Tired of weeding messy garden rows? You can build a raised garden bed to avoid those back-breaking, time-consuming tasks. Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate gardener, the following guide on how to make a raised garden bed walks you through this simple process step by step. It’s easier than you think! And it’ll help you save money, customize the size you need, and grow flowers and veggies with less effort.
Why Build a Raised Garden Bed?
Raised bed gardening offers many benefits compared to traditional in-ground gardening. You get better soil control and improved drainage, resulting in healthier plants. It’s also easier on your back, with less bending needed and more convenient access overall. Having a raised bed vegetable garden or flower garden provides aesthetic benefits, too, giving outdoor spaces a tidier look. Now that you know why you should build one, let’s make sure you’re all set to begin!
Tools & Materials You’ll Need
Eager to start building? You’ll need to gather your tools and materials first, so you have them on hand. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Best wood for raised garden beds, such as cedar or Douglas fir
- Must-have tools: Screws, brackets, drill, saw, weed barrier, soil mix
- Optional: Gravel, liner, corner caps.
Pro tip: Use untreated cedar for longer life and organic safety if you’re growing vegetables.
| Unit | Qty | Size | Note | |
| Pressure-treated lumber (1˝x 4˝) | pcs | 2 | 6´ | Studs |
| Pressure-treated lumber (2˝x 6˝) | pcs | 8 | 6´ | Joists |
| Pressure-treated lumber (2˝x 6˝) | pcs | 8 | 8´ | Joists |
| Pressure-treated lumber (3˝x 3˝) | pcs | 1 | 8´ | Joists |
| Landscape fabric | sq.ft. | 35 | ||
| Corner bracket (2 1/2 ̋ x 2 1/2 ̋) | pcs | 4 | 1 ́-10´ | |
| Wood screws (2˝) | pcs | 80 | ||
| Wood screws (5˝) | pcs | 100 | ||
| Galvanizated nails (2˝) | pcs | 150 |
| Tool | Type | Qty |
| Knife | Manual | 1 |
| Spirit level | Measuring | 1 |
| Electric Screwdriver | Power | 1 |
| Screwdriver | Manual | 1 |
| Hand Saw | Manual | 1 |
| Measuring Tape | Measuring | 1 |
| Hammer | Manual | 1 |
Once you have all of your tools and materials, it’s time to start constructing your raised bed.
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Step 1: Choose the Right Location
Your new garden won’t be very successful if it’s not in a suitable spot, no matter how well you build the raised bed. So, where’s the ideal location? That depends on a few factors, including the following:
- Sunlight
- Drainage
- Accessibility
- Proximity to water
What if your outdoor space is a patio? Can you build a raised garden bed on concrete? Yes, it’s possible to do that as long as you make sure it has good drainage.
Pro Tip: Pick a spot that receives a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Step 2: Measure and Cut Your Wood
Building your own raised garden bed means you can make it as big (or small) as you want. But there are standard dimensions used for many of these gardens, such as 4×8. This size gives you plenty of space for growing flowers or vegetables, while also ensuring you can access each part of your garden.
How about height? That varies based on different factors, such as who’s using the garden and what you’re growing. A height of 2 feet is usually suitable for raised gardens, but you might want to raise it to 3 feet to minimize bending. Or you might make it shorter if young kids will be using it.
What about thickness? Ideally, you’ll want to go with 2-inch boards. You can choose 1-inch boards for cost-effectiveness, but they usually don’t last as long.
When you’ve got your dimensions figured out, measure and cut your wood boards accordingly. Here’s a handy cut list for a 4×8 raised garden bed:
| Garden Bed Main Frame | Unit | Qty | Size | Note |
| Pressure-treated lumber (2 1/2″ × 2 1/2″) | pcs | 4 | 1′-10″ | Studs |
| Pressure-treated lumber (1 1/2″ × 5 1/2″) | pcs | 8 | 8′ | Joists |
| Pressure-treated lumber (1 1/2″ × 5 1/2″) | pcs | 8 | 4′-3″ | Joists |
| Pressure-treated lumber (3/4″ × 3 1/2″) | pcs | 6 | 1′-10″ | Studs |
| Landscape fabric | sq.ft. | 35 |
Pro Tip: How deep should your raised garden bed be for vegetables? You’ll want to make it 8 to 12 inches deep at minimum for most veggies, like lettuce or peppers. Vegetables with longer roots are going to need a depth of 18 inches or more, like tomatoes and cucumbers.
Once all your wood pieces are ready, it’s time to put them together.
Step 3: Assemble the Frame
Before starting to assemble your boards and construct your raised bed frame, keep these tips in mind:
- Secure boards with wood screws and brackets for added support
- Make sure all corners are square before securing boards together
Follow these steps for assembling your raised garden bed:
3.1. Put your main frame together
3.2. Assemble the walls of your bed
3.3. Fasten the walls using wood screws
Common Mistake: Don’t eyeball your corners during assembly. Use a carpenter’s square to make sure the corners are exactly 90 degrees.
When you’ve assembled your frame, you’ll need to make sure the ground is ready for your garden bed.
Step 4: Prepare the Ground
You can’t just put your bed down on any patch of lawn. Ideally, you’ll want to make sure it’s going on a level surface, so water reaches every part evenly without overwatering any areas. You’ll also need to clear the area and remove grass before setting up your garden bed. Note that you can build a garden bed on a slope with some careful planning, as seen below.
Common Mistake: Skipping weed barriers can be a big mistake. Raised bed gardens aren’t as prone to weeds as in-ground gardens, but they’re not completely safe from them. Adding a weed barrier helps prevent weeds from taking over your bed.
Is your ground all set? Then it’s time to prepare your raised garden bed.
Step 5: Layer the Bottom
What do you put on the bottom of a raised garden bed? We’ve already recommended a weed barrier, but there are also other materials to line the bottom with for better drainage and to prevent soil from falling out. Some of these include:
- Cardboard
- Sticks or twigs
- Leaves
Common Mistake: Avoid lining the bottom with materials that might prevent drainage and increase the risk of wood rot, like tarp or plastic.
Now that your garden bed is properly lined, it’s time to fill it up with the right soil mix.
Step 6: Fill with Soil Mix
A good combination of soil creates a healthy environment for your flowers or vegetables to grow in your raised garden bed. Choose a soil mix that’s both well-draining and nutrient-rich, such as one that has all of these ingredients:
- Topsoil
- Compost
- Perlite or sand
Place the perlite or sand on the branches or cardboard at the bottom of your garden. Add compost, then topsoil. Fill your raised garden bed until the soil is roughly 2 inches from the top.
Pro Tip: Make sure your soil mix is evenly distributed throughout your garden, or some plants might have a harder time growing.
When your bed’s all set with soil, you can focus on getting your plants ready to grow!
Step 7: Plant Flowers or Vegetables
How should you lay out your raised garden bed? What you’re growing can affect the layout you use, but some general raised garden bed layout tips include:
- Plant taller plants behind shorter ones to ensure adequate sunlight exposure
- Leave enough space between plants or rows of plants for growth
- Put plants that have similar watering requirements near each other for easier irrigation
- Consider vertical gardening with a trellis for added growing space
- Practice companion planting with just vegetables or vegetables and flowers that benefit each other, such as deterring pests
If gardening is new for you, consider choosing beginner-friendly crops, like spinach, kale, lettuce, or radishes. These are all simple to grow compared to other plants. Or you might want to start with a simple herb garden.
Craftcamp 4×8 DIY Raised Planter Box
Pro Tip: Don’t keep the same layout season after season. Rotate your crops to lower the risk of diseases and pests and keep the soil healthy.
Now that we’ve gone over the steps to build a raised garden bed, let’s see how long this project takes.
How Long Does It Take to Build a Raised Bed?
It’s a straightforward building process, so you won’t be spending an entire day on it. Overall, you can expect to spend about 1 to 2 hours constructing your raised garden bed. Of course, this time can vary depending on certain factors, like how complex you make the design.
Keep in mind that you’ll need more than a couple of hours to get your raised bed garden all set up and ready for use. Plan to set aside a few hours to prepare the soil and plant your flowers or vegetables.
Before you get to work on building your garden, let’s take a look at some potential pitfalls and errors to avoid.
Common Mistakes and Disadvantages to Consider
There’s no doubt that raised garden beds offer some great benefits, but there are a few disadvantages to be aware of. The good news is that these potential drawbacks can be avoided in many cases. These are the common errors and possible disadvantages to note:
- Wood rot (use liners to prevent this)
- Soil dries up quickly if you live in a hot climate (irrigate more often as needed)
- Initial setup costs (consider cheaper materials, like Douglas fir instead of cedar)
You can get many years of use out of raised garden beds, but how long do they last exactly? That depends on what they’re made of and how well you take care of them. In general, wood beds can last anywhere from a couple of years to a decade or more. You’ll get more years of usage from a cedar or redwood bed than an untreated pine bed, for example. Metal raised beds can last even longer, decades in many cases.
If you’re worried about longevity but also want to save on costs, are you better off going the DIY route or buying a raised garden bed? Let’s explore that debate in more detail.
Build or Buy? Which Is Better?
Is it cheaper to build or buy a raised bed? You’ll be spending more overall if you go with a raised bed garden kit compared to building it yourself. With a DIY bed, your costs include materials. Even with the price of lumber going up, you’ll still pay less than buying a whole kit. Already have tools? You’ll save even more if you build your own.
For comparison, a kit can cost hundreds of dollars, while soil, lumber, seeds, and other materials for DIY might only cost you $100 or so. It depends on the size of your bed and the materials you choose.
Which is better in terms of quality? With DIY, you have more control over the quality of your materials. You can spend more upfront to buy cedar or redwood, for example, boosting quality and ensuring longevity. You also have more options for customizing your bed compared to buying a kit.
Now that you know it’s often cheaper and better overall to build your own raised garden bed, let’s move on to what not to put in it.
What NOT to Grow in Raised Beds
There’s a lot you can grow in these beds — but not everything. Certain plants can make it hard to grow other plants in the same bed. Some plants just aren’t suitable for raised garden beds as far as size and space. Here’s what you should avoid growing in a raised bed, especially if you’re building a vegetable garden:
- Invasive plants, like mint
- Large spreading crops, like pumpkins, melons, and corn
- Perennials that grow rapidly, like rhubarb
With these unsuitable plants in mind, let’s go over a few important tips for maintaining your new garden bed.
Maintenance Tips to Make Your Bed Last
After putting in hard work and effort to build your own raised garden bed, you want it to last, of course. While some bed materials may last for just a few years, like pine, others can last for several years. In addition to choosing long-lasting materials, if possible, you can take the following steps to maintain your garden:
- Top off the soil every spring
- Prevent rot by using a liner and ensuring good drainage
- Refresh your garden each season by removing old plants, updating the soil, and planting new crops
- Rotate crops to prevent soil depletion and reduce pests
You know how to take good care of your new garden, so now it’s time to begin browsing raised garden bed ideas and building your very own!
Ready to Build Your First Garden Bed?
With our handy step-by-step guide, you can get your garden built and start planting your first batch of vegetables or create a beautiful floral display. Just make sure you have all of the materials you’ll need and the ideal spot for your garden bed first. Once it’s all set up and ready to go, use our maintenance tips to keep it in good shape season after season!
