Have you ever wanted to build something but were to intimidated by the thought? Me too, before I picked up my first 2×4 and built a shelf, I thought there was no way I could do this. And power tools…forget it!! Then I tried it. A super simple shelf, built completely from 2x4s. It changed my life! It gave me so much confidence that the next thing I built was a dining table that, still today, I walk by and smile. My point is, sometimes you just need a little push into something new and who knows? You just may find your “thing”.
That little story brings me to my next project. Garden boxes! If you’ve ever wanted a garden and wanted to try your hand at building something, THIS IS IT. This project is as easy as it gets and you get a garden out of it. Two birds!
Here are the supplies you will need:
- Tape Measure
- Speed Square
- Safety Glasses
- Pencil
- Ear Protection
- Miter Saw
- Drill
- Impact Driver (you can use a regular drill, but this will make it much easier)
- 1/8″ Drill Bit
- 2 1/2″ Exterior Screws
STEP 1:
Clear the area if you have existing landscaping and level the ground. As usual, I forgot to grab a before photo so this will have to do. Ignore the baby butt. We kept the plants and rocks to utilize around the garden boxes so they would look like they were a part of the landscape.
STEP 2:
Cut 2x6s and 4x4s to size. We used redwood because our goal was an organic garden without any added chemicals but you can also use pressure treated pine, or seal your wood. You can build these garden boxes to any size that will fit your space. We didn’t have much room, so ours were only 2′ x 4′. If you make them longer than 4′, I would add an additional leg in the middle for more support. You can use a 2×6 instead of a 4×4 and screw from the inside to hide the screws.
If you use our dimensions of 2’x4′, here is your cut list, per box.
- (6) 2×6 @ 48″
- (6) 2×6 @ 24″
- (4) 4×4 @ 18 1/2″
I had every intention on capping my boxes with mitered 2x6s on top to cover the 4×4 legs and add a finished look, but once we built the boxes and filled them with soil, there just wasn’t enough room for the caps. It would have made our planting area tiny. I actually like them without the caps, it gives it a modern look. If you don’t cap them, you can take a couple inches off of the top of the 4x4s to allow room for soil to hide them.
STEP 3:
Build one side at a time. Place two 4x4s on the ground and lay the 2x6s where you want them, on top of the 4x4s. Pre-drill each hole then secure with an exterior wood screw. Build two parellel sides, flip them onto their sides with the top on the ground and screw the side boards on. Make sure you use a square to keep everything well, square.
STEP 4:
Once the side boards are attached, flip it over and put it in place. Level the box by digging around the legs. That’s the benefit of those additional two inches on each leg, they act like feet so you don’t need to level the dirt under the entire box.
STEP 5:
Fill the boxes with soil. We bought a truck load of compost mix from our local nursery for $40. So much cheaper than the bagged stuff and way better for your veggies! If you don’t have that option, you can always make your own. There are hundreds of blogs out there with garden soil tips.
We also added our landscaping at this point, while we had the soil in a wheelbarrow, conveniently close. We took that huge mound of foliage and split it into six different plants and transplanted them around the area. We also had to move the rocks (okay boulders) to their new homes. My husband and a few choice words got that job done. He was very patient with my “just a little further” directions. He also ran drip line to each box prior to filling it with soil.
STEP 6:
Now the fun part! Plant your garden and enjoy.
