BUILDING RAISED GARDEN WALLS The shape of the walls can

vary from a simple square or

MATERIALS rectangle to an ‘L,’ to a
Red Western Cedar hexagon, or any other layout
1x6 tongue and groove, 85' you can dream up. (See image
1x4, 28' below.) Just remember, the
1x2, 112' more complicated the design,
2x2, 5' the longer it will take to build.
2x6, 12' An outline of the state of Texas
4x4, 8' may seem like a great idea—
Exterior Screws, #10x2", #10x3" until you get started. If your
Galvanized Finish nails, 4d, 12d goal is to complete the garden
TOOLS in one weekend, keeping the
Circular saw project to a reasonable size will
Jig saw make it easier to accomplish.
Drill/screw gun Another nice thing about a
Table saw or Router project like this is it can be built in stages. One weekend you
There are lots of reasons to build to a raised garden: it saves can build a fully completed box, and then weeks or months
bending over to reach the ground; provides dimension and later, you can add on to your master plan. In this project, we’re
interest to a flat yard; football season is over and it’s time to get going to describe a ‘U’ shape with a bench built in.
off the couch. It’s a relatively easy project that can be tackled As with any carpentry project, there are many ways to build
in a weekend. the raised walls. The simplest is to stack a few landscape
Think about the following before designing your garden: the timbers and drive steel rebar through them. We’re going to do
location, shape, size, construction materials, and method of something a bit more interesting and attractive. Basically, the
construction. The first three are integrally linked. Choosing the walls will be 1x6 tongue and groove held together by 1x2s. At
location for a garden is, of course, site specific and greatly the corners, we’ll use 4x4 posts, and finish it all off with some
influences the choice of shape and size. Use the garden to 1x4 trim and some corner caps. That’s the general concept.
provide a focus for your landscape; don’t hide it in some back Now, let’s get into some specifics.
corner. The beauty of using raised walls is that they can go just Before we start, we would like to strongly advise you to use
about anywhere. safe operating procedures. Please take the extra effort to always

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wear safety goggles, and secure your work pieces as
you cut them. In addition to following all the normal
safety procedures, when cutting or doing anything
that makes dust with Red Western Cedar, wear a dust
mask, as this wood has natural toxins, which can lead
to respiratory problems in some people.
LAYOUT
We chose a ‘U’ shape with a bench built in. In
every corner there is a 4x4 post. In between there are
the walls. This type of construction will allow us to
build all of the walls on a table jig (where it’s easy to
work) and then join them together by screwing into
those corner posts. From the layout, we can determine
the length of each wall. We’ve lettered the walls on the
image so we can keep track of them. We like to make
a list with the wall letter in one column and the length
in the other. To determine the actual length of each wall,
measure the true size of the 4x4 post you’ve bought. A 4x4 post
is rarely actually 4". Ours measured 31⁄2" square. So to get the
length of Wall A, we will take the overall length of 6' and
subtract the width of two posts to get the actual length of 5'5".
We made a chart below of the walls and their lengths.
Walls Layout Length Number of Posts Length to Build
A 6' 2 5'5"
B 6' 2 5'5"
C 2' 2 1'5"
D 3'6" 2 2'11"
E 2' 0 2'
F 1'6" 2 11"
G 2' 2 1'5"
Please note: the only wall we did not subtract for posts was Wall E.
Now, how high shall we make the walls? Our decision was
influenced by a desire to minimize the task of filling in soil later.
The higher the walls are, the more dirt you’ll need. So, we
decided on walls that are 16" high.
CONSTRUCTION
Each wall was made with tongue and groove 1x6 boards
(actual size 3⁄4"x51⁄2") crosscut at 16" high. The boards are held
together by 1x2 boards (actual size 3⁄4" by 11⁄2") screwed on the
top and bottom, back, and front. Make things easier on your
back and use a stand or table saw. Or build a jig on a worktable.
To build a simple jig, just screw a couple of straight 2x4s 6' long
and 16" apart on the table. Screw another 2x4 at one end,
keeping it square. Now you’re ready to assemble.
Starting with Wall A, lay two 1x2x5'5" into the jig, butting
one up against the top of the jig and the other against the
bottom, both of them butting against the square end. Put the
best face down, as this will be the finished side. Complete the
border by adding two 1x2x13" at each end of the jig flush with
the outside. We find it makes things easier if you nail the 1x2s
into the table with a few 4d finish nails to keep them from
moving. (Later when you pull the finished wall from the jig, just
pull the nails out through the face side.) Now, lay the crosscut
pieces of 1x6 tongue and groove into the jig on top of the 1x2s.
Butt the first one against the square end of the jig. Keep locking
them into each other until you’ve reached the end of the 1x2s.
You’ll probably have to rip the last 1x6 to the correct width so it
is flush with the ends of the 1x2s. Take two more 1x2x5'5" lay
them into the jig on top and bottom. To hold it all together, use
the #10x2" screws. Red Western cedar likes to split, so if you
are using it, you will need to predrill. Use one of those handy
combination drill/screwdriver bits. Screw the ends first so it
won’t keep moving on you, then go back and put 2 screws
through each 1x6, top and bottom. Again, add two 1x2x13" at
the ends, screwing them into the face 1x2s.
When you’re done screwing, pull the wall out of the
jig. We’re going to add the 1x4 trim (actual size 3⁄4" by
31⁄2") to the topside of the wall. We could just screw
the 1x4 from the top, but that would be less appealing
and the screw heads would collect water. So, lay the
1x4x5'5" on your worktable and center the wall on top
of it. Predrill through the 1x2s into the 1x4 and add
screws. Put 2" screws about every 10"; alternate
screwing through the 1x2 on one side and then
through the 1x2 on the other side.
One wall is now completed. Repeat the process for
the other walls. Find the length for each wall from the
chart you made earlier.
ASSEMBLY
Once all the walls are complete, it’s time to assemble on site.
The 4x4s should be crosscut to 163⁄4". You will need 8. Lay all
the pieces approximately where they will go. To assemble, butt
Wall A up against a post. Center it, predrill and screw through
the vertical 1x2x13" pieces into the post. Use the 3" screws, 6
total: 3 front, 3 back. Go to the post on the other end of Wall A
and repeat. Work your way around until all the walls are
attached, keeping the walls square to each other as you go.
To make the decorative caps for the posts, you can use either
a table saw or a router. Either way, first cut 8 blocks out of the
2x6. Cut the block size square, depending on the actual width
of the 2x6 (a 2x6 is probably 11⁄2"x51⁄2", so cut the blocks 51⁄2"
Now, cut the 2x6 boards that make up the bench. Measure
square.) If using a table saw, set the blade at 45º. Place the
the distance between Walls F and D, so the boards will rest on
fence about 6" over so the blade will hit about halfway up the
the 2x2 ledger. Cut enough pieces of 2x6 to this length to fill
thickness of the block. It’s a good idea to cut an extra block to
out to the end of the ledger strips. (Flush to the outside of post
test it, to see if you like it. Adjust the fence to give a handsome
F/G). You will probably have to rip one of the lengths to add up
chamfer to the block. Trim each side of all the blocks. If you
to the correct width. Put this narrower strip first next to Wall E.
prefer to use a router and have a chamfer bit, just set the depth
When all the boards are in place, using 12d finish nails secure
to eye. Be sure the bit is sharp, as Red Western cedar has a
them in place.
tendency to splinter.
That’s all the carpentry. If you want to clean it up a bit, take
The blocks are attached to the top of the posts using four
some 100-grit sandpaper and soften any sharp edges. Red
12d finish nails. Center the blocks on each post.
Western cedar does not need any coatings on it. It will weather
The bench is a nice addition that won’t take much extra to a natural grey color. But if you want to keep the handsome
work. The bench is made of 2x6 boards placed on 2x2 strips wood color it has now, you will want to use a preservative
screwed to the walls. If you didn’t purchase any 2x2s (actual coating. There are many on the market, consult your
measurement usually 11⁄2"x11⁄2"), you can rip it from the 2x6. professional in the Sears paint department.
You’ll only need about 5' of it, ripping it to 11⁄2" wide. Starting
The rest is up to the gardener in the family. Take into account
with Wall E, cut the 2x2 to 2' long. Make a spacer block out of
the type of plants you plan to use to figure out how much dirt
a scrap of wood. Locate the strip on the face of Wall E, using
to add. Mix in plenty of organic soil, the plants of your choice,
the 2" spacer between the 1x4 trim and the strip. Predrill and
and enjoy nature—and your handiwork—in a whole new way.
screw from the inside of the wall, through the 1x6s into the 2x2
strip. Use the 2" screws, spacing them about 6" apart. Next
measure the distance from the edge of Wall F to the outside of
the post making the corner with Wall G. (It should be about
141⁄2", 11" wall plus 31⁄2" post.) Cut two at this length, one for
Wall F, one for Wall D. The one for Wall F will have to be notched
for the post. Use a jigsaw or a handsaw. Once notched, attach
as before with the same spacer block. Attach the 2x2 strip to
Wall D, butting it against the corner post.