Cedar raised beds and planters compared by published size, planting depth and soil capacity, with what the USDA and extension services say about how long cedar lasts.
Cedar heartwood is in the decay-resistant group in the USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook, which says resistant heartwood generally serves well above ground. The University of New Hampshire Extension says cedar or redwood beds can last 10 years or more; Washington State University Extension notes that untreated wood, even cedar, often begins to decay within a few years. Lower grades include sapwood with no natural resistance.
Choose the footprint and growing depth separately
Height not stated · 14 to 39.2 ft³ · 4 sizes and layouts
Assemble cedar boards with sliding corner joints. Choose a square or long footprint, then a 10.5- or 17.5-inch planting depth.
Choose both the footprint and depth before ordering. The stated fill capacity is a manufacturer estimate; inside measurements are still needed for your own soil calculation.
For a classic 4 × 8 ft cedar bed
10.5 to 14 in tall · 28 to 37.3 ft³ · 2 sizes and layouts
An untreated cedar 4 × 8 ft bed with dovetail joints and 3/4-inch boards, 10.5 or 14 inches tall. Greenes states 28 or 37.3 cubic feet of soil.
The stated capacities equal 4 × 8 ft times the wall height. The page does not say whether 4 × 8 ft is the inside or outside size, so measure inside after assembly.
Shown: 4 × 6 ft natural cedar, 7¼-inch walls.
For a low cedar bed
7.3 in tall · 8.9 to 28 ft³ · 4 sizes and layouts
Frame an existing garden area with low cedar sides and aluminum corners. Four length choices share a four-foot width.
A four-foot-wide bed needs access from both long sides for easier reaching. Include those paths when choosing the length.
For deeper cedar bed walls
14.5 in tall · 20 to 60 ft³ · 4 sizes and layouts
Use 14½-inch cedar walls for a deeper raised growing area. Four lengths share the same four-foot width and aluminum corners.
Keep both long sides accessible. A longer bed adds growing space, but it also needs a longer clear path beside it.
For cedar joinery without tools
8 in tall · capacity not stated · 6 sizes and layouts
Assemble cedar boards with wooden pegs, without tools. Choose the footprint and height that suit the space you can reach.
Stacking another level increases the fill volume. Calculate the assembled height you intend to use before ordering soil.
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: 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.
The kits below state their sizes, and some state a planting depth. To build your own, the 4 × 8 cedar bed plan has a cut list and steps, and the best wood guide compares cedar with redwood, pine and treated lumber.
Cedar contains tannins that stain around plain steel, Simpson Strong-Tie notes. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association recommends stainless steel screws for outdoor cedar, with hot-dipped galvanized as the alternative.