Building a raised bed garden can be an easy and inexpensive project that will greatly enhance your gardening experience. Raised beds provide a level of aesthetics and uniformity to your garden. They are easier to maintain. Soil has better drainage and stays warm longer. Best of all, no more squatting and hunching over the ground to weed!
There are kits you can buy, but they can be pricey and don’t allow you to customize the dimensions of your box. Below are instructions for building a 12” deep 4’x8’ raised bed. You can always change the length of the wood to suit your space and needs. Remember, you don’t want the width of your bed to be more than about 4 feet, so you can easily reach all areas of the bed for maintenance.
What you will need to build a 12” deep 4’x8’ raised bed:
Item Quantity, Description, Instructions, Cost
(Note: Total cost estimated on the high end.)
2 2x12x8’ treated lumber, 1 board cut in half, 8.97 ea.= 17.94
1 2x2x8’ Cut into four 11.25” sections 3.39 ea.= 3.39
1 box 2½” Deck screws, I prefer star drive, 6.00-7.00 ea.= 7.00
1 bale Hay 5.00-6.00 ea.= 6.00
3-4 bags Garden soil, 2 cu. ft., Organic is best, but more costly, 5.00-9.00 ea.= 36.00
2-3 bags Top Soil, 40 lb. 1.15 ea.= 3.45
2-3 bags Manure, 40 lb. 1.29 ea.= 3.87
1 bag Peat Moss, 1.5-2 cu. ft. 6.00-9.00 ea.= 9.00
1 bag Vermiculite (optional) 12.00-1400 ea.= 14.00
Compost =Free!
Old Newspaper =Free!
TOTAL 100.65
The nice people at your local Menards will cut the wood for you free of charge. It’s important to note that there is some controversy about using treated wood in garden beds containing edibles. Until 2004, arsenic was used in the treating process. In January of 2004, however, the EPA banned the use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) to treat lumber except for industrial or agricultural use. But, if you need more piece of mind, do some research!
Another thing to keep in mind is that actual lumber size can vary and is not true to name. A 2x12 is actually 1½" x 11¼." A 2x2 is actually closer to 1½” x 1½.”
Building the frame:
Step one: Place one 2x2x11¼” piece flush to the end of a 2x12x8’ so that the 11¼” length of the 2x2 lines up with the 11¼ length of the 2x12. Hold the wood firmly as you drill two holes through both pieces of wood at each end. Pre-drilling will prevent the wood from splitting.
Step two: Drive two screws into the predrilled holes. Your 2x2s will act as a brace in the corner of the box. Repeat steps one and two with all four 2x2s, attaching one to each end of both 2x12x8’s.
Step three: Prop the 2x12 up and place a 2x12x4’ against it to make an L shape. Drill two holes again through your 4’ plank and 2x2, taking care not to cross the previously drilled screws. If you drill the holes from the outside of the L shape, it will be easier to disassemble if you find it necessary to move your boxes later. Screw the two boards together.
Step four: At this time, your bed should stand up nicely on it’s own. Prop the remaining 2x12x8’ in place and repeat the drilling/screwing process.
Step five: Attach your remaining 2x12x4’ on the end to complete the box and voila! Your frame is complete!
Video coming soon! See the article “Adding soil to your raised bed garden” to learn more about getting your bed ready to plant!
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