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4x8 cedar bed, no fasteners touching the soil that shouldn't be. Two hours, lasts a decade.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long sides Full 8-ft boards, uncut. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 7 1/4" × 96" | Cedar | ☐ |
| End pieces 45" + two 1.5" side thicknesses = 48" outside width. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 7 1/4" × 45" | Cedar | ☐ |
| Corner posts Sit inside the corners. Leave 3" proud at the bottom to stake into the ground if you like. | 4 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 11" | Cedar | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar, 2x8, 8 ft (Western Red Cedar) ~$14 each. Two get cut in half for the ends. Untreated — see the description. | 4 each | ☐ |
| Cedar 4x4 post, 8 ft (Western Red Cedar) Cut into four 11" corner posts. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Exterior structural screws, 3", coated Must be exterior-rated. Plain steel screws will rust through and stain the cedar within a season. | 32 each | ☐ |
| Hardware cloth, 1/2" mesh (optional) Stapled to the bottom only if you have gophers or voles. Otherwise leave the bottom open. | 1 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Circular Saw, Miter Saw, Tape Measure. Materials: Cedar, 2x8, 8 ft, Cedar 4x4 post, 8 ft
Two 8-ft boards stay full length. Cut two more to 45". Cut the 4x4 into four 11" posts.
That's the entire cut list. If the store will crosscut for you, take them up on it.
Tools: Combination Square, Tape Measure
Do this before assembly, not after. Clear the grass, and get the ground reasonably flat.
A raised bed on sloped ground fills unevenly and its corners pull apart over a couple of seasons as the soil pushes on the low side.
Tools: Combination Square, Drill / Driver, Impact Driver. Materials: Cedar 4x4 post, 8 ft, Exterior structural screws, 3", coated
Stand a long side and an end piece together in an L. Set a corner post inside the corner, flush with the top edge.
Drive four 3" exterior screws through each board into the post — two per board face. That's 8 screws per corner, and it is plenty.
Tools: Combination Square. Materials: Exterior structural screws, 3", coated
Repeat for all four corners. Check the diagonals — equal diagonals means square, and square means the lid or any future trim will actually fit.
A few degrees out of square is fine here. Soil doesn't care.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Hardware cloth, 1/2" mesh (optional)
Place the bed. If you have burrowing pests, staple hardware cloth across the bottom now.
Fill with a mix roughly 60% topsoil, 30% compost, 10% aeration (perlite or coarse bark). A 4x8x7" bed takes about 16 cubic feet — order a yard if you're building more than one, it's far cheaper than bags.
Don't seal or finish the cedar. It will silver to grey and that's exactly what you want.