What Kind of Lumber Should Be Used for Raised Beds?

Benefits

• Raised beds allow you to start a flower or vegetable garden in any area of your yard without the work of tilling up and amending poor soil. A raised bed can also be built to a height to allow people with motility issues the chance to garden at a level that is convenient for them. The construction is simple and begins with the right lumber.

Considerations - Price

• Your choice of lumber depends on various factors. One consideration is how much you want to spend. While pine is inexpensive, it doesn't have the natural rot resistance of cedar. Cedar is pricey, but it is a long-lasting choice. The most expensive option is composite lumber, but it's durability is worth the cost.

Considerations - Appearance

• Because many people build raised beds in their front yards to take advantage of easement space or to get rid of grassy areas, appearance is a major consideration. Cedar and pine are beautiful when first installed, but age quickly to a gray some people don't like. Composite lumber fades minimally and is easy to spruce up with a scrubbing.

Benefits of Recycling

• Although not as attractive as new lumber, old cedar fence boards can be reused for building raised beds. The boards won't last as long as fresh lumber, but if you make the walls of your bed by doubling up the boards the beds can last many years. This also keeps the boards out of landfills.

Warning: Treated Lumber

• Treated lumber, while good for many other outdoor projects, can leach chemicals into the soil in which your food grows. In some cases these chemicals can harm the very plants you are trying to grow or can retard their development.