Raised planters on legs with their own floor, compared by the overall height, planting depth and soil capacity their makers publish.
Heights in inches. A dashed outline means the maker does not state the soil depth.
An elevated bed has a floor under the soil, and most stand on legs. The overall height includes any stand: the planters below are 22.5 to 35 in tall overall, with planting depths of 5.3 to 14 in where the maker states one. Order soil for the planting depth, not the height.
Shown: 2 × 4 ft, Olive Green, without wheels.
For gardening at standing height
32 in overall · 7.6 to 15 ft³ · 3 sizes and layouts
Bring a 12-inch planting space up on legs, with a shelf below for supplies. Compare the footprints and wheeled options before choosing a spot.
Use the 12-inch planting depth for fill calculations. The taller overall stand height includes the legs.
For an elevated wooden planter
29 in overall · 6.6 to 26.6 ft³ · 3 sizes and layouts
Grow in a cedar planter raised on legs, with a slatted floor below the mix. Compare three sizes for the growing space you need.
Use potting mix. This planter excludes ordinary garden soil, topsoil, sand, clay and rocks, so those are not substitutes for the fill.
Shown: natural cedar planter with shelf, 10-inch planting depth.
A cedar planter with storage below
35 in overall · 7 ft³ · 1 size
Use a 10-inch planting space above a storage shelf. This SKU 15356 planter measures 48 × 24 inches overall and stands 35 inches tall.
The 35-inch height includes the legs. Choose it for the 10-inch growing depth, and measure the inside before calculating fill.
A cedar growing space raised on legs
32 in overall · 6.5 to 8.6 ft³ · 2 sizes and layouts
Raise a 24 × 48-inch cedar growing space on legs. Compare the two planting depths and overall heights for the position you want to use.
The overall height includes the legs. Use the separately listed planting depth when deciding whether the growing space is deep enough.
For a narrow cedar planter with a floor
22.5 in overall · 7.8 ft³ · 1 size
A Western Red Cedar planter 48 × 18 inches and 22.5 inches tall, with a built-in cedar floor. The maker states 7.8 cubic feet of soil.
The floor keeps the soil in, so it can stand on a patio if the surface takes the filled weight. Its 3-year rot warranty covers raised beds only when lined with a waterproof membrane.
For working at standing or seated height
31.5 in overall · 14.8 ft³ · 1 size
A V-shaped Inland Red Cedar trough on a frame, 72.2 inches long and 31.5 inches tall, that takes 420 litres (about 14.8 cubic feet) of soil.
The soil is deepest in the middle of the V, so a length × width × depth estimate overstates it; use the maker’s 420 litres. VegTrug says the working height allows wheelchair access.
Shown: 1.5 × 5.5 ft, Olive Green, without wheels.
For a narrow elevated planter
32 in overall · 5.2 to 8.3 ft³ · 2 sizes and layouts
Add a long growing space where a wide planter would crowd the path. The narrow bed sits on legs with storage below.
Vego gives conflicting fill capacities. Measure the inside and use the soil calculator before ordering bags.
Shown: natural cedar patio planter with shelf, 5.25-inch planting depth.
A shallow planter for a compact space
33.2 in overall · 3.5 ft³ · 1 size
Add a shallow growing space and storage shelf in a 46 × 22.7-inch overall footprint. SKU 15355 has 5.25 inches of planting depth.
The shallow planting space is a different choice from the 10-inch-deep shelf planter. Compare the depth required for your planting plan.
Shown: 3 × 8 ft, Olive Green, with wheels.
For a long elevated planter
32 in overall · 22.6 to 23.3 ft³ · 2 sizes and layouts
Choose a long planter on legs with 12 inches of planting depth. Compare the different footprints and caster options for your garden.
The wheeled and fixed options have different footprints. Choose the version first, then mark its space and access paths.
They put the soil at working height. UGA Extension says a bed 36 inches off the ground helps avoid bending, and describes planters 10 inches deep raised on legs or blocks as ideal for wheelchair access. The University of Minnesota Extension says 27 inches is generally a comfortable height for wheelchair users. The accessible beds guide has the reach and clearance figures.
A floored planter concentrates its filled weight on its feet. The University of Maryland Extension notes that a 20-inch container of moist potting mix and plants can weigh 100 pounds. Have a deck, balcony or roof assessed for the filled weight first; the hard-surface guide gives the weight per square foot at each depth.