Building a Raised Garden Bed
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A raised garden bed is a solid starter project: simple box joinery, no complex cuts, and something you can plant the same weekend you build it. The hardest part is leveling the site and filling the bed with soil.
Cost Breakdown
Site Prep
Measure the bed footprint, check diagonals for square.
A 4-foot level across the bed frame catches slopes before you fill it with 2,000 lbs of soil.
Skim the grass where the bed sits and level the ground beneath it.
Level the ground after skimming. A bow rake works best for soil.
Cutting & Assembly
Cuts 2x6 or 2x8 lumber to length. A hand saw works if you only have 4-8 cuts to make.
Drives deck screws to join the corners. Pilot holes first to prevent splitting.
Marks 90-degree cut lines on lumber. Doubles as a saw guide for straight cuts.
Filling
A 4x8 ft bed at 12 inches deep takes about 1 cubic yard of soil. That is 20+ wheelbarrow loads.
Water the soil as you fill to settle it. Dry soil settles 2-3 inches after the first few waterings.
Consumables and Supplies
These get used up during the project. Always buy these new.
- Lumber (cedar or pressure-treated) 2x6 or 2x8, 8-foot lengths. Cedar resists rot naturally. Pressure-treated is cheaper but avoid direct soil contact with food plants.
- Deck screws (3 inch) Coated or stainless. About 20-30 screws for a standard 4x8 bed.
- Landscape fabric Line the bottom to suppress weeds growing up into the bed
- Garden soil mix 1 cubic yard for a 4x8x1 bed. Mix of topsoil, compost, and peat or coir.
Safety Gear
- Safety glasses (sawing)
- Work gloves (handling lumber and soil)
Before You Buy Anything
Check if your neighbors already have the tools you need. Borrowing saves money, saves storage space, and keeps tools in use instead of collecting dust.
See how FriendsWithTools worksCommon Questions
What size raised bed should I build?
4 feet wide is the standard because you can reach the center from either side without stepping into the bed. Length is flexible: 4, 6, or 8 feet are common. Height of 10-12 inches works for most vegetables. If you want to avoid bending, go 24-30 inches tall and fill the bottom half with logs, branches, and leaves to save on soil.
Cedar or pressure-treated lumber?
Cedar resists rot for 10-15 years naturally and is safe for food gardens. It costs about 2-3x more than pine. Modern pressure-treated lumber (ACQ) is considered safe by the EPA for raised beds, but many gardeners prefer cedar to avoid any chemical contact with food. Do not use old CCA-treated lumber (pre-2003), which contains arsenic.