# What wood to use for building a raised outdoor container bed



## dougmays (Jan 13, 2011)

i want to build a raised garden in my backyard.  i know i'm not supposed to use treated wood.  so what kind of wood should i use.  i've heard cedar...but in home depot it was very expensive...but i think i might have been looking at indoor cedar?

any advice? i dont wanna spend a arm and a leg


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## rbranstner (Jan 13, 2011)

My dad and his buddies all have raised gardens in their yards and they all use old rail road ties.


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## dougmays (Jan 13, 2011)

that's actually what i wanted to use....but have no clue where to find them....any idea?


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## eman (Jan 13, 2011)

If there is a RR yard  or office nearby ask them .

 We have alot of tracks here and they usually don't mind us hauling off some of the old ties when they do change outs . Alot of the bigger garden centers will have ties for sale.


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## ak1 (Jan 13, 2011)

If you're concerned about using treated wood, then definitely do not use railway ties, as they are also treated.


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## smoke 2 geaux (Jan 13, 2011)

I don't pretend tobe a gardening expert, but I can't see the harm in using treated wood.  I've seen hundreds of raised gardens and flower beds using RR ties.  And like AK1 said, wood doesn't get any more treated than that.


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## dougmays (Jan 13, 2011)

i did some reading and they say not to use ties for edible gardens because of the creosote...or plant plants atleast 6 inches from the border.

i think i'm gonna go with Cesar boards from lowes or home depot...looks like that's the only non treated lumber commonly found


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## pineywoods (Jan 13, 2011)

We used regular treated lumber and just don't plant the edges


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## chefrob (Jan 13, 2011)

i used cinder blocks stacked with no mortar...............


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## grampyskids (Jan 13, 2011)

Do not under any circumstances use railroad ties! hey are treated with creosote and other nasty stuff. After a few years, they will contaminate the soil rendering it unplantable.

Last year, after an exhaustive search, I determined that PT wood sold at HD would not hurt the plants or my family.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 13, 2011)

I can't see how the treated wood of today can hurt anything or anybody.

It's really weak compared to the old stuff they stopped selling about 6 years ago.

Bear


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## ak1 (Jan 13, 2011)

I would sooner use treated wood from HD or Lowes etc, than old railroad ties.

Actually, at my previous house I just used regular 2x12 boards (either spruce, pine or fir). They lasted around 7 yrs before I had to replace them.


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## jirodriguez (Jan 13, 2011)

The most preffered natural wood would be cedar, but if you cant afford that then use the treaded wood over railroad ties. Like Bear said they have changed how they treat the wood considerably, not nearly as bad as it used to be.


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## smokeamotive (Jan 13, 2011)

I would not use railroad ties as the creosote contains PCBs. I built my garden with 6x6 CCA timbers. Nowdays PT lumber goes by ACQ. Have never had a problem with planting around them. Put them in @ 15yrs ago and have no problems with rot. Would take a pic to post but all you'll see right now is snow.


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## bamaboy (Jan 13, 2011)

Been using cross ties for years with no problems,but I always have 12-14 inches on the edges and till up and replace alot of the soil every couple of years.


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## les3176 (Jan 13, 2011)

I would'nt have a problem with using treated wood there's not much in them these days.if you are still worried you could line it with plastic.i would'nt touch railroad ties in a million years


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## captsly (Jan 13, 2011)

I am going to use landscape timbers for mine ( when I get around to building it!! )


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## chef willie (Jan 20, 2011)

Have to agree with the above posts about RR ties....nasty chemicals used. I debated this for weeks last year when putting in my raised bed. Finally settled on the treated lumber from HD even though the price had jumped a few bucks per board from when I first looked.....grrrr.  Got the longest they had in stock.....2X8X10 and had them cut one in half for the end caps. I put old cardboard in the bottom to keep the grass/weeds from growing up and had a nice plot. Had 2 yards of garden loam/compost mix delivered and dumped in with a little extra left in case it settled over winter. Worked great....good luck


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## biggeorge50 (Jan 20, 2011)

I have to agree with Chefrob.  I have always used cinder blocks.  Used ones are usually not hard to find around here.


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## glenn stanton (Feb 6, 2011)

AK1 said:


> ...I just used regular 2x12 boards (either spruce, pine or fir). They lasted around 7 yrs before I had to replace them.


I used Cedar fence boards to build 12"w x 18"h x 36"long boxes for my mom.

10 of them.

Expected them to last a couple of years.

They finally failed at eight years.

Cost about $16 and 1 hour each.

*No chemicals.* Just some yellow wood glue and drywall screws.
 

Years of dill, coriander, sage, oregano etc.

I think that the daffodils and tulips finally did them in. ...


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## r-mac (Feb 6, 2011)

I've been debating this same issue for a while my self. First option is regular 2x lumber should be good for 5- 6 years or more. Option #2 find a local lumber mill and buy some rough cut lumber. Personally  I'd stay away from PT lumber or RR ties.


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## mossymo (Feb 6, 2011)

My wife wants to make a raised garden and reading this thread gave my an idea. I have access to bridge planks from torn down old wooden bridges that have been replaced by cement bridges and/or culverts. I think bridge planks would work excellent and last many years if you have access to some.


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## dnovotny (Feb 6, 2011)

I used landscaping blocks  for  mine to  make it  look and last  for long  time , had it  now for 15 years and  still looks  good if you are interested i  can post pictures.hope this helps,,,


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## countrysmoke (Feb 6, 2011)

Just like some of the other guys were saying, pressure treated is harmless these days, they don't contain arsenic anymore I believe they use copper to treat them.


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## michael ark (Feb 27, 2011)

HARMELESS ?  Take your  shirt off  and cut some .You will fell like fiberglass got in you .  If you must  use wood ceder or cypress . I like useing big plastic totes .Get clear ones to start from seed.Lid makes green house till plants get to big.


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## tyotrain (Feb 27, 2011)

I use treated wood but i line my garden with plastic


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## Bearcarver (Feb 27, 2011)

michael ark said:


> HARMELESS ?  Take your  shirt off  and cut some .You will fell like fiberglass got in you .  If you must  use wood ceder or cypress . I like useing big plastic totes .Get clear ones to start from seed.Lid makes green house till plants get to big.




The old stuff was like that, but not the new stuff.

I built 4 huge decks with the new weakly "pressure treated" lumber. All were built in very high Summer heat. All were built without wearing a shirt, because I hate wearing shirts. No feeling other than the sweat running down, making the upper few inches of my jeans soaking wet, under my belt.

Bear


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## michael ark (Mar 6, 2011)

Borate preservatives

Boric acid, oxides and salts (borates) are effective wood preservatives and are supplied under numerous brand names throughout the world. Borate treated wood is of low toxicity to humans, and does not contain copper or other heavy metals. However, unlike most other preservatives, borate compounds do not become fixed in the wood and can readily be leached out. Therefore they should not be used where they will be exposed to rain, water or ground contact.   Borate preservatives

. However, treated wood may present certain hazards in some circumstances such as during combustion or where loose wood dust particles or other fine toxic residues are generated or where treated wood comes into direct contact with food and agriculture    Alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) is a preservative made of copper, a fungicide, and a quaternary ammonium compound (quat), an insecticide which also augments the fungicidal treatment is a wood preservative that has come into wide use in the USA    

Since it contains high levels of copper, ACQ-treated timber is five times more corrosive to common steel  Other copper compounds

These include copper HDO (CuHDO), copper chromate, copper citrate, acid copper chromate, and ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate    micronized preservatives use nano particles of copper oxide, for which there are alleged safety concerns  

Boric acid is roach poison alklines will eat your skin ammonia is poison cromate is a heavy metal causes brain dammage zinc can be poisonin small quanitys cream for dentures


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## Bearcarver (Mar 6, 2011)

You should NEVER use bleaches, deck cleaners or brighteners on old CCA-treated wood because they oxidize the chromium-3 that's already in CCA-treated lumber, turning it into the highly carcinogenic chromium-6.

Besides sealing your existing CCA-treated structures, you can replace the boards that get the most skin contact with alternatives to CCA-treated lumber. My favourite is Western red cedar, but it's expensive (i.e. approximately 20 dollars for an eight-foot long 4" x 4" post).

Or you can try replacing your CCA-treated decking with some of the new plastic composite lumber.

Or you can try the* new* pressure-treated lumber. The two most widely available preservatives that replace CCA are alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) and copper azole (CA). They're very low in toxicity. But here's the deal; lumber treated with ACQ or CA has a much higher concentration of copper (from 18% to 96%) so it's more expensive than the old stuff. That's not all.

The high copper content means that any other metal (like nails, screws, bolts, or flashing) that comes in contact with the pressure-treated lumber sets up a mild electrical charge with the copper, making traditional steel fasteners and aluminium flashing corrode like crazy (up to five times faster than they'd corrode in the old CCA-treated lumber).

This risk of corrosion presents the possibility of structures becoming unstable or even collapsing because of incorrect fastener usage.

Source:

http://www.homeenvy.com/db/6/646.html


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## SmokinAl (Mar 6, 2011)

We made a nice raised garden out of landscape lumber. You can stack it as high as you want and nail it together with spikes. If your really concerned about chemicals leaching out you could coat the boards with deck sealer. Here's a photo of the garden.


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## dougmays (Mar 7, 2011)

this is exactly what i ended up doing..working nicely so far...alot of people ask me about the leaching....have you ever noticed with eating your produce? is it bad for you long term?>


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## SmokinAl (Mar 7, 2011)

Never had a problem with leaching. The new treated wood is much less toxic than the old stuff. I had the same thing when we lived in Ft. Lauderdale made out of the old treated lumber & never had a problem then either. I'm sure the pesticide residue on vegetables from the store are far worse for you than anything that leaches off the landscape lumber.


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## mrchubbs (Apr 18, 2011)

we use Douglas fur wood 2x12x12. One board will make a nice 4 foot by 2 foot box.. Make sure to weather proof the wood as I did not.. Good Luck


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## bigboysmokehous (May 21, 2013)

I just finished building a raised bed last weekend. We are going to try what is called Square Foot Gardening, using a mixture of peet moss, vermiculate and compost. We are doing a variety of veggies with the summer squash and 'mato plants going to grow vertical. This was built out of cedar and I have roughly $150 in material with it being 2'8" off the ground and a 4'x8' dimension.













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## ldrus (May 22, 2013)

I would be concerned with it not being deep enough? Especially for tomato plants that are deep rooted. I just built 2  for my squarefoot garden @ 18 inches deep 4x8


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## ldrus (May 22, 2013)

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## bigboysmokehous (May 23, 2013)

I was concered about the depth also but a buddy did it the year before and had no issues. He did vertical like we plan on doing so that will add stability to the plant also. Pretty much the roots will grow more out then deep.

Guess we will see what happens!


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