Building Square Foot Gardening Boxes

Make your own Concrete Raised Garden Beds! This is PART 2, showing a simpler method that uses standard framing lumber. You can build these forms and precast your own 48″, 36″, or 24″ reinforced concrete panels that lock together to make long lasting and durable concrete garden boxes. See the complete build video that shows step-by-step how to make the wooden molds for the precast garden boxes. An alternative to concrete garden edging.

Here is the weight of 3 panels that are cured: . 48″ – 69lbs, 36″ – 50lbs, 24″ – 33lbs.

See the Build Video and download the Plans.

How much concrete does it take to pour each size of panel?

Here's the approximate square foot volume of each size of the 2.5" thick panels:
24" panel = 0.23 cu ft
36" panel = 0.36 cu ft
48" panel = 0.49 cu ft

Bags of ready mix concrete are sold in various sizes. Here is how much a bag of Quikrete will make:
40lb bag = 0.30 cu ft
50lb bag = 0.375 cu ft
60lb bag = 0.45 cu ft
80lb bag = 0.60 cu ft

Check the instructions on the bag to see how much it makes.

Amazing Concrete Garden Boxes PART 2 - DIY Forms to Pour and Cast Cement Planter link together Beds

Background for the Cast Concrete Raised Garden Bed Project – PART 2

This is a follow-up to my blog post and video on casting your own concrete garden box panels. A year has passed so I think it's time to see what improvements I can make.
There was a ton of interest in that video, so I wanted to shoot a sequel, AND find a faster, easier, and cheaper way to build the forms and cast the panels. These reinforced concrete panels link together to create long lasting, rot-proof garden boxes.
If you haven't watched my first video then please have a look to see my original plywood form design.
I got a lot of comments and suggestions from the first video and I was overwhelmed by the positive reaction it received. So, thank you for your support and contribution!
I'll address some of the most common comments and questions I received from that first video in the Q & A section below.
I first made these plywood forms and cast panels about 8 years ago, long before I planned a YouTube Channel. I was casting these for myself so at the time I wasn't concerned that the forms be simple. I just wanted them to be reusable and for them to work.

the concrete panels are pinned together with rebar

I'm not a professional form builder, so I'm sure there's other ways to cast these panels, but this is what works for me.

Poured concrete raised garden beds

Many commented that the forms were too complicated to build. So I decided to go back and look at my original design to see if I could simplify and improve upon it. I still want to cast the concrete panels in the same size and shape so the new ones would connect and fit to the original ones.
My original plywood forms work very well so, if you're already building yours that way then keep at it.
The NEW form design uses standard framing lumber instead of plywood. There's fewer parts, and I've simplified the finishing. Instead of multiple coats of polyurethane, I'm using Food Grade Mineral oil to coat the forms. It's cheaper, faster, and easier to apply. I like it as its non-toxic and won't go rancid like vegetable oil.
You don't need a lot of tools to make these forms and I'll show some alternatives as I build them.
As before, I have a full set of plans available for download.

So here's the new form design I came up with.

Precast concrete raised garden beds

These panels link together to create long lasting, rot proof concrete garden boxes.

making a tall bed by staking more panels — Concrete Garden Box Panels Stacked

DIY concrete raised beds.

I have plans available for download and I also have a list of all the tools I use for each project. So please check those out.

Concrete Garden Box Sides – the Build

The Parts

There's three main parts to the form. The base, two identical ends, and two identical sides.

animation of parts for the concrete raised garden beds forms — Main Parts of the Form

The base is made from a 2x10 with a beveled 1x4 as an inset, the ends and sides are made from a 2x6. The ends and sides have a peg made from wooden dowels to hold a pipe in place. The pipes are plastic electrical conduit with galvanized wire wrapped around them for reinforcement. When filled with concrete half way, a stiff wire mesh is laid in for additional strength.

the BASE

I start by cutting a 2x10 to length, then ripping it to width on my table saw. This one will make a 48″ long panel. I cut these to length with a mitre saw.

Concrete Garden Box Forms — Cutting a 2x10 to length

But, a square and circular saw will work just as well.

circular saw and large speed square for cutting lumber to length — Circular saw an square can be used instead of miter saw

To make the new forms the same inside dimensions as the previous plywood versions, I rip the 2x10 down to 8″ wide. I use my portable table saw for this.

rip lumber on a cheap portable table saw — 2x10 is ripped on table saw

A guide and a circular saw will also work.

ripping lumber with circular saw and guide — Circular saw with a guide is an option for ripping lumber without a table saw

I rip both edges on the table saw to give me a square corner on both sides. Framing lumber comes with a small rounded corner and I want to remove these.
I'm making three different lengths of forms this time. To cast a 48″, a 36″, and a 24″ panel. The drawings have dimensions for each. And I'll show you some garden box variations you can assemble with these different sizes at the end of this build section.
After the base is ripped and trimmed to the final length, I'll lay out the end cuts and inset location.

ruler and sharpe used to lay out the concrete form base — Laying out base corner cuts and inset location

I'll remove the corner pieces with a jigsaw. You could use a handsaw for these cuts instead.

jig saw cutting the form base — Using a jigsaw to cut corners

I check the cut with a square.