Raised beds?

[daleyd]

Anyone know of a good (ie, cheap!) supplier of garden sleepers for raised beds in the north Wales (mold/Wrexham) area? Or any other ideas on how to section up a large veg plot?

The ones I was looking at were 100x200 and 2.4 or 3M long - I’ll need about 15 of them to create 5 beds, I have a large plot at my aunties place and it’s just too unmanageable in one piece so I’m looking to section it off to try and get some order into it.

All ideas welcome!

Ta!

 

[8ob]

Five beds and fifteen sleepers would suggest you are only looking to build borders, if so look at the concrete sleepers, they will outlast anything timber and they are very cheap.

Bob

 

[daleyd]

Five beds and fifteen sleepers would suggest you are only looking to build borders, if so look at the concrete sleepers, they will outlast anything timber and they are very cheap.

Bob

Yeah it’s only 1 high - just to section everything off really rather than just having one enormous plot.

I’m not overly keen on concrete as I’d like the ability to move them around if needed and I don’t think my back would thank me for concrete (bearing in mind it’s only me and the missus and I don’t have access to the range of heavy plant/staff that you are accustomed to )

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@daleyd
When did the beds at a care home, we found the cost of sleepers to be extremly expensive.

We went to a rec yard and had a good choice of sleepers, but the cost of transport again was shocking.
We used in the end second hand scaffold boards.
Cheep, cleaned up well.
Single skin beds to the height of 2 boards high.
Fixings them to the ground was with stakes and strips cut from boards that were not good for the frames or off cuts from them.

 

[daleyd]

@daleyd
When did the beds at a care home, we found the cost of sleepers to be extremly expensive.

We went to a rec yard and had a good choice of sleepers, but the cost of transport again was shocking.
We used in the end second hand scaffold boards.
Cheep, cleaned up well.
Single skin beds to the height of 2 boards high.
Fixings them to the ground was with stakes and strips cut from boards that were not good for the frames or off cuts from them.

Cheers, yeah I have some old decking boards here but they are pretty old and I think they wouldn’t be up to the job really, a quick google suggests about £350 for 15 new sleepers (inc delivery) which will be a fair bit sturdier and more substantial (I may be able to get a fair bit off that if I can use my mates trade account).

I could try the scaff boards but I don’t really know of anywhere local that does them and what sort of prices. Plus I’m guessing there will be extra work in having to stake/brace them a lot more as they are thinner than a sleeper style?

 

[reb78]

We are using old tractor tyres. Free!

 

[DanZac]

Five beds and fifteen sleepers would suggest you are only looking to build borders, if so look at the concrete sleepers, they will outlast anything timber and they are very cheap.

Bob

What's the weight difference between a concrete sleeper and a wooden one? The wooden ones aren't exactly lightweight.

 

[Onoff]

Worth keeping an eye on say Gumtree in your area. If luck is on your side and it's local you can get some bargains. Sometimes they offer delivery. A couple of examples.

Private seller, £20 the lot:

Used stuff for sale | Gumtree

Find the latest stuff for sale on Gumtree. See used items for sale from clothes,electricals, furniture to tickets and more.

www.gumtree.com

From a dealer, £12.50 each but only 2.1m long:

Used stuff for sale | Gumtree

Find the latest stuff for sale on Gumtree. See used items for sale from clothes,electricals, furniture to tickets and more.

www.gumtree.com

 

[8ob]

What's the weight difference between a concrete sleeper and a wooden one? The wooden ones aren't exactly lightweight.

Not sure but they are manageable between two guys, we have used thousands of them to edge drives etc. We use them arch down and they don't need pegging, trucks bounce off of them and they don't move, none to shabby on the eye either, they look a bit like a stone.

Edit, they are very cheap if you collect them. Last shout was less than a fiver each.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

If they need to be movable then what about cut down IBC tanks ?

 

[tom2207]

those concrete ones are very nearly granite kerbs ,,, at a fraction of the cost ,, Im liking that .

 

[S-Rail]

Just be aware , unless you buy Ground treated , which isn’t that great anymore . Any timber you put in the ground will be shot in less than ten years , I’ve got fence posts barley 5 years old rotten . The quality of treatment is rubbish now and the soft wood quick grown . So
Any softwood “sleepers” you need to
Accept won’t last .

 

[mike os]

ETC in Chirk would be my usual port of call … not had any for years though

 

[8ob]

those concrete ones are very nearly granite kerbs ,,, at a fraction of the cost ,, Im liking that .

They are solid, there is a lot of reo bar in them as well, we built a temporary stream crossing with them and were running loaded dumpers over it, they never budget or cracked.

 

[Bryan Williams]

Anyone know of a good (ie, cheap!) supplier of garden sleepers for raised beds in the north Wales (mold/Wrexham) area? Or any other ideas on how to section up a large veg plot?

The ones I was looking at were 100x200 and 2.4 or 3M long - I’ll need about 15 of them to create 5 beds, I have a large plot at my aunties place and it’s just too unmanageable in one piece so I’m looking to section it off to try and get some order into it.

All ideas welcome!

Ta!

YouTube George Dowding, the expert on 'no dig' allotmenteering.
You don't really need raised beds unless you can't bend down enough. They come with their own problems, drying out, drainage ect.
His whole no dig method /philosophy makes a lot of sense.
Of course if you want raised beds you can still go down the no dig route.

 

[James1979]

I raised our bed. Wife burnt her ass on the lightbulb.

I’ll get me coat

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I raised our bed. Wife burnt her ass on the lightbulb.

I’ll get me coat

Good news you got electicity up there now.

 

[daleyd]

YouTube George Dowding, the expert on 'no dig' allotmenteering.
You don't really need raised beds unless you can't bend down enough. They come with their own problems, drying out, drainage ect.
His whole no dig method /philosophy makes a lot of sense.
Of course if you want raised beds you can still go down the no dig route.

It’s just to segregate it into manageable areas rather than raising it up, although it will allow us to fill them with some compost.

 

[Blicksheep]

It’s just to segregate it into manageable areas rather than raising it up, although it will allow us to fill them with some compost.

I used 4x3’s in our old house. By the time they’re rotted the beds and grass paths are well established so they remain once the wood is removed.

 

[James1979]

What about 9x3 joists?

Anything timber is expensive at the moment.