Explainer - how our Raised Beds are built

Our raised garden beds are built to last 7 to 10 years, which is at least 3x longer than those cheaper beds. We use the best possible woodworking techniques. And they are BEAUTIFUL!

The wood: We start with full-length, 2" thick, Western Red Cedar. For example, if you order a 12' long bed we use a 12' long piece of cedar, which eliminates the connecting joints, which are always the first to fail. We only use western red cedar because of its superior pest and rot resistance. And beware of sellers who say they use "Cedar", this usually means "Japanese Cedar", which is cheaper and inferior.

Surfacing: We "surface" the lumber which means we take it through two steps to ensure it's straight, smooth and all the same size. This ensures the boards fit snugly together and frankly, just makes it look more like furniture than a garden box!

The Joints: It's a box, so it has to have corner-joints and the joints are always where a raised bed fails first. To minimize this issue we something called a "Lap-Joint", which is a woodworking technique to join each board at right angles (see the video). Lap joints take extra time and add complexity, but they are worth it.

Some shade: The hot sun and rain also contribute to garden boxes failing. We add a top-cap to our raised beds to "give them some shade". It's a small addition with a mighty impact. Later, well talk about this is "how to care for your bed".

Extending Life: On average we use over fifty 3½" and 4" screws to build your raised bed. We then seal the holes with a food-safe putty (interior) or wooden plugs (top cap). Nex, we treat the inside with a food-safe "Garden Box" sealer. These extra steps add years to your bed's life.

Caring for your bed: You can leave your bed "Au natural" and it will gradully turn Grey. However, we recommend treating the top cap and exterior with a penetrating oil. We stock three colors and don't charge extra for it (that's how much we recommend it!). It's especially important ot keep that top-cap in shape because it's a multiplier for your beds longegivity.

Availability: Our raised beds are built in our garage workshop in Plano, Texas. You can pick your bed up, or we will deliver and install it for you. We don't ship because our beds come fully assembled and usually weigh over 250 pounds. Think about that - 250 pounds of cedar is a lot of cedar for those bugs to consume before your bed fails!

Thanks for reading this far! Tim.