New Raised beds?

[manda74]

Hi everyone. I've just had 2 raised beds made for me to grow my veg in, they are only small(2' x 4') but i am wondering how to protect them from the elements. My stepdad said wrap them in black binbags to keep the rain out, but it will look ugly and they are going in my garden so would like them to look as nice as possible but not got alot of money now.
Have you got any tips for me please as i need them to last as long as possible but i don't want to be putting chemicals all over it.

[Jameslovell]

What are they made of? If wood, do you know what type?

[manda74]

Yes they're wood, its tounge and groove pine. He thought wrapping them in black plastic bags would be ok (i told him not to do anything apart from put them together, but he thought he knew best)but as soon as he brings them up i'm taking them off as they look so ugly.

[Snadger]

Have a look under the sink or in the garage and I bet you have a half full tin of something or other that you can paint them with! You could even use undercoat or emulsion.

[Jameslovell]

I would say anything oil based would be best. Stops water getting in. How about lining the inside with thick black plastic, then you wouldn't have to see it, but would offer the wood protection from the moist soil inside the frame.

[manda74]

I didn't think that normal paint would protect them from the elements though
Would i be safe to use varnish on them inside and out or is there anything else that anyone can recommend?
These are in my garden with my fruit trees so i want them to look nice and last as long as possible.

[manda74]

Thats what i had intended on doing james, i was going to staple the bags inside and tape on the joins but he's covered the whole lot with them. But i wasn't sure what i could use to give the outside more protection. so i'll go and get something oil-based. I love natural wood so would never paint it. Thanks for the advise.

[Snadger]

If you have varnish in the garage.......go for it! The downside of lining with plastic is that you create a home for slugs snails and woodlice..........

[Storming Norman]

Hi Manda,

I know you said that you were short of money so this may be a non-starter; however if you do want to pay a little money for something to make it look smart I can recommend Cuprinol Heritage Garden Shades - outdoor paint:

Cuprinol Heritage Shades

I had some lurking in the shed from a previous task so my new raised bed and potato box are painted in the somerset green [looks a bit darker than this website pic].

It's very smart. The best bit about using something that colours your wooden beds is the next bed you decide to put in can be painted in to match so you get uniformity - my bed/box match each other & the painted wood nearby and it looks pretty good - makes me smile when I go to the veg beds. It's lasted 5 years so far on the other walls/wooden compost bin.

Plastic on the inside might still be best though. I used linseed oil/meths mix on one bed. I think that was a recommendation of Charles Dowling in one of the gardening mags. It turned out to be as expensive as using this paint.

I can send you a photo if you want - just need to find the camera first - PM me if you are interested.

Ann

[pollyskettle]

Just wanted to say "Thanks!" to Storming Norman. I've been trying to remember the name of that bloomin' paint for a couple of weeks now and you've solved the mystery.

I want to paint my shed in stripes of beaumont blue and country cream - like a beach hut

The neighbours will think I'm potty, but hey-ho! I might paint the new raised beds (when they get built!) in wild thyme, we'll see.

Edit to add: It's got 15% off at B&Q at the moment too. £16.13 for 2.5ltrs.

[snohare]

Buy some linseed from a health food shop, boil it up water it down a bittie, paint the resulting gloopy linseed oil onto the pine. It will help protect it from the elements and all sorts of nasty bugs and critters. Nontoxic, you can eat the seed afterwards, and unlike many paints will not flake off ! But as Ann says, it may work out expensive - you can soak in endless quantities, or just a little.
If the boards are pine they contain terpenols (what white spirit is distilled from - turpentine) to slow rotting anyway as that is natural to pine trees, what you will find is that they do go grey with age as bacteria chomp very slowly on the lignin. The linseed should slow that process down. Depending on thickness of wood and height of sides, you may find that you want to put a crosspiece in as bracing to stop the long sides from bowing out, that is what I have found looks really bad when a bed has been up a few seasons. (Less than 19mm is a bit iffy.)
I have raised beds made of 19mm pine from old bunk beds, the wood has been outside for two years and apart from looking grey it is in almost mint condition.

[manda74]

so would you say that i'm better off painting the entire frame inside and out and not lining it with plastic so as not to encourage slugs and snails. If so i will do that instead as i don't want S&S on my vegs. And if i can't afford them lovely paints then what would be best? can we all agree please as my head is hurting

[Sweepster]

can we all agree please

Most unlikely

However, all of us in my head agree that Seagrass is a nice shade should've gone for wild thyme shut it Geoff

[snohare]

ROFL
Sounds to me that as long as you staple/tack it very close to the wood with no gaps, your idea with the plastic is pretty good, Manda. (We'll not mention plasticisers !)
And I think Geoff is right about the wild thyme, in spirit at least...

[womble]

I wouldn't put plastic in it, make it worse than nothing at all. What happens when the water gets down the side of the plastic?

Let me take apart the rest of the ideas Paint when it chips will let and hold the water in, varnish too. Oil is your best bet, or nothing, danish oil is said to work quite well I believe.