Buying guide
Cedar Raised Garden Bed Plans: 3 Builds With Cut Lists
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These cedar raised garden bed plans are for people who have already picked cedar and want the cut lists to match it. Cedar heartwood resists rot without any chemical treatment, it is lighter than most woods of the same size, and it is the usual choice for beds that grow food. Below you get three cedar builds we do not cover in the basic raised garden bed plans (a tall 4 x 8 ft bed, a small 3 x 6 ft bed and a long 4 x 12 ft bed), a comparison of cedar against the other woods, and what changes if you use corner brackets instead of posts.
Best Wood for Raised Garden Beds
Cedar is the favorite, but it is not the only wood that works. The lifespans below are rough ranges that depend on your climate, how wet the soil stays and the quality of the boards. Treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
| Wood | Typical lifespan | Food safety | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar (western red) | 10 to 20 years, often more | Untreated, no chemicals | Food beds where you want to build once |
| Redwood | 10 to 20 years, often more | Untreated, no chemicals | West Coast builds, where it is easier to find |
| Ground contact treated pine | 15 to 25 years | Copper based treatment; many gardeners line the walls | The longest life for the money |
| Douglas fir | 3 to 7 years | Untreated, no chemicals | A cheaper bed you plan to rebuild |
| Untreated pine | 2 to 5 years | Untreated, no chemicals | Temporary beds and trial runs |
On price, cedar and redwood sit at the high end, treated pine in the middle, and untreated pine and fir at the low end. Lumber prices swing by region and season, so check your local yard before you plan the budget. For other bed materials see the best raised garden beds roundup.
Cedar Raised Garden Bed Plans With Cut Lists
All three plans use 2x6 cedar boards sold in 8 ft lengths, 4x4 cedar posts and exterior screws. Each shows the drawing, the cut list, the board count and the soil it holds. For a cedar 4 x 8 ft bed that is two boards high, use the 4 x 8 ft plan on the main page. Not sure of the size? Compare widths and lengths in raised garden bed dimensions.
Cedar boards vary more than treated pine does. Rough sawn cedar can be a little thicker than 1 1/2 in, and boards often have a slight bow. The cut lists assume S4S boards, so if yours are thicker, make the short sides a bit shorter than the list says and test fit one corner first.
Plan 1: The Tall 4 x 8 ft Cedar Bed (3 Courses)
Three boards high, 16 1/2 in tall, with a middle post on each long side. The extra course gives root crops room and spares your back.
- Outside size8 ft x 4 ft
- Height16 1/2 in
- Soil to fill39.3 cu ft
- Lumber11 boards
| Part | Lumber | Cut to | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long side boards | 2x6 | 96 in | 6 |
| Short side boards | 2x6 | 45 in | 6 |
| Corner posts | 4x4 | 16 1/2 in | 4 |
| Middle posts | 4x4 | 16 1/2 in | 2 |
Shopping list
- 9 x 2x6 boards, 8 ft (cedar, or pressure treated rated for ground contact). The long sides use whole 8 ft boards: measure them and trim all four to the shortest one.
- 2 x 4x4, 6 ft long, for the posts
- 60 x #9 x 3 in exterior wood screws (coated or stainless), 2 per board end
- Optional: 1/2 in hardware cloth, 8 ft x 4 ft, for the bottom if gophers or voles are a problem
- Soil: 39.3 cu ft (1.45 cu yd), or about 29 bags of 1.5 cu ft with 10% extra for settling
Plan 2: The 3 x 6 ft Cedar Bed
A smaller bed that fits a side yard. Three feet wide means you reach the middle from one side, and at 6 ft the boards need no middle post.
- Outside size6 ft x 3 ft
- Height11 in
- Soil to fill14.2 cu ft
- Lumber7 boards
| Part | Lumber | Cut to | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long side boards | 2x6 | 72 in | 4 |
| Short side boards | 2x6 | 33 in | 4 |
| Corner posts | 4x4 | 11 in | 4 |
Shopping list
- 6 x 2x6 boards, 8 ft (cedar, or pressure treated rated for ground contact)
- 1 x 4x4, 4 ft long, for the posts
- 32 x #9 x 3 in exterior wood screws (coated or stainless), 2 per board end
- Optional: 1/2 in hardware cloth, 6 ft x 3 ft, for the bottom if gophers or voles are a problem
- Soil: 14.2 cu ft (0.53 cu yd), or about 11 bags of 1.5 cu ft with 10% extra for settling
Plan 3: The Long 4 x 12 ft Cedar Bed
One long bed in place of one and a half standard ones. Each long side is made from two boards joined over the middle post, so the center posts matter here.
- Outside size12 ft x 4 ft
- Height11 in
- Soil to fill39.9 cu ft
- Lumber11 boards
| Part | Lumber | Cut to | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long side boards, joined over the middle post | 2x6 | 72 in | 8 |
| Short side boards | 2x6 | 45 in | 4 |
| Corner posts | 4x4 | 11 in | 4 |
| Middle posts | 4x4 | 11 in | 2 |
Shopping list
- 10 x 2x6 boards, 8 ft (cedar, or pressure treated rated for ground contact)
- 1 x 4x4, 6 ft long, for the posts
- 40 x #9 x 3 in exterior wood screws (coated or stainless), 2 per board end
- Optional: 1/2 in hardware cloth, 12 ft x 4 ft, for the bottom if gophers or voles are a problem
- Soil: 39.9 cu ft (1.48 cu yd), or about 30 bags of 1.5 cu ft with 10% extra for settling
Corner Brackets Instead of 4x4 Posts
Metal corner brackets sit on the outside of the corner and hold the boards together, so there are no posts to cut. They help when you want a bed that comes apart for storage, when you cannot find straight 4x4 cedar, or when you want to stack a second course later. The boards in a bracket bed are only held at the corners, so a long side can bow under wet soil. On any side longer than 6 ft, add a post or a stake at the middle.
Changing the plans for brackets is simple:
- Skip the post cuts. The 4x4 pieces drop off the cut list, along with the screws that held them.
- The board cuts stay the same. The long boards still run the full length and the short boards still fit between them, 3 in shorter than the outside width. With no posts inside the corners, the bed holds a little more soil.
- Check the bracket size. Match the bracket height to the bed: an 11 in bracket suits two 2x6 courses (11 in), and taller beds need taller or stacked brackets.
Finishing Cedar for a Raised Bed
The simplest finish is no finish. Bare cedar weathers to a silver grey and lasts, which is why most kits tell you to leave it unsealed. If you want to slow the color change, a common option is raw linseed oil brushed on the outside faces. Keep the oil off the inside walls where the soil sits. Never use stains or sealers made for interior use, and skip anything that does not say it is safe around plants and food.
If you only care about the bed lasting, a better use of your effort is airflow and drainage: set the bed on level ground, leave the bottom open, and keep soil from piling against the top edge of the boards.
How to Build a Cedar Raised Garden Bed
The steps match the main page, so we will not repeat them. Follow the how to build a raised garden bed steps, with three cedar notes:
- Drill every screw hole. Cedar is soft but splits at the ends. Use pilot holes about 1 in from each end.
- Use exterior screws made for cedar. Coated or stainless steel screws avoid black stains around the heads.
- Cut with a sharp blade. Cedar dust is irritating, so wear a dust mask when you cut.
Want it higher off the ground? A cedar bed on legs needs a different frame, covered in the elevated raised garden bed plans.
Cedar Kits and Hardware Worth Buying
If you would rather skip the saw, a cedar kit is the fast way to get the same bed. These are our picks, and the best raised garden beds page compares more.
Greenes Fence Premium Cedar Raised Garden Bed, 4 x 8 x 17.5 in
A ready made cedar bed, 17.5 in tall. Greenes Fence makes it in the USA from untreated North American cedar, with 3/4 in boards that slide into dovetail slots in the corner posts, so it needs no tools. The posts are routed so a second kit can be stacked on top or joined end to end.
✅ Pros
- No cutting and no screws: boards slide into the corner posts
- Untreated cedar, the usual pick for food beds
- Stackable for a deeper bed later
❌ Cons
- 3/4 in boards are thinner than the 1 1/2 in cedar 2x6s in our plans, so the long sides flex more
- At 17.5 in tall it takes more soil than a two course bed
Best For: a classic 4 x 8 ft cedar bed without buying lumber or tools.
Infinite Cedar Select Cedar Raised Garden Bed, 4 x 8 x 17.5 in
Another cedar kit, built differently. Infinite Cedar uses 100% western red cedar from North America, with pre-cut, pre-drilled boards that you bolt together with the included nuts and bolts. The maker says the corners are made so they do not tear out the way dovetail corners can, and the bed can be left bare to age or painted. The maker also sells it 2 x 8 ft and in 10.5 in and 14 in heights; this listing is the 4 x 8 ft bed at 17.5 in.
✅ Pros
- Pre-drilled boards bolt together with no cutting
- Made in the USA from western red cedar, no pressure treating
- Three heights, close to a 2 or 3 course plan
❌ Cons
- Boards are 11/16 in thick, thinner than the 1 1/2 in boards in our plans
- Bolted corners take a wrench and some patience
Best For: anyone who wants a cedar bed with a stronger corner than a slot together kit.
Alffun 12 Pack Metal Raised Garden Bed Corner Brackets, 11 in
If you go the bracket route, these steel corner brackets are a simple way to do it. The set has 12 L shaped brackets, 11 in long, in powder coated steel with rounded corners. The listing says they are stackable, so you can build a taller bed by adding a second set on top, and the screw holes are staggered to hold the board tight.
✅ Pros
- No post cuts: the corner is held by the bracket
- Stackable, so you can add a second course later
- Rounded corners, nothing sharp
❌ Cons
- Check that the bracket fits the board you are using before you buy
- Boards are held only at the corners, so long sides still need a middle support
Best For: a bed you may want to take apart, and anyone short on straight 4x4 posts.
Keep reading: the basic raised garden bed plans, raised garden bed dimensions, elevated raised garden bed plans and the best raised garden beds.