Thanks for revisiting this build. I put together three of these raised beds based on your original design, only to see each one bow out significantly in the middle once I filled them with dirt. I went back and used a long pipe clamp to pull the tops back in line and then nailed on galvanized pipe hanger strap to hold it in place. Two alternatives to the Simpson strapping (since it's fairly expensive) are galvanized pipe hanger strapping (I found it was strong enough) or galvanized all thread. For the latter, drill a hole through the top and bottom of each mid-span upright and use washers and nuts and loosely tighten). Both options should be less expensive unless, of course, you’re making a lot of beds. One “improvement” I made was adding chicken wire to the bottom of the bed to prevent animals (think ground hogs or moles) from burrowing into the bed and decimating my vegetables. Cheers.
Mr. Goshen, I hope you don't mind me co-oping this. I've created instructions for an 8' bed in this style (either 2' wide or 4' wide), and added an optional "rim" and corner wood protection. I have pictures in the instructions, but here's the text below. Let me know if you want a word/wordpad file. Raised Garden Bed Make the cuts before starting the steps. I used pressure-treated wood as it will last longer and will not be in contact with the soil (so no chemical contamination). I used 2.5" screws for the "pieces" (steps 1-5), and 3" screws to combine the pieces (steps 6-10, except 9). I used 1.25" screws to attach the sheet metal lining. There are optional steps that probably don't need to be done; I've marked those steps. (11) 8' 2x4's (1) 8' 2x2 (3) sheets of 2.16' x 8' corrugating sheet metal 1.25" screws 2.5" screws 3" screws 2x4's ⦁ (6) 25 3/4" (Note: you can get 3 of these boards and one of the next out of an 8' board) ⦁ (6) 18 5/8" ⦁ (4) 24" (This is the width of the garden; use 48" for 4'x8' bed.) ⦁ (4) 8' 2x2 ⦁ (4) 18 5/8" Sheet metal ⦁ (2) 20" (This is the width of the garden minus 4"; use 44" for 4'x8' bed.) Optional ⦁ 24" Simpson strap (48" for 4'x8' bed) ⦁ (4) 24" drip edge (usually sold in 10' pieces -- you'll need one piece) 1. Center 18 5/8" boards on the 24" boards and screw together. There should be room for width of 2x4 on either side of the smaller board. Two of these six pieces will be your side supports, the other 4 will become your corners. 2. Stack and screw the (4) 2x2 boards along half of the smaller board from step 1. These will be your corners.
3. Find and mark the center length of your (4) 8' boards. 4. Screw the corners to the 8' boards with the 2x2 portion of the corner overhanging on both vertical axis.
5. Screw the side supports onto your 8' boards in the same orientation as the corners. Use the center marks from step 3 to determine placement. 6. Screw the 24" (48" for 4' wide bed) boards into "gaps" left from step 4 at 90 degrees. This will create a rectangular box. 7. (Optional) Attach Simpson strap to bottom of side supports. This will help prevent the sides from bowing. (Not optional for greater than 8' beds) 8. (Optional) Attach drip edge to interior corners. This will help protect the wood in the corners from constant dampness. 9. Screw sheet metal to inside of frame. 10. (Optional) Build a lip around the top rim. ⦁ 10a Start with measuring and cutting a 2x4 that fits in between the side rails (do not include the side supports). ⦁ 10b Then center a 8' 2x4 on one side balancing on the side support. Use a pencil to mark around the board installed in 10a. Use a jigsaw to cut 1.5" into the board and fit it onto the side. Repeat on other side.
⦁ 10c Measure the distance between the outside ends on one side of the boards from step 10b and cut a 2x4 to length. Fit and mark the interior edges of the 10b boards. Cut 1.75" out of the corners. Repeat on other side.
Thanks for the breakdown. One note: It appears that in item one, you should be using the 25 3/4" sections rather than the 24" sections. You are using the 24" in step 6. I was 2 screws in until I figured it out.
If you promise there won’t be a version 3.0 then I promise to stop procrastinating and try my hand at building one of these 😂. Really appreciate all the great content.
I’m wondering why you have the 2x4 framing on edge. I think it makes sense to have 2x4 s flat on the edge for strength against the dirt pressed pushing out.
Thanks for the update on this build! I've been kicking around how I want to do mine and I think I'm going to go with this! Also love the strap idea - I was already planning on doing some bracing just using wood (like you did on top) and never would have thought to use something else. Lastly (after a brief internet search) I had also settled on linseed oil so thanks for making me feel better about that decision! My only concern is that I'm going to try to build mine around a pre-existing hugle (because I like making things hard on myself) that's 20 feet long, so obviously I'll have to make some modifications plus I'll have to cut into the hugel where I want to put the straps (I'm going to go with 2 straps as well as one extra vertical support) so it'll still be roughly every 6 feet like yours. Wish me luck!
Excellent sir! Used your video to build a 8x4x2 foot bed due to limited space in our backyard. Linseed oil and Simpson strap just arrived. Will finish tomorrow and duplicate next week with bed number 2. Greetings from Smithfield, VA!
I built two last year and am currently making two more. Couple things..... first, I needed to build a fence onto it for deer protection....its 4 ft tall and i built swing gates on the opposing corners to gain access to the beds. Second, I use Seal IT Green Garden Box Sealer for water protection. Its a plant based organic sealer and it bonds to the fibers of the wood making it practically impervious to water. It's pricey ($80/gallon) but so worth the extra protection. Wish I could put a picture of them up. The fencing made it even sturdier. Thank you for the great design idea!
Thank you so much for your video!! We really appreciate your instructions. We have just completed our 4th bed and we learned a few tricks to make it easier. 1) pre-drill all holes 2)set up both walls with 4 foot 2x4's under them then screw in top pieces 1st then flip the whole thing over carefully then screw the other 4 foot 2x4's so you are only working on top. Being over 55 it is much easier for us to do it this way. Less knee work and less tiring.
OK, great design! I'm going to leverage heavily on your setup to create a "U" shaped version. I was considering allthread to prevent bowing, but think the Simpson strapping will work better.
Thank you for a great video. I cut my boards yesterday and oiled them. Today I will assemble. The only thing I added is hardware cloth for the bottom to keep moles out. Thanks again. Dan
Pro Tip: Measure Once Cut Twice... You can stack multiple 2x4s together instead of repeating the same cuts. This saves time and ensures both sides are exactly the same.
@@charmnGUY I have the same ryobi chop saw and cut multiple 2x4s at once. Just make sure boards are supported so they dont pinch the blade once you cut through.
For accuracy sake it's better not to make multiple marks on the board. For building this will cause "accumulative error" where each cut transfers greater error in measurement to the next. So later the cuts will be way off the more you do. You'd be better off marking from each end or cut then measure then cut. Better cleaner practice. If you're rushed then you can do it sure. But if you want a bit more quality then that's a pro tip
I built my first bed today. Bought enough materials to build 3 beds that are 4 feet by 12 F. Pretty much same method. $520 total cost for lumber, galvanized sheets, and screws. I had a 10% off coupon that saved me $50. I put three cross braces across top and bottom however and three vertical 2x4’s on each 12 ft side and one on each end wall. So I definitely have more lumber involved. I like the boiled linseed oil so I’m going to do that for sure. Good tip.
I build mine similar but on the long side I have 2 middle supports, and I use 3 metal straps on the bottom. I also have been putting a frame around the top to tie everything together. I like what you are doing very good. I only have 10 beds. But will say this if you don't seal the wood, about 5 years is all your going to get. I've got 4 beds that this will be the last year for them. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing.
In my country, weather will eat those 2x4 in a year, maybe 3 with the oil. Great design but I feel it could be better. What about screwing the strapping in the sheet metal, and putting 2 more of them at extremities for when the wood fail?
At the end of this season / beginning of next .... whenever it's appropriate. How about a video on how to cut down all the vegetation left after the harvest and how to till it up. I've always had regular gardens and at the beginning of each season a couple of passes with the roto tiller and I'm ready to go. Getting my huge tiller up 2 feet seems far fetched ... So how do you take care of the old vegetation and stir up the soil with amendments / mulch ?
FYI, It is better to use Raw Linseed oil. It takes about 3-4 days to completely dry depending upon the temperature outside. Raw Linseed last longer on lumber. Boiled Linseed is used on finishing fine furniture. I use boiled linseed oil on my fine antiques/furniture for the French polish finish.
Thanks for the video and plans! Just finished my second bed using this design but at 8ft instead of 12ft. Built the first last year using your original video. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this update. I followed your instructions last year. I did a couple things different. I did use PT lumber.. and placed them on a row of cheap bricks, don't like the idea of wood touching dirt for rot, I'm thinking this is a pretty cheap insurance. Also, i did 8 foot beds, so with that size I haven't needed to tie the middle parts together with boards or straps, no bowing. Thanks again!
Around here we use either galvanized or galvalume. No cadmium involved. I'm not aware of ANY steel roofing that has cadmium, certainly not in North America.
Im using galvanized threaded rod through the middle of middle post on my beds instead of the simpson strap to hold it. Just a nut and a fat fender washer to hold it. Bonus that if you notice bowing on existing beds you could probably install threaded rod after the fact - just drill a hole on both sides and fish/push the rod through the dirt. ~ 14$ for ten feet of 3/8 inch rod which can be cut do 2-3 beds. Only major downside imo is the nut sticking out of the side of bed to scratch you, but you can always countersink it.
Thank you for taking the time to explain why you went with untreated lumber and used linseed oil, I also love the idea of using metal strapping on the bottom of the bed to help maintain structural integrity. A very helpful video.
I mix lawn clippings (Grass) with the fall leaves as well as sticks, twigs and all my kitchen scraps (banana peels, potato skins, carrot skins, corn cobs, tea bags, coffee grounds and the soil I get is AMAZING! Then every time I mow the lawn the clippings become the mulch!
It looks great! Can’t wait till ours are built. I would put a second metal strap instead of wood in the middle but just bellow the soil level. That way you wont be able to see it.
If you have a place near you that sells roofing steel , you can get what they call cover sheets for cheap , they are scratched and different colors but they are all white on the under side . Save a few bucks that way
I'd think going 12' long was a mistake from the get go when considering bowing. I'm not too concerned with an 8' bed with a couple braces. The dirt isn't touching any of the dirt so I'm pretty comfortable using pressure treated. Good video, nice looking beds 👍🏼
Honest question (not trying to stir the pot): I noticed that the dirt only touches the metal. Since the lumber is on the outside, do you think the chemicals from PT wood would still get into the vegetables?
I've built a few of these and I found that the soil will leach out in the corners where the metal "ribs" do not touch. Hill, valley type thing so I cut some landscaping fabric and put it into the corners. Problem fixed!
Almost finished with the two raised beds at my cottage in Michigan's upper peninsula. So far so good. Wood chips next, then the soil I removed from the original bed and we'll get planted. Thanks for the videos. I followed them to the tee. Barry Bogart
Your build looks to be one of the more simple, yet elegant and functional designs out there! Thank you for posting! One question though. Is there a reason to go with the steel panels? Looking at local big box stores and finding I can probably do this cheaper going with a fiberglass panel. Thoughts?
Thanks for the kind words! We liked the look of the corrugated steel. Just make sure whatever you use is able to support the pressure of the soil. Cheers 🍻!
Question: what kind of tree/log fill canNOT be used for the first part of the fill? We often have access to Mesquite. Is that a problem for the veggies?
@@GoshenFarmandGardens Thanks for the quick response. I built the frame for an 8' garden bed yesterday. It's ready to coat. Need to wait for a slight thaw to put it in place and add the metal.
Question for you... Great build and thank you. I also avoid treated lumber with vegetable boxes but it doesn't look like the soil ever touches the wood...Care to explain the concern?
@@GoshenFarmandGardens I see, okay...Yes treated lumber is more expensive and that's a lot of board feet. Thanks! I'm going to make two small 48"x24" boxes...so I might go with treated...I'm afraid to look at prices. Thanks again!
@@johnm100 Planning to start 6 48"x48" boxes myself. I'm up to $850 in material. Love the look; but man is it expensive! I'll build em; but the wife can use her income for the dirt and plants. :P
Has anyone used the Galvanized Strapping for a raised garden before? When you use them in construction it usually involves a fair number of nails to secure the strap. I'm curious how it would do with just 2 or 4 screws.
Would it be a bad idea to replace the galvanized steel panels on the 2’x48” side with wood? I don’t have the means to cut metal (and it doesn’t come in lengths of 48”) and I’m not aware of any stores near me that are able to. Working on this for an Eagle Scout project and this video has been very helpful!
I’ve seen people putting in old black and white printed newspapers and cardboard boxes in also. I don’t know if these wold work for you, but just thought I’d mention it.
Help me to understand why you couldn’t use pressure treated wood. Looking at your box the wood does not come in contact with the soil. It’s all covered by the tin.
It can come in contact at the corners. Used a brushed on coating of food grade mineral oil before assembly. I see one person used Seal IT Green Garden Box Sealer.
I built your 1.0 version. Working good so far. I built a cattle panel trellis between them to create a tunnel for climbing plants - tomatoes, beans, watermelon, etc. I stole that idea from Mark over on Self Sufficient Me.
I have a concrete pad that used to be foundation to a storage shed- it blew away with storm. So building my raised beds on this pad. Suggestions? Since the foundation will ge concrete not dirt. Drain holes? In the metal? In corners like pvc tubing to drain out? Anyone out there -suggestions welcomed.
You’re doing a great job with these builds! Thank you. However, it seems like I’m reading that boiled linseed oil is very much NOT food safe and considered toxic. So, even though your soil is only barely in contact with the wood, I would be hesitant to apply the boiled linseed oil for food safety.
Materials have gone up 300% in 3 years, that's insane! Thanks for making these videos man, really appreciate you.
Thanks for revisiting this build. I put together three of these raised beds based on your original design, only to see each one bow out significantly in the middle once I filled them with dirt. I went back and used a long pipe clamp to pull the tops back in line and then nailed on galvanized pipe hanger strap to hold it in place.
Two alternatives to the Simpson strapping (since it's fairly expensive) are galvanized pipe hanger strapping (I found it was strong enough) or galvanized all thread. For the latter, drill a hole through the top and bottom of each mid-span upright and use washers and nuts and loosely tighten). Both options should be less expensive unless, of course, you’re making a lot of beds.
One “improvement” I made was adding chicken wire to the bottom of the bed to prevent animals (think ground hogs or moles) from burrowing into the bed and decimating my vegetables. Cheers.
Chicken wire is a great idea, because I have a ground hog, and raccoons!! 🦝 I live in Detroit too.. Just crazy!!!
Mr. Goshen, I hope you don't mind me co-oping this. I've created instructions for an 8' bed in this style (either 2' wide or 4' wide), and added an optional "rim" and corner wood protection. I have pictures in the instructions, but here's the text below. Let me know if you want a word/wordpad file.
Raised Garden Bed
Make the cuts before starting the steps. I used pressure-treated wood as it will last longer and will not be in contact with the soil (so no chemical contamination). I used 2.5" screws for the "pieces" (steps 1-5), and 3" screws to combine the pieces (steps 6-10, except 9). I used 1.25" screws to attach the sheet metal lining. There are optional steps that probably don't need to be done; I've marked those steps.
(11) 8' 2x4's
(1) 8' 2x2
(3) sheets of 2.16' x 8' corrugating sheet metal
1.25" screws
2.5" screws
3" screws
2x4's
⦁ (6) 25 3/4" (Note: you can get 3 of these boards and one of the next out of an 8' board)
⦁ (6) 18 5/8"
⦁ (4) 24" (This is the width of the garden; use 48" for 4'x8' bed.)
⦁ (4) 8'
2x2
⦁ (4) 18 5/8"
Sheet metal
⦁ (2) 20" (This is the width of the garden minus 4"; use 44" for 4'x8' bed.)
Optional
⦁ 24" Simpson strap (48" for 4'x8' bed)
⦁ (4) 24" drip edge (usually sold in 10' pieces -- you'll need one piece)
1. Center 18 5/8" boards on the 24" boards and screw together. There should be room for width of 2x4 on either side of the smaller board. Two of these six pieces will be your side supports, the other 4 will become your corners.
2. Stack and screw the (4) 2x2 boards along half of the smaller board from step 1. These will be your corners.
3. Find and mark the center length of your (4) 8' boards.
4. Screw the corners to the 8' boards with the 2x2 portion of the corner overhanging on both vertical axis.
5. Screw the side supports onto your 8' boards in the same orientation as the corners. Use the center marks from step 3 to determine placement.
6. Screw the 24" (48" for 4' wide bed) boards into "gaps" left from step 4 at 90 degrees. This will create a rectangular box.
7. (Optional) Attach Simpson strap to bottom of side supports. This will help prevent the sides from bowing. (Not optional for greater than 8' beds)
8. (Optional) Attach drip edge to interior corners. This will help protect the wood in the corners from constant dampness.
9. Screw sheet metal to inside of frame.
10. (Optional) Build a lip around the top rim.
⦁ 10a Start with measuring and cutting a 2x4 that fits in between the side rails (do not include the side supports).
⦁ 10b Then center a 8' 2x4 on one side balancing on the side support. Use a pencil to mark around the board installed in 10a. Use a jigsaw to cut 1.5" into the board and fit it onto the side. Repeat on other side.
⦁ 10c Measure the distance between the outside ends on one side of the boards from step 10b and cut a 2x4 to length. Fit and mark the interior edges of the 10b boards. Cut 1.75" out of the corners. Repeat on other side.
Thanks for the breakdown. One note: It appears that in item one, you should be using the 25 3/4" sections rather than the 24" sections. You are using the 24" in step 6. I was 2 screws in until I figured it out.
If you promise there won’t be a version 3.0 then I promise to stop procrastinating and try my hand at building one of these 😂. Really appreciate all the great content.
There won’t be a 3.0! Thanks for watching ❤️
I’m wondering why you have the 2x4 framing on edge. I think it makes sense to have 2x4 s flat on the edge for strength against the dirt pressed pushing out.
Thanks for the update on this build! I've been kicking around how I want to do mine and I think I'm going to go with this! Also love the strap idea - I was already planning on doing some bracing just using wood (like you did on top) and never would have thought to use something else. Lastly (after a brief internet search) I had also settled on linseed oil so thanks for making me feel better about that decision!
My only concern is that I'm going to try to build mine around a pre-existing hugle (because I like making things hard on myself) that's 20 feet long, so obviously I'll have to make some modifications plus I'll have to cut into the hugel where I want to put the straps (I'm going to go with 2 straps as well as one extra vertical support) so it'll still be roughly every 6 feet like yours. Wish me luck!
Will be tackling my 1st bed ever this weekend. Going to use your design to build a 8’ x 3’ bed. Thank you!
I hope it went well! This is the size Id like as well.
I would have thought to apply linseed a) with a brush heavier coat and wipe down b) before assembly to ensure all end grains get a good coat.
That's probably the best way to coat the wood. After I assembled one, it occurred to me to seal it first. I'll certainly be doing that next time.
Excellent sir! Used your video to build a 8x4x2 foot bed due to limited space in our backyard. Linseed oil and Simpson strap just arrived. Will finish tomorrow and duplicate next week with bed number 2. Greetings from Smithfield, VA!
Great plan and well explained assembly. I am on my 4th one and we love them.
Great job!
God Bless you and yours
I built two last year and am currently making two more. Couple things..... first, I needed to build a fence onto it for deer protection....its 4 ft tall and i built swing gates on the opposing corners to gain access to the beds. Second, I use Seal IT Green Garden Box Sealer for water protection. Its a plant based organic sealer and it bonds to the fibers of the wood making it practically impervious to water. It's pricey ($80/gallon) but so worth the extra protection. Wish I could put a picture of them up. The fencing made it even sturdier. Thank you for the great design idea!
Thank you so much for your video!! We really appreciate your instructions. We have just completed our 4th bed and we learned a few tricks to make it easier. 1) pre-drill all holes 2)set up both walls with 4 foot 2x4's under them then screw in top pieces 1st then flip the whole thing over carefully then screw the other 4 foot 2x4's so you are only working on top. Being over 55 it is much easier for us to do it this way. Less knee work and less tiring.
OK, great design! I'm going to leverage heavily on your setup to create a "U" shaped version. I was considering allthread to prevent bowing, but think the Simpson strapping will work better.
Thank you for a great video. I cut my boards yesterday and oiled them. Today I will assemble. The only thing I added is hardware cloth for the bottom to keep moles out. Thanks again. Dan
Pro Tip: Measure Once Cut Twice... You can stack multiple 2x4s together instead of repeating the same cuts. This saves time and ensures both sides are exactly the same.
small saw can't cut double :-)
@@charmnGUY I have the same ryobi chop saw and cut multiple 2x4s at once. Just make sure boards are supported so they dont pinch the blade once you cut through.
You made look so easy I hope it goes that way when I make one. Thanks for getting this video for beginners such as I.
For accuracy sake it's better not to make multiple marks on the board. For building this will cause "accumulative error" where each cut transfers greater error in measurement to the next. So later the cuts will be way off the more you do. You'd be better off marking from each end or cut then measure then cut. Better cleaner practice. If you're rushed then you can do it sure. But if you want a bit more quality then that's a pro tip
Thanks for the tip!
Not being a carpenter (nor good at math) but wanting to DIY quality raised beds, I appreciate all the help I can get.
In short, by not measuring after each cut, one is not allowing for blade thickness or any error in the previous cut.
thank you so much for this design I just finished making two of these now I want to make two smaller versions to go around my patio.
I built my first bed today. Bought enough materials to build 3 beds that are 4 feet by 12 F. Pretty much same method. $520 total cost for lumber, galvanized sheets, and screws. I had a 10% off coupon that saved me $50.
I put three cross braces across top and bottom however and three vertical 2x4’s on each 12 ft side and one on each end wall. So I definitely have more lumber involved. I like the boiled linseed oil so I’m going to do that for sure. Good tip.
I build mine similar but on the long side I have 2 middle supports, and I use 3 metal straps on the bottom. I also have been putting a frame around the top to tie everything together. I like what you are doing very good. I only have 10 beds. But will say this if you don't seal the wood, about 5 years is all your going to get. I've got 4 beds that this will be the last year for them. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent demonstration. Even I can build a raised bed with this instructional video. Thank you.
Great video! The step by step instructions are so helpful.
does the galvanized metal react with the soil and cause any problems with the plants growing next to the metal
I looked this up. Apparently the zinc is actually good for the soil.
Such GREAT INFO! Could FEED A FAMILY of 7 with a couple of these! Thanks GF&G!
Thanks from Minnesota!
I appreciate you video on this.....I'm going to be building these.
I like your plans and will use it. Only difference is I will put the center tie under the 2x4 so I can cap the top.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! Going to build now for use in the Spring of 2023!
In my country, weather will eat those 2x4 in a year, maybe 3 with the oil. Great design but I feel it could be better. What about screwing the strapping in the sheet metal, and putting 2 more of them at extremities for when the wood fail?
At the end of this season / beginning of next .... whenever it's appropriate.
How about a video on how to cut down all the vegetation left after the harvest and how to till it up. I've always had regular gardens and at the beginning of each season a couple of passes with the roto tiller and I'm ready to go. Getting my huge tiller up 2 feet seems far fetched ... So how do you take care of the old vegetation and stir up the soil with amendments / mulch ?
FYI, It is better to use Raw Linseed oil. It takes about 3-4 days to completely dry depending upon the temperature outside. Raw Linseed last longer on lumber. Boiled Linseed is used on finishing fine furniture. I use boiled linseed oil on my fine antiques/furniture for the French polish finish.
Not to mention boiled linseed oil has heavy metal driers added to it
Good video thanks for sharing God bless you and yours.
Thanks for the video and plans! Just finished my second bed using this design but at 8ft instead of 12ft. Built the first last year using your original video. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this update. I followed your instructions last year. I did a couple things different. I did use PT lumber.. and placed them on a row of cheap bricks, don't like the idea of wood touching dirt for rot, I'm thinking this is a pretty cheap insurance. Also, i did 8 foot beds, so with that size I haven't needed to tie the middle parts together with boards or straps, no bowing. Thanks again!
Hugelkultur = Wunderbar!
Awesome, I have one with the same materials and did Huegelculture, now I wait for things to grow.
Great stuff, going to the hardware store today!
awesome. Thanks. I'll be building out several of these as well. Best build I've seen for these now. Subbed too
Awesome! Thanks Rob, let us know how it turns out!
100% agree. I've watched numerous build videos and different methods. Anxious to start mine!
Love what you're doing! Thanks for the vid.
Hi , great video will you please explain the measurements whether its in inches, centimeters. Thanks
Inches, thanks!
super great design.
What about the roofing tin leaching Cadmium as it breaks down?
Around here we use either galvanized or galvalume. No cadmium involved. I'm not aware of ANY steel roofing that has cadmium, certainly not in North America.
Im using galvanized threaded rod through the middle of middle post on my beds instead of the simpson strap to hold it. Just a nut and a fat fender washer to hold it. Bonus that if you notice bowing on existing beds you could probably install threaded rod after the fact - just drill a hole on both sides and fish/push the rod through the dirt. ~ 14$ for ten feet of 3/8 inch rod which can be cut do 2-3 beds. Only major downside imo is the nut sticking out of the side of bed to scratch you, but you can always countersink it.
I am hesitant to put a square on it....but just completed my raised bed project Step 1....Step 2, is to fill it up. Thanks for the great vid.
Thank you for taking the time to explain why you went with untreated lumber and used linseed oil, I also love the idea of using metal strapping on the bottom of the bed to help maintain structural integrity. A very helpful video.
I mix lawn clippings (Grass) with the fall leaves as well as sticks, twigs and all my kitchen scraps (banana peels, potato skins, carrot skins, corn cobs, tea bags, coffee grounds and the soil I get is AMAZING!
Then every time I mow the lawn the clippings become the mulch!
for 12ft spand, i'd do 3 vertical support and at least 2 straps, also wouldn't it make sense to put the paneling on before assembling?
It looks great! Can’t wait till ours are built. I would put a second metal strap instead of wood in the middle but just bellow the soil level. That way you wont be able to see it.
I'm building and 8'x2.5' version since it's going next to the side of my house. Lowes has a 36" 16 gauge piece of the metal strap for $5.
Thank you! Awesome.
If you have a place near you that sells roofing steel , you can get what they call cover sheets for cheap , they are scratched and different colors but they are all white on the under side . Save a few bucks that way
I'd think going 12' long was a mistake from the get go when considering bowing. I'm not too concerned with an 8' bed with a couple braces. The dirt isn't touching any of the dirt so I'm pretty comfortable using pressure treated. Good video, nice looking beds 👍🏼
Honest question (not trying to stir the pot): I noticed that the dirt only touches the metal. Since the lumber is on the outside, do you think the chemicals from PT wood would still get into the vegetables?
I've built a few of these and I found that the soil will leach out in the corners where the metal "ribs" do not touch. Hill, valley type thing so I cut some landscaping fabric and put it into the corners. Problem fixed!
very nice...
I live near Kansas City- Excelsior Springs. Do you have the name of the company where you purchased the compost? Love your garden beds!
Nice work
I’m about to build my first one and got advice from someone who has built several to used food grade mineral oil instead of boiled lense to oil.
Almost finished with the two raised beds at my cottage in Michigan's upper peninsula. So far so good. Wood chips next, then the soil I removed from the original bed and we'll get planted. Thanks for the videos. I followed them to the tee. Barry Bogart
Does the galvanized sheet metal not leach heavy metals into the soil over time?
It certainly does. Especially when it rusts from constant moisture
Your build looks to be one of the more simple, yet elegant and functional designs out there! Thank you for posting!
One question though. Is there a reason to go with the steel panels? Looking at local big box stores and finding I can probably do this cheaper going with a fiberglass panel. Thoughts?
Thanks for the kind words! We liked the look of the corrugated steel. Just make sure whatever you use is able to support the pressure of the soil. Cheers 🍻!
Also for the future it's easier to cut that strapping with the angle grinder instead of the snips. That strapping is tough
Hi,i noticed that you have changed from 25 5/8 to 25 3/4 .is this correct?
Do you feel you would need the Simpson strap if you were building an 4’x8’ bed (instead of 4’x12’)?
Question: what kind of tree/log fill canNOT be used for the first part of the fill? We often have access to Mesquite. Is that a problem for the veggies?
When you apply the oil, did you cut it with turpentine or straight? And I assume you just did a single coat?
I double coated most of it, didn’t cut it
@@GoshenFarmandGardens Thanks for the quick response. I built the frame for an 8' garden bed yesterday. It's ready to coat. Need to wait for a slight thaw to put it in place and add the metal.
Question for you... Great build and thank you. I also avoid treated lumber with vegetable boxes but it doesn't look like the soil ever touches the wood...Care to explain the concern?
It was both removing any chemicals from the garden as well as saving money in lumber because we built about 20 of these. Thanks for watching!
@@GoshenFarmandGardens I see, okay...Yes treated lumber is more expensive and that's a lot of board feet. Thanks! I'm going to make two small 48"x24" boxes...so I might go with treated...I'm afraid to look at prices. Thanks again!
@@johnm100 Planning to start 6 48"x48" boxes myself. I'm up to $850 in material. Love the look; but man is it expensive!
I'll build em; but the wife can use her income for the dirt and plants. :P
So you are cutting your tin 4" short correct? I'm going to do a 36" version of this so my tin would need to be cut at 32" right?
Do you know roughly what gauge roofing you used? The thickest I’m able to get is 31 gauge but not sure if that’s enough.
I live in the city, would layering help to keep chemicals from ground as oil leaching in my veggies?
what type of screws are used to attach metal
1.5” deck screws
Thanks
I used your first series to build one this week, with some modifications because I used scavenged wood. The design looks similar to this 2.0 version
Has anyone used the Galvanized Strapping for a raised garden before? When you use them in construction it usually involves a fair number of nails to secure the strap. I'm curious how it would do with just 2 or 4 screws.
Would it be a bad idea to replace the galvanized steel panels on the 2’x48” side with wood? I don’t have the means to cut metal (and it doesn’t come in lengths of 48”) and I’m not aware of any stores near me that are able to. Working on this for an Eagle Scout project and this video has been very helpful!
You can cut the metal if you take a circular saw and run the blade in reverse
I’ve seen people putting in old black and white printed newspapers and cardboard boxes in also. I don’t know if these wold work for you, but just thought I’d mention it.
Why did you choose a 12' bed. Planting?
Help me to understand why you couldn’t use pressure treated wood. Looking at your box the wood does not come in contact with the soil. It’s all covered by the tin.
It can come in contact at the corners. Used a brushed on coating of food grade mineral oil before assembly. I see one person used Seal IT Green Garden Box Sealer.
I built your 1.0 version. Working good so far. I built a cattle panel trellis between them to create a tunnel for climbing plants - tomatoes, beans, watermelon, etc. I stole that idea from Mark over on Self Sufficient Me.
Awesome! Yep half of our entire raised bed garden is the 1.0 version and they are doing and holding up great!
In the days of old the farmers used linseed oil to preserve their barns 😮
I have a concrete pad that used to be foundation to a storage shed- it blew away with storm. So building my raised beds on this pad. Suggestions? Since the foundation will ge concrete not dirt. Drain holes? In the metal? In corners like pvc tubing to drain out? Anyone out there -suggestions welcomed.
To me it’s much easier to put the boiled linseed oil before you cut anything then just put it on the end cuts….😊
You’re doing a great job with these builds! Thank you. However, it seems like I’m reading that boiled linseed oil is very much NOT food safe and considered toxic. So, even though your soil is only barely in contact with the wood, I would be hesitant to apply the boiled linseed oil for food safety.
I think the part of the video is missing is the cut that will result in a 21 inch board remaining. I don’t see that anywhere.
If the dirt is not contacting the wood, because you cover it all with galvanized metal, there wouldn't be any risk of treated wood leaching. Correct?
Galvanized steel is a heavy metal, zinc.
👍👍👍👍👍
Isn't boiled linseed oil considered to be toxic (as opposed to raw)? This sort of defeats the purpose of not using the pressure treated wood...
I cannot believe the price jump. It’s awful. Love the improvements though!
No treated wood, It looks like the metal panels don't allow the dirt from hitting the treated lumber anyways.
It’s going to be hard to keep costing yr wood on the inside twice a year.
Realy good bad but i dont thi k you been safe any backs with it ...its not allways just materials metter but mostly your time as well
Ear plugs
I sure hope you didn't read the SDS on that BLO, and find out is uses heavy metals as driers. 😂😂😂😂🤦♂️
Thanks Joe Biden... inflation.
thanks for the video. Pretty sure no one needs to hear you using a chop saw on all the cuts. Most folks know what a chop saw sounds like.
Too much fluff, get to the point
it's a step by step. not your thing? don't watch. I found it to be very informative and will be building one this weekend
The metal roofing, with the weight of soil, won't you have a bow in the middle?
If you add the top brace and bottom brace, no bow
You should never skip the boiled linseed oil that is like a major step in building a raised garden bed