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Raised Garden Bed Plans

Enter the space you have and pick your boards. The plan fits as many beds as the space holds, then gives you the shopping list, every cut and each step.

Reviewed by FigureYard editorial teamUpdated October 9, 20267 sources

Your measurements

12 ft × 4 ft12 ft × 4 ft12 ft10 ft
More options
Wire mesh under the bed
Beds that fit your space
2beds
  • Each bed: 12 ft long, 4 ft wide, 14 1/2 in high
  • Growing area: 88.13 sq ft
  • Soil to fill: 3.94 cu yd
  • Boards to buy13
  • Pieces to cut32
  • Build steps5

Shopping list · Cut list · Step by step

What you will build

CDBA12 ft4 ft14 1/2 in

Shopping list

Type the prices from your store to see the total. They stay in this browser for next time.

ItemQtyPrice eachTotal
2x8 lumber, 12 ft long10 boards–
2x8 lumber, 8 ft long1 board–
4x4 post, 10 ft long2 posts–
Exterior wood screws, 3 in long, stainless or rated for treated lumber144 needed plus 15 spares159 screws–
Total for the items you priced–

Cut list

PartWhat it isLumberSizeCut
ALong side board2x8 lumber144 in8
BEnd boardfits between the long sides2x8 lumber45 in8
CCorner post4x4 post14 1/2 in8
DMiddle postinside the long sides, so they do not bow4x4 post14 1/2 in8

Where to cut each board

Each bar is one board you buy, drawn to scale. Measure from the left end, cut, then measure the next piece from the fresh cut; the saw blade takes about 1/8 in each time. Hatched ends are offcuts.

2x8 lumber

12 ftB · 45 inB · 45 inB · 45 in12 ftB · 45 inB · 45 inB · 45 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in12 ftA · 144 in8 ftB · 45 inB · 45 in

4x4 post

10 ftCCCCCCCC10 ftDDDDDDDD

Tools

  • Tape measure and pencil
  • Speed square or combination square
  • Circular saw or miter saw
  • Drill/driver, a pilot drill bit sized for your screws (see the screw box), and a driver bit that fits them
  • Two clamps (they make holding boards much easier)
  • Level, and a shovel or rake to flatten the ground
  • Safety glasses, hearing protection, work gloves, and a dust mask when cutting treated lumber

Step by step

  1. Cut the pieces

    Square one end of each board first: draw a line across it with a square and trim it. Then measure from that end, mark the length, and draw a square line across the board.

    Cut on the waste side of the line, so the piece keeps its full length. Follow the cutting diagrams, and write each piece’s letter on it in pencil.

    Check that the long side boards A all match and the end boards B all match: a box only goes together square when they do.

    B45 in from a square endrest of the boardsquare line: cut on this side of itMeasure, mark and cut (end board shown)

  2. Build the two ends

    Lay two corner posts C flat on the ground and set the end boards B across them, so each board end is flush with the outside face of a post and the top board is flush with the tops of the posts.

    Mark the screw spots as the drawing shows: a line 1 3/4 in from each board end (the middle of the post below), with three screws on it per board. Drill a pilot hole at each mark, then drive the screws.

    Build the second end the same way, then repeat for every bed.

    B1 3/4 in45 in1 1/4 in4 3/4 in14 1/2 inpost Cpost COne end, seen from outside: posts underneath dashed

    Screw: drill a pilot hole first, then drive a 3 in screw

  3. Add the long sides

    Stand the two ends up, 11 ft 9 in apart on the inside. Hold a long side board A against them so it covers the ends of the end boards, flush at the top and at both corners. A clamp at each end holds it while you drill.

    The screws go into the corner post behind, so mark them 3 1/4 in from the board end, at the same heights as on the ends. Drill and drive 3 screws at each end, then add the remaining long boards the same way on both sides.

    AA3 1/4 in from the endboard continues →post C behindEnd of a long side, seen from outside (the other end is the same)ABC3 1/4 in3 1/4 ininside of the bedCorner from above: screws go in from both outside faces

    Screw: drill a pilot hole first, then drive a 3 in screw

  4. Add the middle posts

    Long sides bow outward once the bed is full of wet soil. Measure along each long side from the same end and mark the center of each middle post: 4 ft, 8 ft.

    Stand a middle post D inside the bed, centered on the mark and flush with the top board. Drill and drive 3 screws through each long board into it, on the mark.

    DA4 ft to the post center8 ft to the post centerpost Dpost DLong side, seen from outside: middle posts behind, dashed

    Screw: drill a pilot hole first, then drive a 3 in screw

  5. Square it, level it and fill it

    Measure both diagonals, corner to corner across the top. When the bed is square they match, at about 12 ft 7 13/16 in each; push the long corners toward each other until they do.

    Level the ground under the boards so the bed sits flat.

    Fill with soil. Each bed holds about 53 cu ft.

    12 ft4 ft12 ft 7 13/16 in eachSeen from above: when both diagonals match, the bed is square

Good to know

  • Buy cedar or redwood, or treated lumber labeled for ground contact (UC4A); the boards sit in damp soil.
  • At the store, sight down each board and pick the straightest ones; a bowed board makes a crooked bed.
  • Rest the bed on level ground: boards that bridge a dip twist as the soil settles.

Each bed is a simple box: boards stacked on edge and screwed to a 4x4 post in every corner, with more posts along the long sides so they do not bow under wet soil. The layout of the posts follows a university extension design, and the build suits a first project: straight cuts only, one size of screw, and nothing more than a saw and a drill.

How to use this calculator

  1. Measure the area you want to plant, from wall to wall or fence to fence, and enter its length and width. Choose ft + in in the unit menu for sizes in feet and inches.
  2. Choose how you will reach the beds. A bed you can walk around is made up to 48 inches wide; a bed against a wall or fence is kept to 24 inches, so you can reach the back without stepping on the soil.
  3. Pick the side boards and how many boards high. Most garden crops need at least 10 inches of soil, so two boards of the narrowest size are already deep enough.
  4. Set the longest boards you can bring home in your vehicle. The plan never asks for a longer board, and it splits a long space into shorter beds with a path between them instead. Lumber costs noticeably more above 12 ft.
  5. Under More options, change the path between beds or add wire mesh under the beds to stop burrowing animals.
  6. Take the shopping list to the store and type the prices in to see the total; then follow the cut list and the steps. Work out the soil with the garden bed soil calculator.

Worked examples

One classic bed, three boards high

Space: 8 × 4 ft · Side boards: 2x8 (7 1/4 in) · Boards high: 3 · Longest boards you can carry: 8 ft

Bed that fits your space
1 bed
Each bed
8 ft long, 4 ft wide, 21 3/4 in high
Growing area
29.06 sq ft
Soil to fill
1.95 cu yd
Boards to buy
11

Backyard plot with room for two beds

Space: 12 × 10 ft

Beds that fit your space
2 beds
Each bed
12 ft long, 4 ft wide, 14 1/2 in high
Growing area
88.13 sq ft
Soil to fill
3.94 cu yd
Boards to buy
13

Narrow bed along a fence

Space: 10 × 2 ft · Reach: Against a wall · Side boards: 2x6 (5 1/2 in) · Boards high: 2 · Longest boards you can carry: 10 ft

Bed that fits your space
1 bed
Each bed
10 ft long, 2 ft wide, 11 in high
Growing area
17.06 sq ft
Soil to fill
0.579 cu yd
Boards to buy
6

Large vegetable garden

Space: 20 × 14 ft · Side boards: 2x10 (9 1/4 in) · Boards high: 2

Beds that fit your space
4 beds
Each bed
9 ft long, 4 ft wide, 18 1/2 in high
Growing area
131 sq ft
Soil to fill
7.49 cu yd
Boards to buy
31

Why the plan is built this way

The long boards run the full length of the bed and cover the ends of the short boards, so every corner is held by screws from two directions into a solid post. A university extension bed of this kind puts a post in each corner and one in the middle of each long side; the plan keeps the same spacing, 48 inches at most, and adds posts as the bed gets longer.

Every piece is a straight cut across a standard board, and all the screws are the same length, so you only buy one box. The plan also tells you the diagonal of each finished bed: measure both, and when they match the bed is square.

Choosing lumber and screws

  • Cedar, redwood and cypress resist rot without treatment, which is why extension services recommend them for beds, but they cost more.
  • Treated lumber for a bed should carry a ground-contact rating on its tag, the category the wood preservers' association recommends for garden use. Today's common treatment for home use is copper based, and research found soil copper rose only slightly, and only within 1 inch of the boards.
  • Do not use old treated lumber, railroad ties or reclaimed wood of unknown treatment: arsenic-treated wood stopped being sold for home use in 2,004.
  • If you would rather keep treated wood away from the soil, line the inside of the boards with heavy plastic, leaving the bottom open so water drains.
  • Use stainless screws or exterior screws labeled for treated lumber; ordinary screws corrode in treated wood.

How wide, how deep and how far apart

Most people can comfortably reach about 24 inches toward the middle of a bed, which is where the width limits come from. A comfortable path between beds is 18 to 24 inches; leave 48 inches if you will push a cart or wheelbarrow between them or need room for a wheelchair.

Deeper beds hold more water and suit root crops, but they need more soil: the summary shows how much each layout takes.

Reading the cut list

Lumber is sold by nominal size: a 2x8 is actually 7.25 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick, and the plan uses the real sizes. A board sold by length is never shorter than its stated length and can run up to 3 inches longer, so trim one end square before you measure.

Each cutting diagram shows one board you buy, with the pieces to cut from it in order. A saw blade removes about 0.059 to 0.098 inches with every cut, and the diagrams leave room for it.

How do I build a raised garden bed step by step?

Cut every board to the lengths on your cut list. Drill pilot holes, then screw the boards to the corner posts, with the long boards covering the ends of the short ones. Measure both diagonals; when they match, the bed is square. Set the bed in place and fill it with soil.

Common questions

How much lumber do I need for a 4x8 raised bed?

Set the space to the size of the bed, choose your boards and how many high, and the shopping list counts the boards of each length. The first example above shows a 4x8 bed three boards high, the same size as a university extension design.

How deep should a raised bed be?

Most garden crops need at least 10 inches of soil. If your bed is shallower, loosen the ground underneath so roots can grow down into it.

Is pressure-treated wood safe for a vegetable bed?

Extension services differ: some recommend cedar or other naturally rot-resistant wood, others accept modern copper-based treated lumber rated for ground contact. Research found copper from treated boards stayed within 1 inch of the edge, and a plastic liner keeps the soil off the wood entirely.

How far apart should raised beds be?

Leave 18 to 24 inches for walking between beds and 48 inches where you need a wheelbarrow or wheelchair. Set the path under More options and the plan fits the beds around it.

Should I put anything under a raised bed?

Where gophers or moles are a problem, lay galvanized wire mesh on the ground inside the bed before you fill it; add it under More options and the plan lists it. On contaminated ground or pavement, extension services suggest a barrier fabric under the bed.

What's the cheapest way to build a raised bed?

Keep your boards at 12 ft or shorter, because lumber costs noticeably more above that. Use only as many boards high as you need to reach 10 inches of soil, then type your store's prices into the shopping list and try a few board sizes to compare totals.