Am I the only one who had a raised bed collapse after using untreated pine?

I built a 4x8 foot raised bed last spring with cheap, untreated pine boards from the local hardware store to save money. After one winter in Michigan, the sides are bowing out and the corner joints are pulling apart from the soil pressure and moisture. What's a better, affordable wood that can handle wet dirt for a few years?

3 comments

3 Comments

blakem1315d ago

Pine will do that. It's cheap for a reason. Honestly, a few years out of it isn't a total loss. Could try rough cut cedar if you find a local mill, price is sometimes okay. Otherwise just plan to rebuild it.

tylermartin14d ago

Rough cut cedar sounds interesting, but how much of a pain is it to work with compared to regular lumber? I've heard it can be pretty uneven and full of knots. Is the extra work worth it for a backyard project, or does it just make the whole build take twice as long?

haydeng4711d ago

Yeah, rough cut cedar is a whole different beast. You're right about the knots and uneven sizes, so you'll spend a ton of time planing and jointing just to get square edges. For a simple planter box or bench, that extra work might kill the fun. But if you're building something that really shows off the wood, like a garden gate with character, then putting in those hours feels worth it. It just depends how much you enjoy the process versus just wanting a finished thing.