Securing Raised Beds?

[Alan G]

I've just prepared 3 beds in the back garden for raising up.

They're 6ft by 3ft and the boards I'll be using are 6 inches high.

Do I need to fix them into the ground with corner posts, and if so to what depth (on average?).

And would it be easier to fix stakes/posts to the boards first and then push/tap the frame in to the soil once built.

The alternative option seems to be 'knock a post in, attach a board to it, line it up & knock another post in and so on' until the frame is built.

Can anyone with experience of building raised beds help me make my mind up here

Thanks

[salilah]

Ours are a bit larger - 1.2m x 2.4m, and 2 boards high
We used 2"x2" posts - I'm guessing 2ft long or so - one in each corner and one in the middle of the long side
We put the boards (bottom ones) where we wanted then hammered in the posts as far as we could get them - it's a pain keeping them vertical!
I seem to remember we did all corner posts then attached the bottom boards with Timberlok, then put the middle posts in last. Where we couldn't get one post in very far, we cut the top off - the boards are quite solid, so we weren't worried about it moving

Hope this helps - no right answers, just what we did!
S

[Two_Sheds]

This is our school's purchased raised bed, it doesn't have corner posts, only metal brackets to hold it together

[dave_norm_smith]

Hi

I ended up making mine from the really large pallets (8') and used the thicker cross struts to form the post. When the pallets were striped down I was left with the a four foot strap which are 5'' x 2'' approx. I ripped these down the middle to form 2 1/2' x 2 and cut through the middle of the length on an 45 degree. I attached these to the planks either end leaving about an inch or two proud.( This can be cut neat once it has been smashed up with the hammer). I placed the two eight foot length in parallel and to the same depth using a spirit level and then attached the three foot planks on the end to complete the bed. An extra post was knocked in at the middle of the eight foot run to stop the bed billowing out, and all the smashed post ends cut off neat.

You also need a 4 year old 'helper' as well to run off with your hammer just when you need it! lol

Hope this helps

Dave

[chris]

I've not fixed mine, but I did have those 2' long corner steaks (pointed tip, about 2" x 2").. Mine haven't moved yet!

[Alan G]

2'' x 2'' & 2 ft it is then.

I asked a colleague this morning who said her beds weren't fixed in and the boards were connected by hinges allowing her to fold them up and bring them indoors in the winter.

That sounds like a good way of extending the life of the wood although I'd prefer something more rigid/permanent I reckon.

Thanks for the replies, by the way.

[Bigmallly]

It may pay to leave the posts a little longer incase you decide to make the bed deeper by adding extra boards.

[Alan G]

Well, thats me sorted out.

3 raised beds, 6ft x 3ft.

Just itching to get sowing now

[VirginVegGrower]

I've just prepared 3 beds in the back garden for raising up.

They're 6ft by 3ft and the boards I'll be using are 6 inches high.

Do I need to fix them into the ground with corner posts, and if so to what depth (on average?).

And would it be easier to fix stakes/posts to the boards first and then push/tap the frame in to the soil once built.

The alternative option seems to be 'knock a post in, attach a board to it, line it up & knock another post in and so on' until the frame is built.

Can anyone with experience of building raised beds help me make my mind up here

Thanks

My OH has just put two of our six in using 6" board and he has bought pegs, kind of 2" square x 2' long which he knocked into the ground, then screwed the baords to the pegs. They are brilliant and Iam a very happy bunny. He lined the pegs against a string and put them roughly every five feet with one in every corner too. Bought from Harlows Timber.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Just a tip for knocking the 2" x 2" posts.

If you can, make a 'pilot' hole. The pro's use a long 3/4" steel bar which they ram into the ground but a cold chesil and hammer will the same job. Tap the chesil in a couple of inches and then rotate to enlarge the hole. Tap and rotate until the required depth is reached. This will help you keep the post vertical and will knock any stones out the way.

Finally even if your using a mallet use a piece of old floor board or similar between the top of the post and the hammer, this should help stop the post end spliting.

Colin