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Securing raised garden bed to the ground

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  nap 
#1 ·
I'm planning to build a 12' x 4' raised bed that will be around 17" - 20" tall. I'm planning to use large 5x5 cedar timber laid out in 4 or 5 layers. The plan is to bury 1 5x5 layer in the ground and secure each layer to the bottom one by using large timber screws.

The question is how should I secure the bottom most layer to the ground? Many instructions online suggest drilling rebars through the 5x5's - the problem is my soil is extremely rocky, so I'm not sure I'll be able to pound the rebars in. My hardsaper suggested I just make stakes using 2x4's and use those as posts & screw into the 5x5's - would this work?

Question is should I secure the 5x5 with rebars or stakes?
 
#4 ·
If you can't drive in rebar you won't be able to drive wooden stakes either.

Unless you live on a rock there is usually enough give to the ground to allow rebar to be driven into the ground. If you do feel the need to secure them, just use rebar, pound it into the ground as far as you can and cut off any remaining that is too tall.

If you use rebar you can use that to hold the stacks in place on top of each other although I would use some screws to make each layer tight to the one below it
 
#2 ·
Unless your bed is on the side of a mountain, why do you need to secure it to the ground?

If stability is your goal, cross-tie and secure the four corners. Every other course or do a half lap joint and secure every layer.

Maybe add one cross brace at the center point top just to make you feel secure.
 
#3 ·
If I were worried about the bed moving I would buy some of those auger type Dog tie out stakes.

Screw them into the ground at the corners, then run a lag bolt through the eye hole into the timbers.

Rebar is cheaper though.


ED
 
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