Building a raised garden bed from scaffold planks in 4 easy steps opens up a world of possibilities for cultivating a thriving garden. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process, ensuring you have the tools and materials needed for a successful project.
Step by step guide to building a raised garden bed from scaffold planks
Tools and Materials needed
- Scaffold planks. We used 5, 4 for the sides and 1 for all of the ends
- Internal brace and support wood. Offcuts are fine, at least 1 inch (25mm) width
- Screws
- Organic matter and plants
- Cardboard
- Saw. This project can be done with a hand saw or circular saw
- Drill.
Step 1: Site layout and observation
Before starting on the construction of raised beds, the first step is to make observations of your chosen site, considering these aspects:
- Orientation – to ensure that the beds receive an optimal amount of sunlight throughout the day, so that you can grow healthy plants. In the UK beds should be located in the south or west facing part of the garden and should run north to south to get the most sun.
- Microclimate – think about prevailing wind direction and frost pockets. Our site has a strong south westerly wind, so we have designed taller raised beds, we use the higher edges as micro wind protection for young plants.
- Access and convenience for regular maintenance tasks. Remember the old saying ‘the best fertilizer is the gardener’s shadow’. Think about where the nearest water source is, where your tools are located. Don’t plan your raised beds far away from the things you will need to use them.
- Height – things to think about with height; taller beds need more organic material to fill and will cast shade on their surroundings. Using taller beds can be more accessible, and half filling them allows for a small wind protection for young plants.
Ultimately, a thoughtful observation of the site will guide the placement and design of raised beds, setting the foundation for a successful and efficient gardening experience.
Step 2: Prepare the wood and materials
- Decide on the length, width and height of the bed.
Length is determined by the space available, and the length of the scaffold boards. Our beds use full length boards.
Width should never be more than an easy reach from either side of the bed, which for most people is around 90 – 100cm wide.
Height can be one, two or three scaffold planks high. This will be determined by your site observations and how many planks you have available. We use mostly 2 high for wind protection. Where wind protection is not required our beds are 1 plank high, as this provides enough organic matter for the plants.
- Internal supports and braces
Each corner will require an internal support or brace for both structural stability and for something to fix the planks to. Offcuts at least 1 inch (25cm) wide can be used for this. The length of the support needs to be at least ¾ of the height of the bed.
Step 3: Construct the bed
Begin by constructing the two long sides. Fix the internal support wood to the lengths to make a panel. Use 2 screws per scaffold board. Line up the scaffold boards so that they are square and use the internal support wood as a straight edge to attach the scaffold boards.
Next take one of the side panels that you have just made. Fix one end on. Begin with the corner adjacent to the side. Fix 2 screws per scaffold board into the internal support.
Next fix the second side panel onto the end panel that you have just added. Move to the corner that is on the opposite side of the end panel that you are working on. The internal support should already be fixed onto the long side. Screw in the end scaffold boards, so that there are 2 sides and one end in place.
Finally it is time to attach the last end into place. Each of the end scaffold boards can be fixed onto the internal supports.
Top Tips for putting it together
When attaching the first side and corner together, it is easiest to drill down if length allows. Do this by inverting the two pieces.
If your bed is too long to drill down, then use clamps to hold the wood in place whilst you fix it.
For very long beds that are two boards high it can be a good idea to either have another internal support wood along the middle to prevent bowing. Another way to achieve this is simply to screw the top and bottom board together in the middle.
Step 4: Fill and plant
Lay cardboard this will exclude the light and kill off what is growing below the bed, preventing the existing plants from growing up into the bed.
Put the bed into position on top of the cardboard and fill with organic matter. Examples include
- garden compost,
- leaf mulch,
- well rotted horse manure
- mushroom compost
- diggings from a nearby pond
- wood chip and branch thinnings can be used at the bottom of the bed.
Your bed is ready for planting!
FAQ
Why build raised beds?
There are so many reasons to build raised beds for growing fruit, vegetables and flowers. For me key reasons include:
- Improved drainage. Our site can get waterlogged, growing in raised beds means the plants have healthier root systems.
- Better soil quality. Filling raised beds with organic matter such as well rotted horse manure, compost and leaf mulch provides a better growing medium to grow healthy plants.
- Compaction: Having clearly defined raised beds ensures that the soil does not get compacted, this means that the soil ecosystem is retained
Can you make planters from scaffold boards?
Yes you can, scaffold boards are strong and sturdy which means that they will last well and not rot quickly so they are great for planters and raised beds.
Do wooden raised beds need to be lined?
They do not need to be lined. If you decide to line them, bear in mind that some plastic lining materials will degrade over time and end up in the soil. You can also consider treating your wood with a paint on rot protection, but bear in mind that this will leach into the soil.
What is the cheapest timber for raised beds?
The cheapest timber is what you can get hold of for free. If you know a scaffolder who is getting rid of old planks, then this can be a very cheap way to make a raised bed. Other commonly available free materials would be pallets.
There are many wood recycling businesses throughout the UK, here you can often pick up low cost timber that can be used to make raised beds.
How long do scaffold boards last as raised beds?
They are likely to last for around 10 years, however it depends on the weather and soil conditions. They will rot over time.
Conclusion
This step by step guide shows how to re-use a waste material (old scaffold planks) and turn them into beautiful garden raised beds. This can be a very cheap way to construct a healthy growing space for vegetables, fruits and flowers in your garden. I would love to hear about your experiences with building raised beds in the comments below.
