Curious if anyone has used cedar fence pickets to construct raised beds. The price is right and I’m handy enough to try it, just have read some folks who suggest even with corner and center support sunk into the ground a 6 or 8 foot long bed will start to bow due to the 5/8" thickness. Everyone is happy when they first install them, haven’t read much about 3-5 years later.
They will definitely bow, but few pieces of 1/2 steel conduit (every 2- 3 ') should do the job. You can use them inside the bed and tie the plank to the pipe with wire for nice look or just put them outside and hammer to level with the top of the upper plank.
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Thank you for the tip!
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I’m having trouble envisioning how it would be done.
FWIW I have 2x8 planks for my garden beds and bowing has been an issue. I had originally lag-screwed the planks with cross-pieces every four feet, but the screws eventually pulled out.
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bowing increases garden space. No problem!
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For sure. But it does make the paths between the beds narrower, too.
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concrete blocks in the center makes for a nice seat to work from.
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Ive constructed several raised beds this way. My oldest are going on three years now. No major signs of bowing yet.
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I use simpson ties, they are L shaped with several places to choose a screw pattern, the design prevents the screws pulling out.
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Thank you for all of the input. Once the weather gets a little better I’m going to try to construct a few beds. I think I have some good ideas about which builds work better than others.
I’ve made quite a few beds with cedar fence planks, we stacked them two high so each bed used six planks, plus whatever wood you use for the braces on the long sides and corners. I would recommend!
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