A 4×8 ft cedar raised bed in a backyard corner — build, fill with the right soil mix, and plant. Full cost breakdown and soil recipe included.
| Material | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar 2"×10"×8' boards | 4 boards | $80 |
| Cedar 2"×10"×4' boards (ends) | 2 boards (cut from 8' boards) | included above |
| Metal corner brackets (4") | 4 sets | $22 |
| Galvanized screws (2.5") | 1 box | $8 |
| Premium soil mix (see recipe below) | 12 cu ft (~0.45 cu yd) | $55 |
| Landscape fabric (bottom liner) | 1 roll remnant | $10 |
| Total | ~$175 | |
This is the most important part of a raised bed — the wrong soil mix produces poor yields regardless of what you plant. For a 4×8×10" bed (~27 cubic feet):
Do NOT use straight topsoil from a bag — it compacts within one season and plants struggle. The mix above stays loose and productive for years with seasonal compost additions.
Cut boards to length: two 8-foot sides, two 4-foot ends (cut from 8-foot boards). Use metal corner brackets for square, strong corners — much cleaner than toe-screwing boards. Stack two 2×10 boards for each side to reach the 20-inch wall height (two courses). Level the frame on the ground before filling.
Remove grass and loosen the existing soil 6 inches deep inside the bed footprint. This allows roots to grow deeper than the raised bed walls. Lay landscape fabric along the bottom — not to block roots, but to slow grass regrowth from below without stopping drainage.
Fill with the soil mix recipe — topsoil first, then compost, then perlite. Mix as you add, not all at once (easier to work in layers). Fill to 1–2 inches below the top edge to leave room for watering without soil washing over the sides.
In Virginia, prime planting windows for vegetables: May–June for warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) and August–September for cool-season crops (lettuce, kale, spinach). Water immediately after planting and keep consistent moisture while establishing — raised beds dry faster than in-ground beds.
Virginia's climate (USDA Zone 7a–7b in Northern Virginia) gives you two strong planting windows per year in a raised bed:
For a first-year 4×8 bed, plant 2–3 tomato plants, 2 pepper plants, and fill the remaining space with herbs (basil, parsley, chives). This produces maximum harvest yield for the minimum management complexity. A 4×8 ft bed fed with this plan will produce enough tomatoes and herbs to supply a household from July through October.
For most vegetables, 10–12 inches is the practical minimum — enough depth for root development without excessive soil volume. For deep-rooted vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and parsnips, 18–24 inches is ideal. For accessibility (gardening from a wheelchair or without bending), 24–36 inches is the standard. This project used 10-inch boards stacked two high for 20 inches total — the right depth for a full-production vegetable bed.
You don't need to remove all the grass, but you should loosen the existing soil and remove the top layer of sod. Loosening the native soil 6 inches deep allows plant roots to grow beyond the raised bed boundaries, accessing deeper moisture and nutrients. The sod layer, if left intact, can host perennial grasses (like Bermuda) that will grow up through your bed over time. Remove the sod layer, loosen the soil, then lay the landscape fabric and build your frame on top.
A cedar raised bed built with standard 2×10 boards typically lasts 10–20 years in Virginia's climate before the wood shows significant deterioration. Western red cedar naturally contains oils that resist decay; eastern red cedar performs similarly. You can extend the life of any cedar bed by applying a food-safe wood preservative (like linseed oil) to the exterior surfaces every 3–5 years. Avoid interior treatment — you don't want anything migrating into your growing medium.
Products used or recommended for this project. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
For assembling the cedar frame and driving corner bracket screws. A cordless drill cuts assembly time in half versus a manual screwdriver.
View on Amazon →Galvanized and weather-resistant. Use for all cedar board connections. The corrosion resistance is important for a structure that's always in contact with moist soil.
View on Amazon →Use as a bottom liner inside the raised bed. Slows grass regrowth from below while still allowing drainage — better than solid plastic.
View on Amazon →Test your soil mix pH and nutrient levels before planting. Most vegetables grow best at pH 6.0–7.0. A $10 test can prevent a whole season of poor yields.
View on Amazon →Read the full raised garden beds guide — covers wood, cinder block, and galvanized metal options with pros and cons of each.
Full Raised Bed Guide →