as mulch and eventually soil amendments.

Anyone else doing raised beds this year with lumber prices up?
User avatar
Sandtrap
Posts: 19590
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:32 pm
Location: Hawaii No Ka Oi - white sandy beaches, N. Arizona 1 mile high.

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Sandtrap »

For your 9 year old daughter to "first try things out" without going all in building things. . . .

Concrete cmu tile blocks (8 x 8 x 16)
Either finish ends or runners. (you can use them for other stuff as they are versatile).

Large black pvc concrete mixing tubs/trays from Home Depot. Drill holes in the bottom for drainage.

Build up the cmu blocks to above ground, sit the trays on top, add potting or other soil, plant stuff.

This is all a temporary setup and if the interest is there for you and/or daughter over time, then do something more permanent and takes more time and money.

You can also use the cmu block and concrete mixing tray setup at various tiered heights for a hydroponic or aquaponic growing system. Works great for that. Tap a pvc drain line at one end of each tub and have that drain into the next tiered lower tub, etc .
j :D
Wiki Bogleheads Wiki: Everything You Need to Know
novillero
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:38 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by novillero »

Onlineid3089 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:59 pm This thread is from a year ago, but just thought I'd chime in that I just spent $440 on 2x12 Douglas Fir (112 linear feet) to put together some garden beds for my wife. We did one that is 4'x12'x2' for veggies and two that are 3'x3'x1' that she plans to put strawberries in along side her grape arbor, plus enough to make two more of the smaller boxes for her mother that I haven't put together yet. I used some spare 2x4s that I had on hand for the corner and center braces on the bigger bed.
Thanks for reviving this post. Those boards are expensive. It definitely makes me think of the metal beds as an option. I’ve used redwood before, it’s lasted a long time and pine (not as long). I may go metal...
Hubris
Posts: 171
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2016 10:55 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Hubris »

Another vote for using cedar fence pickets, although I have tracked cost changes from last year. Building stuff isn’t a strength of mine but putting two together last year was straightforward: https://youtu.be/yf1S_7zL6jc
squirm
Posts: 4239
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:53 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by squirm »

corysold wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:39 am How about cedar cedar fence pickets? The won't be quite as thick, but you can either line the inside with them, so your soil isn't in contact with treated lumber, or I'd imagine depending on the size of the bed that they'd hold up fairly well on their own.
I was going to say the same thing, just use cedar fencing.
User avatar
Bogle7
Posts: 1984
Joined: Fri May 11, 2018 9:33 am
Location: In the Witness Protection Program

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Bogle7 »

Redwood
Old fart who does three index stock funds, baby.
123
Posts: 10415
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:55 pm

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by 123 »

CRG wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:59 pm Some very nice looking stuff here, and prices are hard to beat when comparing against cedar -

https://www.metalgardenbeds.com/
Thank you very much for posting this. I have used cedar in the past but I saw an Australian gardening show on cable TV that used metal raised beds that I think I would like to try. The metal ones would be a lot easier to install. Cedar gets expensive if you want high beds.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
User avatar
LiveSimple
Posts: 2312
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:55 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by LiveSimple »

Last edited by LiveSimple on Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Invest when you have the money, sell when you need the money, for real life expenses...
Mr. Rumples
Posts: 2978
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:16 am

Re: Raised Garden Beds - Building Material

Post by Mr. Rumples »

My niece wants raised beds also. I sold her on the idea of using straw bales at about $5.50.

https://www.tnmagazine.org/solve-soil-i ... gardening/

(It also makes a good mulch and ground cover for the garden.)
"History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living." Captain John Smith 1580-1631
Post Reply