If you have a small backyard, or one that’s already got a lot of trees, or even super rocky dirt (hello, Texas Hill Country!), creating a garden can be tricky. That’s why I love using raised garden beds. It makes it so much easier to find the room to garden, and it’s easier on your back, which is always a win. I’ve built a couple of different DIY raised garden beds in the past, so today I’m showing you how!
In both 2020 and in 2021, I built elevated garden beds for our backyard. If I’m being fully honest, we never used them to their full potential. As much as I love houseplants, I’m not much of a garden girl. But, I’m still a big believer in the raised garden bed, and I think we’ll give it another go sometime!
Let’s get to the raised garden bed plans, shall we?
Choosing a Design
There are dozens of different ways to make a raised garden bed. Some people build them directly on the ground, some do them a little more elevated.
Personally, I like a raised garden bed that stands up on legs. This helps avoid any weeds getting through, and it’s easier to tend when it sits up a little higher. That being said, it’s much harder to add a drip irrigation system or anything like that when it’s off the ground!
Take the time to consider your specific backyard and your needs for a vegetable garden before you dive in. There’s no right or wrong way to add garden bed planters to your yard. You can use bricks, concrete blocks, or cinder blocks to create your raised bed garden if you prefer. I’ve also seen gorgeous beds made from pallets! Get creative and have fun with it…and if you want to just copy my design, read on for the details!
Video Tutorial
If you prefer to watch things come together via video, I put together this little video with footage from my Instagram stories. It’s a great way to get a better visual of how things come together. But, be sure to read on for the tweaks I would make to my garden bed plans if I were doing it again today!
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed
Materials & Tools
- (12) 8′ cedar 1×4 boards
- (4) 8′ cedar 2×4 boards
- 1 roll of 2′ wide chicken wire
- 1 roll of landscaping fabric
- Kreg Jig+pocket hole screws (Optional, see note at end of post)
- Drill
- Staple Gun + Staples
- Stain or paint
Note:The type of wood you use for a raised bed can be a hot topic. I went with cedar, as it’s a rot-resistant wood and doesn’t have added chemicals. Pressure-treated lumber is also an option, but can be a bit controversial. Prior to 2004, chromated copper asenate (CCA), was the most commonly used preservative. It was banned for consumer use by the EPA, so now it’s been replaced with alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ). It makes pressure-treated wood less toxic, but can still leech copper into the surrounding soil. Just something to keep in mind when you’re making your choices for your raised bed planter.
Wood Cuts
The interior of my garden bed is 2′ x 4′, and it’s 33″ tall. You can adjust any of the sizing to fit your space.
To make a raised garden bed with the same dimensions I did, you’ll need to start by cutting:
- (6) 1×4 cedar boards to 2′
- (6) 1×4 cedar boards to 4′
- (4) 2×4 cedar boards to 33″
Creating the Short Sides
I used my Kreg Jig to help ensure that all of the screws and holes on my garden bed are hidden. If you don’t have one, I’ll add a note towards the end of the post to demonstrate how you can accomplish this build without one!
Don’t know how to use a Kreg Jig?
Click here to learn how!
Drill two pocket holes in each side of all of the 1×4 side slats. Then, attach them to the long edge of the 2×4 using wood glue and pocket hole screws. I laid a 1×4 board underneath my slats as I was attaching them so that they weren’t flush with the front of the legs.
NOTE: You can see I did four slats on each of the sides. If I was building this again, I would only do THREE. The depth of my planter ended up being problematic and the weight of the soil was too much. I think a slightly shallower planter would have worked much better.
Attach three slats, pushed so that they’re touching one another, between two of the leg boards to create one side for the planter. It should look like the picture above when you’re done.
Creating the Long Sides
Once you have the two shorter side pieces done, you’re ready to attach them together using the 4′ boards. Drill pocket holes into each side of the longer slats, then attach them to the side pieces using the same method as above.
It can get a little tricky to keep everything straight and square as you work. I just used some scrap wood to help prop everything up and assembled it on its side.
With all of the side slats done, it should be looking like a raised garden bed!
You know, just without any sort of base, supports, or way to plant anything.
Before moving on, you can also add a 2×4 piece along the top of each of the short sides to trim it out and add a nice detail – this is totally optional, but I think it looks nice!
Adding Supports
This is the most important thing we’ll talk about here, as a lack of proper support ended up being the demise of my planter boxes. This is vital, so don’t skip it!
- First, and most important, I recommend only three boards on each side, NOT four like I did. I think that was my biggest mistake, and I think my beds would have lasted much better if they were shallower.
- Start with supports on the sides. I recommend using scrap 2×4 pieces. Attach two or three to each of the long sides, and one to the short sides. Make sure to screw it into each slat on the planter for added stability.
- For the bottom, I ripped a 2×4 cedar board in half to create two 2×2 cedar boards. I cut them down to fit the long interior sides of the planter, and used wood glue and screws to attach them along the bottom side of the planter.
A quick note: you should always pre-drill your holes (especially with smaller boards like these 2×2 ones) to avoid having the wood split!
With two long support pieces along each of the long sides, you’re ready to add in the bottom slats. You’ll use the scrap 1×4 pieces to cut down slats that fit in the bottom of your garden bed, and nail or screw them into the 2×2 support pieces.
Leave some space between each slat to create drainage holes.
Add Bottom Shelf
This is an optional step, but one I highly recommend! It adds more stability, and it’s very functional.
I kept this shelf really simple – I used two pieces of 2×4 cedar, cut to fit between the two short sides. I attached them with wood glue and pocket holes from underneath.
Once those were attached, I cut 5 pieces of 1×4 cedar to fit the entire length of the planter, so they were flush with the ends of the support pieces I just added. Then, I placed them evenly spaced across the supports and nailed them into place!
Add a Trellis (Optional)
If you’d like, you can build a trellis out of 2×2 boards and chicken wire, to allow the taller plants to vine a bit! It’s really simple to add, and gives some much needed support to plants like tomatoes and jalapenos.
You can see my trellis in action below.
Stain or Paint
You can absolutely leave your planter raw cedar if you love the look – cedar is great for outdoor garden beds and being exposed to the elements, and it should hold up just fine without any special sealing!
I wanted to make mine a little prettier, so I stained all of the 2×4 pieces (and the slats for the bottom) with Ebony stain, and I used this Aged Wood Accelerator on the side slats.
Don’t know how to stain?
Let me teach you.
I didn’t seal my planter at all, but if you want to seal yours I’d recommend you use Spar Urethane.
Lining the Garden Bed
I used 5/16″ staples to attach a layer of chicken wire along the bottom of the planter. Just place the chicken wire down and use the staple gun to attach.
Once the chicken wire is in place, you’ll use the staple gun again to line the entire interior of the garden bed with landscape fabric or hardware cloth.
Get Planting!
And finally, you’re ready to fill up your raised garden bed and add your plants! It took me about 8 bags of gardening soil to fill it up. If you make yours shallower, you’ll be able to drop a bag or two.
plants to try…
Garden beds are great for…
- Tomatoes
- Salad greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach)
- Cucumbers
- Jalapenos
- Herbs (including thyme, basil, and cilantro)
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Beans
- Beets
- Peas
And so much more! Just remember to choose a high quality garden soil. You can also consider adding compost for added nutrients over time.
Can I Build This Without a Kreg Jig?
Yes!
If I were building a garden bed and I didn’t have a Kreg Jig, I would probably just start with the leg pieces and screw or nail the slats to the outside using deck screws.
Then, if you want to hide the corners, you can attach some 1×4 boards vertically to meet in the corner and hide the ends of the boards!
Other Gardening Projects + Ideas
- Our DIY vertical herb wall
- Turning a ladder into a garden stand
- DIY tomato cage plant stands
- Easy DIY cinderblock plant shelves
Introduction
As an avid gardener and DIY enthusiast, I have extensive experience with raised garden beds and various gardening projects. I have successfully built raised garden beds in the past and have experimented with different designs and materials. I understand the challenges of gardening in small backyards or areas with limited space, as well as the benefits of using raised garden beds. I can provide you with detailed information on how to build a raised garden bed, including design options, materials needed, and step-by-step instructions.
Raised Garden Bed Design Options
There are numerous ways to design a raised garden bed, depending on your specific needs and preferences. Some people choose to build them directly on the ground, while others prefer a more elevated design. Personally, I find raised garden beds that stand on legs to be advantageous. They help prevent weeds from infiltrating the bed and make it easier to tend to the plants. However, it's important to note that elevated designs can make it more challenging to incorporate features like drip irrigation systems.
When choosing a design, consider the layout of your backyard and the requirements of your vegetable garden. There is no right or wrong way to add garden bed planters to your yard. You can use materials such as bricks, concrete blocks, cinder blocks, or even pallets to create your raised bed garden. The key is to get creative and have fun with the design. If you prefer to follow a specific design, I can provide you with detailed instructions based on my own experience.
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed
To build a raised garden bed, you will need the following materials and tools:
- (12) 8' cedar 1x4 boards
- (4) 8' cedar 2x4 boards
- 1 roll of 2' wide chicken wire
- 1 roll of landscaping fabric
- Kreg Jig (optional, alternative methods will be discussed)
- Pocket hole screws
- Drill
- Staple gun and staples
- Stain or paint
The type of wood you choose for your raised bed is important. Cedar is a popular choice because it is rot-resistant and does not contain added chemicals. Pressure-treated lumber is another option, but it can be controversial due to the potential leaching of chemicals into the soil. Consider your preferences and the environmental impact when selecting the wood for your raised bed.
Here are the steps to build a raised garden bed:
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Cut the wood: Cut the cedar boards to the desired dimensions. The interior of the garden bed can be 2' x 4', and the height can be 33". Adjust the sizing to fit your space if needed.
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Create the short sides: Use a Kreg Jig to drill two pocket holes in each side of the 1x4 cedar boards. Attach the boards to the long edge of the 2x4 cedar boards using wood glue and pocket hole screws. It is recommended to use three slats instead of four for better stability.
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Create the long sides: Drill pocket holes into each side of the longer slats and attach them to the side pieces using the same method as above. Use scrap wood to prop everything up and assemble it on its side to ensure everything is straight and square.
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Add supports: Attach 2x4 pieces as supports on the sides and bottom of the garden bed using screws. This will provide stability and prevent the planter from collapsing under the weight of the soil.
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Add bottom slats: Cut down 1x4 cedar boards to fit the bottom of the garden bed. Nail or screw them into the 2x2 support pieces, leaving space between each slat for drainage.
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Optional: Add a bottom shelf for additional stability. Attach 2x4 cedar pieces between the short sides of the garden bed and nail them into place. Cut 1x4 cedar boards to fit the length of the planter and nail them evenly spaced across the supports.
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Optional: Build a trellis using 2x2 boards and chicken wire to support taller plants like tomatoes and jalapenos.
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Stain or paint the garden bed if desired. Cedar can be left untreated, but staining or painting can enhance its appearance.
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Line the garden bed: Attach chicken wire along the bottom of the planter using staples. Line the entire interior of the garden bed with landscape fabric or hardware cloth using a staple gun.
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Fill the garden bed with high-quality garden soil and start planting your desired vegetables, herbs, or flowers.
Remember to choose plants that are suitable for raised garden beds, such as tomatoes, salad greens, cucumbers, jalapenos, herbs, carrots, potatoes, onions, beans, beets, peas, and more. Consider adding compost for added nutrients over time.
Conclusion
Raised garden beds are a great solution for small backyards or areas with challenging soil conditions. They provide an easier way to garden and can be customized to fit your specific needs. By following the steps outlined above, you can build your own raised garden bed and enjoy the benefits of growing your own vegetables and plants. Happy gardening!
