Owens Corning
Build a Raised Garden Bed

DIY vs. PRO CostA raised flower bed in a garden creates a showcase for flowers and elevates it so weeding and maintainance are easy. Using ready-cut landscape timbers makes the project a simple assembly job involving more grunt work than carpentry skill. It's labor intensive, so you can save half the cost if you do the work yourself. A landscaper will charge $185 to make a 4-foot-by-8-foot raised bed with enriched soil. You can purchase the timbers and topsoil for $90.

This project is strenuous since it requires digging up and then cultivating the ground where the bed will be built. You need a garden fork and shovel to turn over the soil, break up the clumps and remove debris and old roots. Then use a bow rake to level the soil.

Lay out the raised bed with string and stakes so that it is straight and square at the corners. Assemble the timbers and secure at the corners with galvanized nails to prevent rust. Then fill the bed with enriched topsoil and it is ready to plant.

Tip: If you are growing vegetables, line the inside of the bed with plastic if you used pressure-treated lumber.

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