How to Construct a Waist-High Raised Garden Bed Table

Although gardening can be an incredibly rewarding task, the physical effort required by the art, including weeding, planting and mulching, can take a toll on the body. However, waist-high raised garden beds can make the soil and plants you are working with more accessible. This can be especially useful for young, elderly, disabled, and wheelchair-bound gardeners. By moving the raised bed concept off of the ground and onto a table, you can grow flowers, fruits and vegetables both in the garden or on your deck or patio.

Things You'll Need

2 boards, 1-by-8-inch, 5 feet long
2 boards, 1-by-8-inch, 38 inches long
4 stakes, 2-by-2-inch, 6 inches long
1 sheet of ¾-inch plywood, 3-by-5 feet
4 posts, 4-by-4-inches, 3 feet long
Drill

Galvanized wood screws
½-inch drill bit
8 lag bolts
Wrench
Landscaping fabric, 3-by-5 feet
Staple gun

Instructions

- 1
  Lay the 5-foot boards on their 1-inch widths so that they run parallel to one another and are spaced 3 feet apart.
- 2
  Position a 38-inch board at each end of the 5-foot boards to form a rectangle. Align the boards so that the ends of the 5-foot boards are set against the faces of the 38-inch boards.
- 3
  Drill two screws through each of the 38-inch boards and into the ends of the 5-foot boards at each corner to create a rectangular frame.
- 4
  Stand a 6-inch stake upright in each inside corner of the frame. There should be a 2-inch gap between the top of the stakes and the upper edge of the frame.
- 5
  Drill screws through the frame and into the stakes to secure them to the corners.
- 6
  Set the sheet of plywood over the frame and allow it to slip between the frame boards. The plywood will come to rest on the stakes set in the corners.
- 7
  Set screws every 6 inches along the outside of the frame to secure the plywood to the frame.
- 8
  Stand the four posts upright and position one post into the inside of each corner over the plywood.
- 9
  Drill holes through the frame and posts along the frame's sides where the posts and framework touch.
- 10
  Slip a lag bolt through each drilled hole and secure the accompanying nut to attach the posts to the frame.
- 11
  Flip the table right side up and rest it on the post legs.
- 12
  Drill eight to nine scattered ½-inch holes into the plywood; these will serve as drainage holes.
- 13
  Spread a piece of landscaping fabric over the plywood and use a staple gun to attach the fabric to the edge of the frame in 1-foot intervals.
- 14
  Place the garden table into its new location.

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