Building a raised garden bed with legs is a great way to elevate your gardening space and make tending to your plants easier. With some basic carpentry skills and materials, you can create a sturdy and stylish raised bed that will last for years.
Introduction
Raised garden beds provide many benefits over traditional ground-level gardening. The height makes planting, weeding, and harvesting easier on your back without having to bend over as much. The contained space allows you to fill the bed with high-quality soil, compost, and other amendments to give your plants the nutrients they need. And the elevated bed helps improve drainage. Adding legs to a raised bed lifts it higher off the ground, which prevents issues with your plants sitting in wet soil.
Things You’ll Need
Before getting started, make sure you have the necessary supplies:
- Untreated lumber, such as cedar or pine. Avoid treated lumber which can leach chemicals.
- Deck screws or galvanized nails
- Hand or power saw to cut the wood
- Drill and drill bits
- Measuring tape
- Shovel and dirt/compost to fill the bed
- Landscape fabric (optional)
- Gravel or mulch (optional)
For a standard 4×8 foot bed, you’ll need:
- 4 boards 8 feet long for the sides
- 2 boards 4 feet long for the ends
- 4-6 legs about 18 inches tall. You can use 4×4 posts or shorter boards.
Step 1 – Cut the Wood to Size
Measure and mark your lumber to cut it to size. Cut the 4 boards that will form the sides of your bed to 8 feet long. Cut the 2 boards for the ends to 4 feet long. The height of your bed is up to you, but 10-12 inches is common. For the legs, you’ll want them around 18 inches long. 4×4 posts work well, but you can use shorter boards if you prefer.
Use a power saw or hand saw to cut your wood to size. Make sure the ends are square and smooth.
Step 2 – Assemble the Bed Frame
Lay the wood pieces on a flat surface. Position the 4 8-foot boards parallel to each other in a rectangular shape. Place one of the 4-foot boards perpendicular across one end. Make sure the corners meet neatly at right angles.
Drill pilot holes and attach the end board to the side boards with 3-4 deck screws or galvanized nails on each side. Attach the other end board the same way.
Check that the bed frame forms a sturdy rectangle before moving to the next step.
Step 3 – Add the Legs
Position the legs evenly along the bottom edges on the inside of the frame. One leg should go in each corner, and you can add 1-2 more spaced evenly along each side if desired.
Drill pilot holes through the bed frame boards into the legs. Attach each leg securely with several screws or nails. The legs should keep the bed frame elevated several inches off the ground when placed upright.
Step 4 – Prepare the Installation Spot
Select a level, sunny spot in your yard for your raised bed. Use a shovel to remove any grass or weeds where the bed will sit.
For added stability, you can place landscape fabric over the ground in the bed area. Top the fabric with about 1 inch of gravel or mulch. This will inhibit weeds under the bed.
Step 5 – Move the Bed into Place and Fill
Carefully move the assembled raised bed frame with legs into its final position. Adjust and level the bed as needed.
Start filling the bed with high-quality gardening soil. Mix in compost or fertilizer as desired. Fill the bed to about 1-2 inches from the top.
Your raised bed with legs is ready for planting! Installing trellises along the insides of the bed is an easy way to grow vining plants like cucumbers and beans. And you can divide the bed into sections for organized gardening.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep should I make the bed?
10-12 inches is recommended for most raised garden beds so the roots have plenty of room to grow. Go deeper if you want to grow root vegetables.
What kind of wood is best?
Use naturally rot-resistant, untreated woods like cedar, redwood, or pine. Avoid pressure-treated lumber.
How much soil do I need?
An 8×4 foot bed holds roughly 1/3 yard of soil for every 10 inches of depth. So for a 10 inch deep bed, get at least 1 cubic yard of soil.
Should I line the bed with anything?
Lining with landscape fabric can inhibit weeds, but isn’t strictly necessary. You can also use cardboard or newspaper.
What’s the best material to fill it with?
A mix of gardening soil, compost, peat moss, and fertilizer is ideal. Look for organic, nutrient-rich potting mixes.
Conclusion
Adding legs to a raised garden bed elevates your plants and makes gardening much easier on your back. Follow the steps above to build a raised bed with legs – measure and cut the wood, assemble the frame, attach the legs, prepare the installation area, then fill with soil. Maintain your raised bed each season and it will provide a beautiful, productive garden for years to come!