Buying new lumber for raised garden beds is pricey–especially with today’s supply chain issues. Finding ways to reuse lumber you already have is a great way to reduce the cost of building raised beds. If you have an old deck that you seldom use, you might be wondering: can you use old deck boards for raised beds?
Yes, you can use old deck boards for raised garden beds. Make sure you use composite decking boards rated for ground contact that won’t rot or leach chemicals into the soil, and you’ll have functional, beautiful raised beds for many years.
In the rest of this article, we’ll discuss the importance of choosing the right decking boards, how to transform your deck into raised beds, and some tips for keeping your new raised beds looking great for the seasons to come.
Choosing The Right Decking Boards
Before you begin demolition on your deck, it’s crucial to make sure you’re using the right kind of decking boards for your raised beds. Because the beds will be growing plants and coming into contact with water, it’s important that the boards are suited for the purpose.
Chemical Concerns
If your decking boards are treated lumber, you should reconsider using them to build your raised beds. Treated lumber can leach harmful chemicals into the soil, poisoning microorganisms and tainting or even killing growing plants. If you only have treated lumber lying around, buy some garden-safe wood at the store instead.
Rotting and Pest Concerns
Many types of lumber suffer from rot and insect infestation. If you’re building raised garden beds, the last thing you want is to have to replace the wooden boards each season. Because the lumber in raised garden beds will be regularly exposed to moisture, you want to choose lumber that can withstand high water levels and won’t be susceptible to termite or insect issues.
Composite Decking Boards: The Perfect Choice
While many types of lumber aren’t suited for the harsh conditions of a garden, composite decking boards are the ideal fit. It doesn’t rot or warp, and it’s maintenance-free. Insects–like termites–aren’t attracted to composite decking boards, so you won’t have to worry about bugs destroying your raised beds.
Composite decking also won’t leach chemicals into the soil, making it a much more environmentally-friendly choice. While this type of lumber can be up to twice as expensive as other types of wood, its longevity and ease of use make it a clear winner.
How To Transform A Deck Into A Raised Bed
You’ve done your homework and decided your deck will make a great raised garden bed. Now what? Here are a few steps to ensure a smooth transition from deck to plant paradise.
- Measure your deck planks. Before you design your new garden bed, you need to know how big it can be. Measure the length and width of each plank on the deck to have a better idea of the size of garden bed you can create.
- Design the garden beds. Once you’ve gathered your measurements, it’s time to plan your new raised beds! Take the length and width of your deck boards and use them to determine the shape and size of your raised beds. You’ll want to make sure the beds are at least 6 inches deep to allow your plants to grow strong root systems.
- Disassemble your deck. Now for the fun part: demolition! Be sure to take your time, as broken decking boards won’t do you any good. Try to remove the boards as gently as possible so that they’ll last a long time.
- Build your raised beds. You’ll probably have to do some resizing of your old deck boards; have a saw handy to cut the boards to the right new size. Use screws to attach the boards and before you know it, your raised beds will take shape!
- Fill your new beds with soil. If your raised beds are extremely deep (over 12″), it can be costly to fill them with soil. Adding some stones or sticks as a bottom layer can help avoid this problem. This will also help with drainage in the beds. Just be sure to add enough soil for your plants’ specific needs.
- Add plants. This is the most rewarding part of home improvement projects–seeing your hard work come to life. Take joy in adding plants to your raised garden beds; you deserve it. If you’re not sure what to plant in your new beds, head to your local nursery to ask about what grows well in your area.
Keeping Your Raised Beds Looking Sharp
Because composite decking is largely maintenance-free, there’s very little you need to do to keep your new raised beds looking nice. A quick touch-up cleaning job once per season should do the trick.
Simply wet the surface of the composite decking wood with a hose, then gently scrub the surface with a soft bristle brush. If the bed is extremely dirty, you may need to use a mild soap and water mixture, but most beds won’t need it.
Don’t use harsh chemicals on your garden beds. They can damage the deck and ruin the maintenance-free finish. Even more importantly, using harsh chemicals can kill your plants and any microorganisms living in the soil. Your garden bed won’t stay perfectly clean, but it will still work great for growing plants.
If you used a different type of lumber, you may need to occasionally reseal the lumber to keep it from rotting. This can be a bit of a hassle, since you’ll need to remove all the soil in the beds to seal the inside part of the beds.
Final Thoughts
Raised garden beds are a wonderful way to re-purpose old decking boards. Just be sure you use composite wood to keep harmful chemicals out of your soil. Composite decking looks great and is maintenance-free You’ll be enjoying plants grown in your new beds for years to come.
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