How to make a raised garden bed: DIY guide

Want to grow a flower or vegetable garden but have bad soil or bad knees? Consider a raised garden bed. These “high-rise” structures, which range in size, shape, and materials, are all based on the same concept: an elevated box with no top (and often no bottom) that allows you to plant in specially prepared soil. 

Built just a foot off the ground or at eye level, raised gardens are particularly popular in urban areas with limited growing space, and locations with poor soil conditions, such as heavy clay, sand, or standing water. They’re also more conducive to healthier plants.

“Most savvy vegetable gardeners recommend raised garden beds because they provide better drainage and aeration than conventional ground planting,” explains Conor Fitzpatrick, owner of Mini Farm Box in Los Angeles, which sells and installs pre-made planter boxes. “The soil stays loose and light so your plants get more rooting space—and bigger roots mean bigger plants with more fruits and veggies.”

There are many reasons to plant raised beds over in-ground ones. They include:

You can use different materials to create functional, stylish raised garden beds, depending on your needs and budget. Common options include:

A wooden raised garden bed, for example, is relatively easy to build on your own, but you can also assemble one from a kit or hire a professional to customize one for you. Whichever option you choose, here’s what you need to know.

Skill level: Easy/intermediate

Cost: About $35–260, depending on box size and materials (pricier lumber, tools, and soil all add to the cost). Includes cost of filling the box with soil.

Time: A few hours

Tools required: 

If you’re ready to build your garden bed as a DIY project, follow these step-by-step instructions:

The standard size of a raised garden bed is about 4 feet wide and up to 8 feet long, which allows easy access from both sides. A longer bed could provide more space for plants, but it’s also harder to maintain. Make sure you can reach the center of the bed from any point, advises home improvement expert Danny Lipford of Today’s Homeowner.

The height will depend on the kinds of plants you want to grow. 

Also, think about the position you want to be in when you’re gardening. Raised garden beds that are at least 18 inches tall are more comfortable if you plan to sit on a chair. (This is especially accommodating for wheelchair users.)

Figure out the dimensions of your garden bed before you go shopping for wood. You can find pre-cut boards 2 inches thick and 6 inches high at nearly any home center or lumberyard. They’re commonly 8 feet long, so ask if the store will cut them to the lengths you want. 

Make sure you have enough to surround all four sides, even after stacking the 6-inch boards to create a bed that’s 12 inches or 18 inches high. Pressure-treated wood works well for this. 

If you can’t find the right sizes, and the store can’t cut the boards to fit, you can do it yourself: Measure and mark the dimensions you want your garden bed to be and cut the boards with a circular saw. You’ll need to wear personal protective equipment, including safety glasses (or a face shield) and earplugs. 

You’ll also need 2x4s, cut to the same height as the walls, for posts that support the structure. Prepare 10 of these posts for an 18-square-foot gardening bed, for example. That includes one post for each of the four corners, and also one or more to support each wall. 

For a 3-foot-long end wall, place one post in the center; for a 6-foot-long side wall, place two posts at even intervals. 

Follow these steps for an attractive, raised wooden garden:

1. First, form each wall, starting with the longer sides. Lay each wall’s 2×6 boards on a flat surface or sawhorse—this is just a staging area to attach each wall and post. 

2. If needed, stack multiple 2×6 boards until you achieve the desired wall height for your garden bed. For instance, you’ll need to lay another 2×6 on the sawhorse, just above the first one, for a wall that’s 12 inches high.

3. Next, lay the 2×4 corner posts on top of the long boards, flush with the ends. Hold them in place with a trigger clamp. To do this, place the clamp’s “jaw” around the end of the long board and the corner post on top of it, and pull the trigger to tighten the grip. You can stop pressing the trigger once the workpieces are held firmly together.

4. Drill two pilot holes into each corner post. One hole should be 1½ inches from the top and the other should be 1½ inches from the bottom. Then use galvanized deck screws to attach each post to the end of the wall board. 

5. Now, attach one or two (evenly spaced) support posts to the middle of each wall. Use the trigger clamp to hold each center post and wall together.

6. Now that you’ve attached the corner posts and support posts to each wall, you can remove each of the four assembled walls from the sawhorses. 

7. With a friend’s help, position each wall at the intended location in your yard. Use four right-angle clip clamps to firmly join all the walls together. Each right-angle clamp has a piece that butts into the wood directly in front of it and a piece that butts into the wood perpendicular to that one. A piece on the back applies pressure to both walls. This ensures a tight fit. 

8. Drill pilot holes and attach each wall to the next one with deck screws, to form your completed garden bed. 

Place the garden box wherever the ground is level and sunlight is plentiful. Most vegetables require at least 8 hours of full sun each day, so avoid shady and wet areas to grow your veggies. One exception: Some ornamental plants, such as caladiums, ferns, and hostas, do well in shady areas.

Once you’ve found a location, grab a spading fork and shovel to loosen the dirt. This will allow your plants’ roots to grow deep into the ground. Then position the garden box over the newly excavated ground. 

It’s time to fill in the box! 

Adding rocks and a layer of organic material—such as grass clippings, leaves, and wood chips—at the bottom will improve drainage and prevent rot, fungus, and disease. Mix new topsoil with ground soil for a more even texture and better drainage. Then mix in organic matter such as compost or safely handled manure.

Unhealthy soil can stunt plants’ growth and development, so test it for the right nutrients— DIY testing kits are available at home-improvement and gardening stores. But there are telltale signs of good soil, too. If the soil quickly absorbs water and attracts earthworms, it’s probably fine. As your plants grow, look for green foliage and not too many weeds.

Covering your soil with more mulch—such as leaves or wood chips—will protect it from the elements. It also helps prevent soil compaction and reduces the need for weeding.

Consider stapling landscape fabric, also called a weed cloth, to the top of each wall so it covers the entire raised bed, Lipford suggests. This will act as a weed barrier, and help keep the bed neat and low-maintenance. Cut a hole in the cloth for each plant, and cover the cloth with mulch. 

Don’t know what to plant? Ask an expert at a nearby gardening store, or contact a master gardener to learn about the best plants for your region. This program is run out of local agricultural-extension offices, and provides university-trained volunteers to help with planting advice.

Related: Learn how to keep hungry critters away from your fruit and veggie gardens. Get pro tips on garden pest control.

The DIY route isn’t for everyone. If you don’t have the time or inclination to build your own garden bed, you can buy a prefabricated kit or hire a professional. 

Prefab garden-bed kits are affordable, easy to assemble, and available in stores and online (shipping fees may apply). Prices vary, depending on the bed’s size, style, and framing material. For example, a basic wooden kit that’s 48 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 30 inches high might cost $90. Larger kits can cost as much as $200 or more, if they come with extras like a trellis.

Prefab kits are ideal for first-time DIYers. They come with basic building materials—including composite boards and brackets—but you’ll still need tools, such as a hand or power screwdriver and a hammer or mallet. 

For a fully customized garden bed—or more permanent hardscaping, such as a brick garden structure or mortared masonry—it’s best to hire a landscape contractor to build it for you. They’ll even fill it with the right soil and do the planting. Prices vary based on materials and region.

Find a landscape contractor in your area. 

Need inspiration for your raised garden? Browse some of the creative flower, fruit and vegetable boxes pro landscapers built for Yelpers.