Thank you one and all...

Your suggestions really helped me flush out what I'm going to do.

Robert

Bonnie Punch wrote in message o.ca...
In article ,
says...
Silvercaster wrote:
Hello,
This is my first time building a raised vegetable garden and have
quite a few questions.
The garden is going to be a foot deep underground and a foot above
ground.
The dimentions are going to be 8'x4'.
I'm going to use 2"x12" redwood lumber. It's not treated.

First, and I've heard yes and no to this question, should I treat the
redwood lumber that I am going to build the planter out of? If so,
with what?

Second, what kind of "L" brackets and screws will last the longest?
Should I use galvinized screws and brackets? if not what?

All suggestions will be appreciated.


I'm probably gonna put raised beds in my garden this year. I was thinking
of using disposable lumber rather than expensive last-forever lumber: I'll
get the lowest grade 2x8 or 2x10 SPF (spruce, pine or fir) that I can find
that is sort-of straight and not split. I don't care about knots. Then
set up the beds and nail them together with 16d nails. The nails will be
going into end grain, which doesn't hold very well, but it shouldn't split
because I'll be driving them with a pneumatic framing nailer. To keep the
boards from bowing out, I'll drive pieces of rebar into the ground next to
them. There are few if any termites here, and the wood should last for
several years before it needs replacing.

That's the idea anyway.

Best regards,
Bob


I built a small planter out of scavenged untreated 1x4 pine boards
nailed to vertical 2x2s in each inside corner (that provided a great
deal of stability - prevented warping at the corners). It sat directly
on the ground (asphalt), and had no lining of any kind between the soil
inside and the boards. It will have to be replaced this year, but that
is after five years of use. If you're using 2x8s it should last quite a
bit longer than five years, especially if you have good drainage.

Sometimes cheaper is good enough.

BP