How to Make a Raised Garden

How to build a raised garden box

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pencil
• Tape Measure
• Level
• Carpenter's Square
• Rubber hammer
• Drill
• 1 # 3 - 3 1/2 Exterior screws
• 1 # 2 - 2 1/2 Exterior screws
• 1 bundle of 24″ stakes
• 4 8 foot long 2X6's
• 4 4 foot long 2X6's

1. Gather materials

2. Drill pilot holes 3/4 inch down and 3/4 inch in from the corners of each 8 foot long board

3. Place the two long boards on the ground, standing on their sides, and place one short board between them (creates an U shape).

4. Line the boards up to create a sharp corner, then use a screwdriver or screwdriver bit to screw the long screws in through the pilot holes.

5. Insert a short board to complete the rectangle and place long screws through the pilot holes and, again, screw the long boards and short board together.

6. Place this finished rectangle on the ground wherever you would like the bed to be.

7. Hammer stakes into one of the corners of the box so that 6 inches of the stake is still sticking up above the frame.

8. Use your level to level the sides of the frame

9. Once the box is leveled, create pilot holes that you will use to attach the frame to the stakes. It is best to do this near the already existing screw holes.

10. Use the shorter screws to attach the frame to the stakes.

11. Repeat steps 7-10 on the opposite corner.

12. When two opposite corners have attached stakes, use the carpenters corner to square off the frame.

13. Remember to re-level the sides after the frame is squared.

14. Once squared & leveled, repeat 7-10 on the two remaining corners.

15. Drive in another stake on the center of each of the shorter sides and two stakes on each of the long sides of the frame (6 stakes should be added in this step for a total of 10)

16. Drill two pilot holes to attach the frame to each of these additional stakes and then attach the frame to the stakes using these pilot holes.

17. Set the remaining boards on top of the existing frame

18. Attach the new boards to each other and to the stakes using the same methods you used on the lower level. You do not need to re-level the box if you did a good job on the bottom.

19. Fill the frame with dirt and plant your garden!

Tips & Warnings

• This should only be done by a competent adult.
• Author is not responsible for any information contained within this article, follow at your own risk.
• Results are not guaranteed.

[ringgold]

on 8/10/2009 Great article...I was looking for directions for making a raised garden. Thanks !!!!