How to build a raised garden bed?

[Ranuga]

Hi folks,

I have no idea what this fencing is called and I have researched but no lucl unfortantly finding the name, I have seen this used in gardens as small beds. 

Can anyone kindly tell me? 

Many thanks 

[EricL]

Hello @Ranuga 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about the garden bed fence.

The product you are referring to are called sleepers and they come in timber, concrete and composite material. The sizes range from 1.5 to 2.4 meters and are generally 200mm in height and 50mm thick. The product on your photo closely resembles the Ridgi 150 x 50mm 1.5m Ironbark Reinforced Concrete Sleeper.

The posts appear to be the galvanised sleeper posts. If you wish to have a better look, I suggest visiting your local store and proceed to the outdoor timber area and have a look at the sleepers available.

Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How to build a retaining wall

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Ranuga]

Hey Eric,

Thanks for your answer.

What would be the process of installing this ? I would like to put stumps into the ground but pouring concrete is alot of work, am I able to use wooden stumps and solidify it? 

[EricL]

Hello @Ranuga 

I'm sorry, but you'll need to use concrete for a firm footing. Failure to secure the post means that the sleeper wall will tilt and fall over as the soil from the other side pushes on it. To save yourself from having to mix the concrete in a separate container, I suggest pouring the dry bag of cement into the post hole when the post is in and mixing it there with water. This will at least save you from double handling the cement.

Please note, depending on your location, I suggest checking your local council's rules and regulations regarding building a retaining wall. If it is too tall, it will probably require a permit from the council.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Ranuga]

Thanks Eric!,

I planted some post down spaced out for retrofitting ( with concrete).

Is it possible to stain a timber sleeper to make it a black colour, here would be an example of the colour I am aiming for.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/fitta-200-x-51mm-2-4m-charcoal-composite-sleeper-charcoal_p0349466

[JacobZ]

Hi @Ranuga,

Can you advise how high the retaining wall you're looking to build is?

I ask because it is very important that the posts are suitably anchored in place. State legislation can vary, but anything in excess of 600mm high will usually require building approval. 

It's certainly possible to stain timber sleepers, but due to the treatment used, there may be some unevenness in the stain. This can be lessened by sanding the timber and applying a timber conditioner such as Feast Watson 1L Timber Primer, but please note that timber sleepers are treated with toxic chemicals to allow them to resist insects, fungi and weathering, so please wear the relevant personal protective equipment including gloves, eye protection and most importantly a mask or respirator.

Something like this Sikkens 4L Ebony Cetol HLSe Timber Finish will give a very dark timber look that will be similar to that of the charcoal composite sleeper.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob