Hello everyone,
I am building a raised bed in my garden using shuttering blocks, which will later be clad on the outside.
The bed is 73 cm (29 inches) wide and 2 m (6.6 feet) long. The shuttering blocks are 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) wide and 50 cm (20 inches) long, so they will fit exactly without any cutting.
I know that blocks are usually staggered to achieve greater stability. However, I wonder if the extra effort involved (having to cut many blocks, etc.) is really necessary given the forces acting on such a small raised bed.
Does anyone have experience or informed opinions on this? I would appreciate any feedback.
Regards
Toni
I am building a raised bed in my garden using shuttering blocks, which will later be clad on the outside.
The bed is 73 cm (29 inches) wide and 2 m (6.6 feet) long. The shuttering blocks are 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) wide and 50 cm (20 inches) long, so they will fit exactly without any cutting.
I know that blocks are usually staggered to achieve greater stability. However, I wonder if the extra effort involved (having to cut many blocks, etc.) is really necessary given the forces acting on such a small raised bed.
Does anyone have experience or informed opinions on this? I would appreciate any feedback.
Regards
Toni
@ypg If the stones are covered with a veneer, the appearance should not matter.
@DerToni Just be aware that not much will fit into a planting bed that narrow. A few years ago, I built a 2x1m (6.5x3.3 ft) bed from 4cm (1.5 inch) thick construction boards. When it was assembled, my wife joked it looked like an oversized coffin because it was much bigger than typical raised beds from garden centers. But once it was set up and she planned her plants, it suddenly turned out to be far too small. Even with my bed, I felt like I was over-investing in the plants. I have no idea what a masonry bed with cladding will cost you. In the end, you’ll only have about 1m² (11 ft²) of planting area left. I find 1m (3.3 ft) height to be plenty.
@DerToni Just be aware that not much will fit into a planting bed that narrow. A few years ago, I built a 2x1m (6.5x3.3 ft) bed from 4cm (1.5 inch) thick construction boards. When it was assembled, my wife joked it looked like an oversized coffin because it was much bigger than typical raised beds from garden centers. But once it was set up and she planned her plants, it suddenly turned out to be far too small. Even with my bed, I felt like I was over-investing in the plants. I have no idea what a masonry bed with cladding will cost you. In the end, you’ll only have about 1m² (11 ft²) of planting area left. I find 1m (3.3 ft) height to be plenty.
G
Gartenfreund11 Jul 2022 05:48I wouldn’t build this out of stone.
For one, the material is quite heavy and also costs a fair amount of money and labor to construct. And if it ever needs to be removed, it means a lot of time, work, and expense to dispose of the rubble.
So, I would prefer to make it out of wood.
With the same external dimensions, you also get a bit more space for planting.
For one, the material is quite heavy and also costs a fair amount of money and labor to construct. And if it ever needs to be removed, it means a lot of time, work, and expense to dispose of the rubble.
So, I would prefer to make it out of wood.
With the same external dimensions, you also get a bit more space for planting.
I probably need to explain this a bit more clearly. Basically, the "bed" is one of several walls to be built that will frame the terrace and add some structure to the property. Just a plain wall seemed boring to us, so we decided to make it a "raised bed" where we can plant something that also provides some additional privacy. In the end, they won’t stick out a full meter from the ground, more like 85 to 90 cm (33 to 35 inches).
The other raised beds will be larger than the one I’m currently working on as a first test. For the others, staggering the bricks is not an issue. For this small one, the dimensions are just such that it feels like quite a lot of work for very little effect, so I thought I’d ask :-) I’m very happy about all the replies, thank you very much!
The other raised beds will be larger than the one I’m currently working on as a first test. For the others, staggering the bricks is not an issue. For this small one, the dimensions are just such that it feels like quite a lot of work for very little effect, so I thought I’d ask :-) I’m very happy about all the replies, thank you very much!
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