Painters10 wrote:
I made some last year. I went to a scaffolding company and he let me
have a load of scaffold planks that were damaged for a few quid.
These are about 8" x 2" thick sturdy pieces and are presumably
pressure treated for their outdoor life.
I'm just about to build more beds and I will get some more.

Painters10


I am going to make some raised beds in my garden to grow vegetables as the
present soil is heavy clay. I already had a small raised bed made from 2ft
by 6in edging slabs and the difference in yeild was startling. I imagine
lengths 8in by 2in timber would be ok so what would be the best and
prefeably cheap timber to use? And what should it be treated with?

Jan


Well, sorry to diappoint you..

My wife wanted some. She said 'scaffold planks - you have some left by
the scaffolders'.

Sadly wen I picked them up from tehe back of the shed they fell to
pieces. Rotten through.

then I board some 8x1 boards. They are still running, but looked ugly
and only went up ..8"!

so then her next idea was to fence the vegetable garden, but then that
idea changed, so I got left with a load of split rail fencing. So we
whacked in some pressure treated 4x4 posts, nailed split rail (pressure
treated) to it, and chainsawed off the surplus posts: Result! and if you
leave the posts longer, you can add another rail later and make them
higher. Looks very nice and 'rustic' unlike the sawn board.

So instead of blockwork (which is another good idea: concrete blocks
mortared and bow tied together, or brick) try split rail fencing stock.
Made a giant compost heap as well..currently filled with about a years
output from a pony..