Build a classic raised bed of wood yourself - Suitable types of wood

Content

• Build a classic raised bed of wood yourself - Suitable types of wood
• Which types of wood are suitable for raised beds?
• Use impregnated wood only for ornamental raised beds
• Suitable materials made of wood
• glued panels
• Timber and boards
• Palisades, logs, rods
• Pallets and transport boxes
• To effectively protect wood against rot and fungus
• Tips

A raised wooden bed looks chic and is practical

Build a classic raised bed of wood yourself - Suitable types of wood

Wood is probably the most commonly used building material for raised beds. It is easy to obtain in DIY stores, in specialist shops or in forestry operations and is very easy to handle in terms of transport and processing. In addition, wood is a sustainable raw material and as such ecological - provided you do not buy boards glazed with toxic colors.

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Which types of wood are suitable for raised beds?

You have the choice between soft and hardwoods, which have each specific advantages and disadvantages. Softwoods such as spruce, pine, Douglas fir or poplar are usually very cheap to buy. In return, however, these types of wood will rot within a few years, especially when in contact with moist soil (as is unavoidable in a raised bed). For example, untreated spruce wood needs to be replaced after about three to four years. However, you can extend the durability by protective measures such as the inside of nubs or pond liner and a protective glaze. However, hardwoods such as larch, robinia, black pine or oak are the most resistant to moisture and rotting. However, these woods have their price and are therefore much more expensive to buy.

Use impregnated wood only for ornamental raised beds

The durability especially of softwoods can be extended by a glaze or impregnation something. These, however, are only suitable for ornamental raised beds. For vegetable and herb high beds, however, you should not use such treated materials, as the chemicals can pass into the soil and thus into the vegetables and fruits. Instead, you can resort to non-toxic technical measures such as knocking the raised bed with foil.

Suitable materials made of wood

In addition to different types of wood, there are of course different forms of material, which differ greatly not only in price, but also in practicality and appearance. By using different materials, you can create a varied garden design that can look both classically elegant and very rustic.

glued panels

These are ready sawn and smooth planed spruce or fir wood panels commonly used for shelving. They are available in different standard sizes of 20, 30 and 40 centimeters wide and 60, 80, 100 and 120 centimeters in length. This makes them ideal for raised beds in different sizes, even without large cutting work, which are also completed in a few simple steps. Unfortunately, the built-up raised flower boxes are only lasting for a few years.

Timber and boards

Squared timbers, planks and planks are also available in many different sizes, whereby you can have them precisely cut to the desired lengths in the hardware store. Thus, with little effort, quickly and inexpensively set up raised bed varieties in different heights and widths. Such woods fit particularly well in small gardens, where more massive material such as palisades, just seems too bulky. In contrast to laminated wood, you can choose between different types of wood for timber and boards and can thus choose your desired wood.

Palisades, logs, rods

If it should be a bit more rustic, you can also use unpeeled spruce roundwoods or poles for the construction of the raised bed. Here, however, a little manual skill is necessary, because these woods must be put together in block construction. For this purpose, the roundwoods at the corners are cut to size, creating stable connections. Alternatively, for a low raised bed, you can also position roughly equal round logs between lateral support posts. The retaining posts should be sunk at least 25 centimeters deep in the ground, also an additional inside securing by means of tension wire makes sense. On the other hand, it is easier to build a raised bed from finished palisade walls, which can be used as walls either horizontally or vertically.

Pallets and transport boxes

High beds made of Euro pallets are particularly uncomplicated, fast and cheap, and these are usually even longer lasting than conventional glulam or softwood boards. Such pallets can be obtained cheaply from the furniture retailer, in craft workshops or companies in the industrial area. They can also buy you for a small money in the hardware store or order on the Internet, because the companies are not always happy to get rid of the pallets due to the strong growth in demand in recent years. Euro pallets enjoy great popularity because of their versatility. By contrast, wooden crates can be used to make mobile raised beds, which are wonderful for the balcony or terrace and can be well planted with herbs, for example.

To effectively protect wood against rot and fungus

So that the used wood does not rot after two winters and needs to be replaced, you should protect it from moisture. For this you can line the inside of the raised bed with pond or bubble wrap. This is fixed with roofing nails or with the help of a tacker to the frame, leaving the bottom of the raised bed of course free. Otherwise, the pouring water and rainwater can not flow away, with the result that the raised bed literally drowns in waterlogging.

Tips

Particularly interesting is a low raised bed of so-called "Rundlingen", by which a multiply divided, strong tree trunk is understood. Standing upright and buried at least 20 to 30 centimeters deep, they give off a sturdy raised bed frame, which can also be used as a seat.