How to Build a Raised Bed

You may be wondering from the post title what a raised bed is and why you would want to build one in the first place. A raised bed is essentially a four sided container made of wood, metal, or composite material. It can either sit on the ground without a bottom or it can be built with a bottom. It is filled with dirt and makes a large growing container for your fruits and vegetables. Most raised beds are at least 10-14 inches deep. Raised beds are usually 3-4 feet wide and about 6-12 feet long. Raised beds are ideal for growing a variety of crops. They allow for more control over your soil. Plus, they are convenient for keeping certain crops separated. In addition, they are easy to access for garden maintenance. If you are interested in learning how to build your own raised bed, then continue reading!

Choosing the Materials for Your Raised Bed

There are numerous choices when deciding what material to use for your raised bed. As with most decisions, there are pros and cons to all options. I’m going to go over some of the most common choices and give you some pros and cons of each.

Wood

First, let’s consider the pros…

1. Wood can be an inexpensive option depending on the type you choose. Different types of wood are less expensive than others. Going with pine will be the most cost efficient. Often, local lumbar yards sell wood even cheaper than your local Lowes or Home Depot. Looking into options from your local lumbar yard could prove to be a highly cost effective route!
2. Wood is readily available and easy to find. This material is certainly one of the most accessible materials. You can undoubtedly get your hands on enough wood to build several raised beds at once from just about any source your choose.
3. Wood is easy to work with and can be customized in any way you desire. Its easily cut and can be made into whatever size you need very easily.

Now that we’ve gone over some of the pros, lets see the cons of using wood…

1. First, wood could actually prove to be one of the most expensive options. If your goal is to build a wooden raised bed that will last for years, you will need to choose cedar wood. Cedar wood can be incredibly expensive costing up to $500 for a single bed depending on the size. The plus of using this type of wood is than it lasts up to 20 years.
2. Second, several types of wood will be very prone to quick rotting. For example, pine wood, the cheaper option, will only last up to a few years out in the elements.
3. Third, several options for wood on the market today are treated with chemicals. These types of wood are not a good option for growing food as these chemicals can easily leak into the soil and create a toxic environment for food production.

Metal

Pros…

1. One of the pros when it comes to using metal for your raised beds is the diversity in options. You have the choice to fully construct your own beds in whatever size you wish. Or there are numerous additional options such as livestock watering troughs.
2. Metal raised beds are a durable and rust resistant options if your go with ones made or galvanized steep or aluminum. This quality makes them a long lasting option.
3. In addition, metal raised beds are easy to find already assembled requiring very little assemble work or preparation time. You can get to planting more quickly!

Cons…

1. An obvious drawback to metal raised beds is the cost. The pre assembled options (including livestock watering troughs) can be very pricey. Unless, you plan to grow just a few veggies for a hobby summer garden, this option could prove to be a little too pricey. Also note, that assembling your own metal raised beds can add up quickly as well!
2. Metal raised beds hold heat more easily than raised beds made from other materials. Although this could be considered a plus if you are wanting to extend your growing season earlier, and later, it is certainly a drawback in the heat of summer as your soil may actually become too warm.
3. This drawback goes hand in hand with the last one. The heat retention may actually cause your soil to dry out faster resulting in more maintenance to keep your plants watered effectively.

Concrete or Stone/Brick

Pros…

1. The first plus when considering a raised bed made of concrete, stone, or brick is obviously the extreme longevity. Raised beds constructed from these materials can last generations if taken care of properly making them an effective investment.
2. Raised beds, especially if made of stone or brick, can be very ornamental and can serve as landscaping for your home. This could offset one of the cons, the expense, as the cost in landscaping your home may be cut simply by growing your garden!
3. You don’t have to worry about leaching chemicals into your soil when constructing beds from this material.

Cons…

1. One of the drawbacks with this material is the effort required in assembly time. Constructing a bed from this material would be a time consuming process that would need to be started well before the growing season.
2. In addition, a drawback to this type of raised bed is the fact that it is a permanent fixture. Because this type of raised bed would obviously be extremely heavy, and because of the assembly time required, concrete, stone, or brick raised beds aren’t going anywhere once assembled!
3. The last drawback for this type of bed is the expense. Although you may be able to find materials that could be upcycled or repurposed, if all materials would need to be purchased, this would certainly be one of the more expensive options!

Composite

Pros…

1. Composite materials are weather and rot resistant making them a good alternative to wood. While some wood may only last a few years at best, composite wood can even outlast cedar wood with a lifespan of 25-30 years.
2. Composite wood is mid priced compared to regular wood. While it is more expensive than pine, it is definitely less expensive than cedar wood making the price overall a plus in relation to it’s longevity.
3. You don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching into soil as you do with treated wood.

Cons…

1. One of the cons of using composite decking material is that the boards can tend to be flimsy causing them to bow more easily if the board is long enough. This means that more bracing will be required to correct this issue.
2. Many of the options available for composite wood are heavy, and may require extra hands for assembly and transport to your location.
3. Lastly, you may find that composite wood is less accessible with fewer size options than regular wood. While you can easily find wood in whatever length and width needed, composite boards will likely come in fewer sizes making assembly a little more difficult.

Choosing a Location for Your Raised Bed

After choosing your material, the next step in learning how to build a raised bed is to choose a proper location on your land or around your home. There are few things to consider when determining the right spot for your project.

Sunlight

If you are building a raised bed with a bottom for a deck or other open home area, the only factor to consider is the amount of sunlight that the area receives. Whether you are building your raised bed for a deck or if you are building it in a garden area, you’ll want to place the beds in a location that receives full sun. Almost all plants require full sun throughout the day. Placing the beds in a shady area will not give the plants what they need. Optimally, go for a location that receives at least 8 hours of sun each day.

Soil

Another factor to keep in mind, if you are building bottomless raised beds, is the soil underneath. Granted, one of the benefits of having a raised bed garden is the ease of amending the soil in the bed however is needed. Nonetheless, it is beneficial to place the bed over workable soil just in case the roots of your plants extend beneath the depth of the bed. If possible, choose a location that has a softer darker soil rather than a location with compacted light brown clay.

Lay of the Land

The last factor to consider when choosing the location for your raised beds is the lay of the land. You’ll want to find a spot that is as level as possible. Choosing a location is uneven is a poor choice for a couple reasons. One, it may be difficult to actually assemble the beds on a location that is not level. Two, uneven ground may cause water to lay in different areas of your raised bed more than others because the drainage may not be even throughout.

Our Method and Materials

Given all the information provided above, you can decide what type of raised bed will best suit your needs. However, I’m going to go ahead and show you how to build a raised bed using the method and materials that we have chosen. I’ll be showing you how to build a 4 foot by 12 foot raised bed using composite wood.

To start the process, let’s go over the materials you will need to build one raised bed. Add to this supply list as needed to make additional beds.

1. 4 – 12 foot composite decking boards 5-6 inches wide
2. 2 – 8 foot composite decking boards 5-6 inches wide
3. 2- 8 foot 4×4
4. 1 – 2×4
5. 3 inch decking screws

You’ll also need a power drill and the coordinating bits for your screws. To set your raised bed, it is ideal to have a tiller to till the ground below. You will also need a shovel and a post hold digger.

Assembling The Beds

To assemble the raised bed, begin by cutting the 2 8 foot composite boards in two to have 4 4 foot pieces. Next, cut the 4×4 boards into 16 inch lengths. You will only need 10 pieces so you’ll be left with a little bit extra.

Now place one of the 4×4 pieces on the 1 inch side of a 2×4. Place one of the 4 foot composite board pieces on one side of the 4×4 and one of the 12 foot pieces of composite board on the other side so that the boards come together in a 90 degree angle. Screw the boards into the 4×4 placing 4-6 screws in each board. Repeat with the other three corners so that you have formed a large rectangle.

Now stack the remaining 12 foot boards and 4 foot boards on top of the existing ones and screw into the 4×4 one at a time. Finally, space the remaining 4×4 posts on the 12 foot sides 3 feet apart from one another. One at a time place the posts on the 1 inch side of the 2×4 and screw the composite boards to each 4×4.

Scroll throughout the post to see reference photos.

Placing Your Raised Bed

Now that your raised bed is built, you’ll need to place the bed in the ground. Set the bed in your desired location and mark where each of the posts will be setting. Move the bed aside and dig a hole in the ground deep enough for your posts to set. Lower the bed into the ground and fill back in any loose space around the holes with the dirt you removed.

Now all that’s left is to fill your bed. We prefer to lay down a layer of gardening fabric before filling to help keep weeds from popping up.

If you decide to build your own raised beds, be sure to tag us in a post Instagram or Facebook @almostheavenhomesteading

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