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Raised bed wood preservation
mattc1986
Posts: 3
Hello,
I'm about to build a large number of raised beds for my new allotment out of scaffolding boards but need to find the most effective way of preserving the wood from moisture in the soil. I need the preserver to be as cheap as possible as there will be a large number of beds. Does anyone have any advice? I've been looking at products such as clear "No Nonsense Wood Treatment" and Cuprinol which come in at around £25 for 5 litres. Are there any better and/or cheaper products that would do this job?
Many thanks.
0
Posts
Scaffold boards will last 10 years without treatment. I wouldn't waste the time or money.
You could line the inside with plastic sheet I would suggest a good quality floor membrane designed to stop damp ingress under floors so should work.
A good wipe with teak oil will help feed and waterproof the wood too. Leave it to soak in for a day then build and fill.
I used spent scaffolding boards, they are doing pretty well, i think they will last more than 10 years
Look for DPM sheet. You can get it in screwfix or similar. Its heavy duty plastic. Strong enough to withstand roots trying to split it, but can be stapled onto the sides of the planter protecting the wood.
That DPM sheet is what I used. I hired a staple gun for the day. Run the plastic say an inch from the top on the inside, folding it over so it is doubled up like a hem. You won't see it when the beds are filled up. I also run it under the edge of the board that will contact the ground.
You can paint them with Cuprinol if you like, I did and they lasted for well over a decade.
Shame they are gone now, I binned them all during the re-vamp of my garden last year. Silly me, will be building some new ones this year.
I've got a new idea to have them so I can move them around and also use them to build a huge cold frame when required.