Assemble a cedar raised bed in about ten minutes.

Unpack on the carton

Lay the flattened carton on the ground as a work mat and check the parts against the list: two end panels with legs, the long boards, the base planks, the liner, the hardware bag and the wrench.

Stand the end panels

Stand both end panels on their feet about the length of a long board apart, legs toward each other.

Fit the long boards

Offer up the bottom long board to the legs on one side, push the carriage bolts through the pre-drilled holes from the outside, and run the nuts on finger-tight from the inside. Repeat for the other side, then the course above.

Square and tighten

Check the box is square by measuring the two diagonals; nudge until they match, then tighten every nut with the wrench. Snug, not crushing: cedar dents.

Drop in the base planks

Lay the planks across the width on the cleats. Leave the drainage gaps as they fall.

Lay the liner

Spread the liner over the planks and up the walls, tuck it an inch below the top edge, and staple or tack it if you want it held.

Place and fill

Set the bed where it lives, check it is level (a paver under a low leg), then fill. The soil calculator gives the litres and the bag count for your size.

In the carton

Everything in the carton, in the order you will reach for it. The count of long boards, base planks and bolts depends on the size; the label inside the carton lid prints the count for yours, and the size page prints the bolt count. Lay the parts out on the flattened carton before you start, and if anything is short, email us a photograph of the label and the parts and the missing piece goes out by courier the same week.

1. Two end panels with the steel corner brackets already bolted on
2. Two long boards per course, pre-drilled
3. Cedar base planks, cut to the width
4. Fabric liner
5. Carriage bolts, nuts and washers, counted for the size, in one bag
6. The wrench

Care

• 01Nothing is required. Cedar weathers to silver grey outside within a year or two.
• 02A penetrating exterior oil in the first season holds the amber colour; do not seal the inside of the box.
• 03Stop watering in late fall so the soil dries before it freezes; the bed can stay full over winter.
• 04Check the nuts once a year after the first winter.

Cedar’s knots, checks and silvering are the material, not defects. If a part arrives damaged, photograph it within 48 hours and email us with your order number; we replace it.