What lumber should i use for raised beds

In Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon, juniper is sometimes referred to as a native invasive species. To help restore the ecosystem, juniper—like the kind Dunn Lumber carries—is harvested to control population growth.

This means that juniper can be prone to twisting, but it also means it's extremely elastic and moldable and holds hardware such as nails, screws, and staples better than other species. Don't be fooled, though: it's still strong. Juniper's a popular choice for its aesthetics—striking grains and warm tones—but it's most celebrated for its longevity and resistance to rot.

The OSU research shows that juniper fence posts can last a very long time—up to 60 years or more—but the average lifespan which is impressive is in the year range, closer to that of cedar. Compared to cedar, juniper holds hardware with ease, is just as attractive and long-lasting, is more elastic, and may be readily available depending on the market.

First, a bit about my background. I spent 14 years as an environmental consultant before the recession of moved my employment status from full-time to project-based and I started a handyman business to make ends meet. Be sure to buy the correct type of pressure-treated wood for your garden. Use ground-contact pressure-treated woods if you want them to last longer. Although the potential risks associated with CCA treated woods are minimal, the following precautions can be followed to ensure there are no further risks.

Instead of using CCA treated wood, you can use alternatives such as concrete blocks, plastic lumber, bricks or stones. You can also use wood treated with ACQ alkaline copper quaternary ammonium which contains no toxic chromium and arsenic. Peel your root crops such as carrots and potatoes before consuming. Peeling helps remove copper, chromium and arsenic components that may be present.

Do not plant your root crops too close to the woods where the concentrations of CCA is high. Space at least 10 inches apart. This is a wood preservative that contains chromium, copper and arsenic in different amounts.

CCA treated wood is used to impregnate timber so as to protect them from microbial and insect attacks. It leaves a greenish tint to the treated timber. Pressure-treated lumber gets a greenish colour because of the treatment process. It also has end tags and can have a chemical or oily smell as compared to untreated wood. An end tag or stamp has the name of the preservative that is used to treat the wood.

It also contains the name of the preservation company and the rating. CCA treated woods are associated with cancer risks hence they are banned for use in playgrounds, decks and outdoor structures in a residential setting. Stamps are found on the wood. The chemicals in stains could negatively affect your crops. Both Redwood and Cedar do very well with staining, as the wood retains the stain better than other woods, and the stain can really bring out the unique portions of each piece of lumber.

Garden boxes are great for those with small growing spaces — and you can expand your space up as well as out. Try adding a lattice to the outside of your garden box to grow tomatoes, beans, and other vining plants. Many hungry critters like groundhogs and gophers are adept at stealing your fruits and veggies by entering your garden box from underground. Add a wire mesh to the bottom of your box to fence them off and keep them out. Adding legs to your garden box and raising it off the ground offers a variety of benefits, which you can read about in When to Consider a Raised Garden Box.

Notify of. ACQ a water-based alternative to traditional pressure-treated wood. Traditional pressure-treated wood uses arsenic, a poison that can seep into the soil and be taken up into the vegetables you eat.

As with arsenic-treated wood, ACQ-treated wood is resistant to rot and insects and will last for years. Felled logs make attractive and rustic-looking raised beds. If you have the means to haul the logs, you can often get them for free from people cleaning up after winter storms or after having trees cut down.

The logs can then be cut to the dimensions you want for your beds. Mitering or dovetailing the ends will make clean corners. Flattening the bottom of the logs will keep them from rolling away.