Easy, Affordable Raised Bed

Step 9: Fill the bed in with topsoil, and then add your favorite plants.

Note: New standards for pressure-treated lumber have removed concerns about toxic materials leaching into soil. 

Building Materials

• Eight 30-inch metal posts (cut from chain-link fenceposts)
• 32 feet of 1 1/2-foot-wide corrugated tin (cut from 3-foot-wide pieces or purchased precut)
• 64 feet of 1- x 3-inch lumber cut from 1- x 6-inch planks (pressure-treated or composite, such as Trex)
• ¼ pound of 2-inch metal screws
• 1/8 pound 2-inch galvanized deck screws
• 2 yards of topsoil

Cost estimate: $50-$60 (You can save money by using pressure-treated lumber for the cap instead of composite wood.)