"Steve" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there,
The top metre or so of my garden slopes up to a fence border. To make
it a bit neater I decided to hide the slope to the fence by putting in
a raised bed. I have started to do this by cutting ~0.5m lengths of
2'x2' and screwing 2 decking panels to these. The 2'x2' protudes from
the bottom of the decking strips and I hammered these into the soil to
anchor the strips into the ground - they seem quite firm. However since
I put them in on the weekend I've noticed that the lower decking strip
has become darker in colour than the one above it - it seems dirty and
I think maybe its becuase it is getting wet from the soil behind it. Am
I righth in thinking this is bad news and it's going to rapidly rot??
Should I put some poythene or something behind the decking to try and
stop the moisture gettting in and maybe paint the back of the decking
with wood treatment stuff to? ANyone have any thoughts - I'm starting
to think I've wasted my time a bit and I should have built a stone wall
but if I can rescue this it would be better!

If you are using some sort of pine or similar, depends what sort of grade
timber you used, what it is treated for. Untreated wood will rot quickly
exposed to the earth. Decking and fencing timber are treated to withstand
rain but will rot if in/in contact with the earth. There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade that
goes in to wharfs. If your stuff is decking/fencing timber it will last a
reasonable length of time (a few years probably) but will need replacing
before in ground treated wood (my guess is maybe 5 years). If you are easily
able to replace any rotted planks my advice is leave it in there until needs
replacing and get a better grade next time.

rob

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"George.com" wrote in message
...


... There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade
that
goes in to wharfs.

That's very interesting, does one get it from the normal timber supplier?
I'm fed up of rotting boards. Spouse wants to use concrete slabs :-(

Mary

depends what rating they use in the UK. Here in NZ the low durability
timbers (Radiata Pine, Oregon Pine/Douglas Fir etc) are pressure treated
(tanalised) with CCA. H3 is decking/fence grade, H4 in ground such as timber
posts and H5 for piles. You will not need marine grade unless building over
water. Easily obtained here from any decent timber merchant.

rob

"Steve" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks Rob, maybe not as bad as I was expecting then - I can live with
a few years lifetime before the rot sets on!
Thanks for your help
Steve

I used H3 timber (decking/fnece) in the ground as a mowing strip around
pebble beds. The timber is still good after 3 odd years. When it rots I will
simply lift it out and replace with H4, no big deal.

rob

Hi there,
The top metre or so of my garden slopes up to a fence border. To make
it a bit neater I decided to hide the slope to the fence by putting in
a raised bed. I have started to do this by cutting ~0.5m lengths of
2'x2' and screwing 2 decking panels to these. The 2'x2' protudes from
the bottom of the decking strips and I hammered these into the soil to
anchor the strips into the ground - they seem quite firm. However since
I put them in on the weekend I've noticed that the lower decking strip
has become darker in colour than the one above it - it seems dirty and
I think maybe its becuase it is getting wet from the soil behind it. Am
I righth in thinking this is bad news and it's going to rapidly rot??
Should I put some poythene or something behind the decking to try and
stop the moisture gettting in and maybe paint the back of the decking
with wood treatment stuff to? ANyone have any thoughts - I'm starting
to think I've wasted my time a bit and I should have built a stone wall
but if I can rescue this it would be better!

Thanks for your help - I'm hoping to get it sorted soon and plant loads
of daffs and tulips in there!

Steve

Thanks Rob, maybe not as bad as I was expecting then - I can live with
a few years lifetime before the rot sets on!
Thanks for your help
Steve
George.com wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there,
The top metre or so of my garden slopes up to a fence border. To make
it a bit neater I decided to hide the slope to the fence by putting in
a raised bed. I have started to do this by cutting ~0.5m lengths of
2'x2' and screwing 2 decking panels to these. The 2'x2' protudes from
the bottom of the decking strips and I hammered these into the soil to
anchor the strips into the ground - they seem quite firm. However since
I put them in on the weekend I've noticed that the lower decking strip
has become darker in colour than the one above it - it seems dirty and
I think maybe its becuase it is getting wet from the soil behind it. Am
I righth in thinking this is bad news and it's going to rapidly rot??
Should I put some poythene or something behind the decking to try and
stop the moisture gettting in and maybe paint the back of the decking
with wood treatment stuff to? ANyone have any thoughts - I'm starting
to think I've wasted my time a bit and I should have built a stone wall
but if I can rescue this it would be better!

If you are using some sort of pine or similar, depends what sort of grade
timber you used, what it is treated for. Untreated wood will rot quickly
exposed to the earth. Decking and fencing timber are treated to withstand
rain but will rot if in/in contact with the earth. There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade that
goes in to wharfs. If your stuff is decking/fencing timber it will last a
reasonable length of time (a few years probably) but will need replacing
before in ground treated wood (my guess is maybe 5 years). If you are easily
able to replace any rotted planks my advice is leave it in there until needs
replacing and get a better grade next time.

rob

"George.com" wrote in message
...


... There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade that
goes in to wharfs.

That's very interesting, does one get it from the normal timber supplier?
I'm fed up of rotting boards. Spouse wants to use concrete slabs :-(

Mary

"George.com" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"George.com" wrote in message
...


... There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade
that
goes in to wharfs.

That's very interesting, does one get it from the normal timber supplier?
I'm fed up of rotting boards. Spouse wants to use concrete slabs :-(

Mary

depends what rating they use in the UK. Here in NZ the low durability
timbers (Radiata Pine, Oregon Pine/Douglas Fir etc) are pressure treated
(tanalised) with CCA. H3 is decking/fence grade, H4 in ground such as
timber
posts and H5 for piles. You will not need marine grade unless building
over
water. Easily obtained here from any decent timber merchant.

I'm not in NZ. Spouse didn't get the job in 1970 :-)

Mary

rob

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"George.com" wrote in message
...


... There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade
that
goes in to wharfs.

That's very interesting, does one get it from the normal timber supplier?
I'm fed up of rotting boards. Spouse wants to use concrete slabs :-(

Mary
Hi,
I have built raised beds from rock faced gravel boards
using concretye fence posts cut with angle grinder to 18" long than cemented
6" into ground, I have topped off the posts between gravel boards with small
concrete ornaments, such as cat rabbit etc.
very long lasting. and price is same for rock faced and plain.
The gravel boards can be set straight, or at slight angle in the posts to
give some shape to the beds, corners can be made by using 2 posts offset and
setting 6" coping stone into recesses of posts.
hope this is of some help
cineman

"Steve" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi there,
The top metre or so of my garden slopes up to a fence border. To make
it a bit neater I decided to hide the slope to the fence by putting in
a raised bed. I have started to do this by cutting ~0.5m lengths of
2'x2' and screwing 2 decking panels to these. The 2'x2' protudes from
the bottom of the decking strips and I hammered these into the soil to
anchor the strips into the ground - they seem quite firm. However since
I put them in on the weekend I've noticed that the lower decking strip
has become darker in colour than the one above it - it seems dirty and
I think maybe its becuase it is getting wet from the soil behind it. Am
I righth in thinking this is bad news and it's going to rapidly rot??
Should I put some poythene or something behind the decking to try and
stop the moisture gettting in and maybe paint the back of the decking
with wood treatment stuff to? ANyone have any thoughts - I'm starting
to think I've wasted my time a bit and I should have built a stone wall
but if I can rescue this it would be better!

Thanks for your help - I'm hoping to get it sorted soon and plant loads
of daffs and tulips in there!
Steve

The decking will last a few years. But there are concrete alternatives:~)
I used small concrete 'posts' to build my raised beds. Pictures at:
http://www.ljconline.nl/garden/gardenHistory.htm

I'm not sure what the posts are called in England, but I'm sure a good
garden supply place should have something similar.

This site also has some ideas:
http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...ort/g06985.htm

Jenny

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"George.com" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
. net...

"George.com" wrote in message
...


... There is in earth treated
timber, the next grade up is for house piles and finally marine grade
that
goes in to wharfs.

That's very interesting, does one get it from the normal timber
supplier?
I'm fed up of rotting boards. Spouse wants to use concrete slabs :-(

Mary

depends what rating they use in the UK. Here in NZ the low durability
timbers (Radiata Pine, Oregon Pine/Douglas Fir etc) are pressure treated
(tanalised) with CCA. H3 is decking/fence grade, H4 in ground such as
timber
posts and H5 for piles. You will not need marine grade unless building
over
water. Easily obtained here from any decent timber merchant.

I'm not in NZ. Spouse didn't get the job in 1970 :-)

My Ma and Pa did get jobs in the 60s that saw them arrive here. 3/4 of the
old boys family drifted across in the space of a few years. Mother came 1/2
way round the world on a working holiday, met a pom she could have met a
couple hundred miles away and never left. Their real blessing to this
country were the children they produced.

rob