Raised planter bed.

[Dedpedal]

The wife wanted something off the ground to plant some vegetables so I got started looking at pictures and made a plan.
the plan was to wing it and work out any issues as I go. This thing is a tank and weighs more than I do.
now to get a crane service to lift it into place after she paints it.

[LCHIEN]

Wow! It needs to be heavy duty as when filled with dirt will be quite heavy.

[nicer20]

Looking great !

Just a thought - Is there some PT lumber in there like the 4x4 posts? If so just a bit concerned about using it in a vegetable bed due to any chemical leeching.

Or it may be regular material - just the light making it appear as PT lumber.

- NG

[Dedpedal]

Looking great !

Just a thought - Is there some PT lumber in there like the 4x4 posts? If so just a bit concerned about using it in a vegetable bed due to any chemical leeching.

Or it may be regular material - just the light making it appear as PT lumber.

- NG

Just heat treated for the frame and cedar for the rest. He plan is for plastic tubs anyway so leeching shouldn’t be an issue.

[twistsol]

My wife has been after me to make some of these. I really like the dog ear pickets. Nicely done.

[capncarl]

I saw some nice 3 tier elevated planters at Tractor Supply. Interesting design that might be worth looking at.

[twistsol]

If I buy one, how will I justify any new tools?

[Dedpedal]

11 of the pickets were like that from Lowes. The rest I cut.

[capncarl]

I’d suggest putting each leg on a 12x12 concrete paver to prevent settteling.
What is the volume of your planter? What is to be planted in it?
I hope you have a source of raised bed soil nearby, cause if you go to the big box store you will have a stroke when you see the cost of bagged mix!
I buy my raised bed soil from a nearby plant nursery that blends it on site and sells it by the front end loader scoop. His price has increased from $12 for a cubic yard scoop in 2012 to now it’s $21 for a 17cubic foot scoop. I changed my garden beds to 40 gallon clothes dryer and large nursery tree drums this year and had to buy 6 scoops to fill up the 17 drums. It was about all my 16 foot trailer would hold and was probably overloaded.

[Dedpedal]

The legs are on pavers for that very reason.

[LCHIEN]

24" x 75" looks like. Maybe 6" deep.to the bottom of the upper rail.
If topsoil is 80 pounds/cu ft then you are looking at 430 pounds for the dirt alone. Might be heavier when wet.

12x12 concrete paver under each leg a good idea

Weight of dirt/ soil per cubic foot:- on average, weight of dirt mixed of top soil can weigh 80 pounds per cubic foot which is approximately equal as 0.04 short tons, in general it can be range between 74 – 110 pounds per cubic foot, dry loose dirt can weight around 76 lbs per cubic foot and while moist loose dirt can weigh around 78 lbs per cubic foot.

[Dedpedal]

You are correct on the size. Depth is about 12” give or take but we only filled it to about 8”

[capncarl]

Depends on what is planted in it, I like to put several inches of wood chips on top to hold in moisture and keep dirt from splashing up on the plants.

[capncarl]

How deep is the planter…. Bottom to top of soil.

[Dedpedal]

About 8” of soil.

[Dedpedal]

As a bonus,I have enough pickets leftover to build another smaller one.

[capncarl]

What is to be planted in these raised beds?

[Dedpedal]

Flower’s maybe,vegetables… I build,she makes the rest of the decisions.