Raised beds

[spud57]

Hi there - we are beginners to this but are having real trouble finding reasonably priced boards for our raised beds. Cant find used scaffold boards anywhere! Can anyone help please?

[janeyo]

Hi I am a newbie too - just got one bed finished this avo!
I phoned a local scaffold company and he is happy for me to come and take away any damaged boards and bits of boards. They will be £4 for a 13foot piece. Have you tried ringing some local companies?

Think new ones form Travis perkins are about £20 each so it's a great saving.

hth janeyo

[lainey lou]

Hawthorns built some beautiful raised beds recently if you do a search you'll find his photos, I don't think they cost him too much either, but he would be able to advice.

[gardenplot]

Hi Spud57 welcome to the vine,
lots on the grapevines will help give you tips and advice

[chuffa]

Hi spuds57, This year i am doing ten raised beds from scaffolding boards. The first 13 i got from a local company were free and only had to pay for the delivery. The cheapest boards from new, are from a company called Blok N Mesh for £8 each 3mtr board. Phone the head office they will give you the number of the nearest branch. Tel: 0151 6501322

[quark1]

If you live anywhere along the south coast you may still be able to pick up some 'flotsam' from that container ship which spilt its cargo of wooden planks overboard.

I am of course in no way condoning illegal salvaging but they surely will not pick up every last piece and probably not from isolated places or where only a couple of boards have come ashore?

[wormlady]

Have you got a timber yard in your area? I got bits of wood for raised beds from them for about £1 each. Also try architcectural salvage yards, your local recycling centre or skip diving!

[gingerneil]

I'm in the process of building some too - from scaffold boards. I just phone 118500, asked for 10 companies to be texted to me and then phoned down the list. Many said they did not sell them for health and safety reasons.. but I found one who did. Bought 10x 6'6" boards and have now built 3 beds to fit in my little bakc garden plot.
Early shots here:
http://gingerneil.homeip.net:3121/ga...g2_itemId=3492

Altenatively, Jewsons may be able to help - although costs are likely to quickly stack up it would be cheaper than click-a-bord etc.

Just bought some wood stain / preserve this morning and will be painting them over the weekend. Due to pick up a load of manure on Sunday, and already have about 600 litres of compost to use for filling.
I was going to buy some top soil too, but I think the compost and manure will dig into the soil thatis already there and fill them sufficiently.

I fixed the boards together using 2x2 timber in the corners - screwed to each board and with the tops cut at an angle to stop standing water.

[zazen999]

Hi
I get mine from reclaim yard; 50p each and 4 boards make 1m square bed. I like my beds small! When I get the lottie, I think I will stick to the smaller beds as they are less wieldy than scaffold boards.

Do try just calling some scaffold companies tho' - they have to pay to dispose of them and will probably deliver them for a very good rate.

[spud57]

Thanks for all the help everyone - will keep looking!

[hawthorns]

try your local hire center i got 6 14ft scaffold boards for £30 that made 3 raised beds measuring 7ft by 4ft