Soil for a 2 × 4 ft bed at each depth
Whole bags are rounded up. The bed’s wall height is not the soil depth: measure the depth you plan to fill.
Bags of
| Soil depth | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Bags of ¾ ft³ | Bags of 1 ft³ | Bags of 1.5 ft³ | Bags of 2 ft³ | Bags of 3 ft³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 in | 4 | 0.15 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 in | 5.33 | 0.2 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 10 in | 6.67 | 0.25 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 12 in | 8 | 0.3 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 18 in | 12 | 0.44 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| 24 in | 16 | 0.59 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 6 |
Measure inside the walls
The table uses the full 2 × 4 ft. If that is the outside size of a wooden bed built from boards 1½ inches thick, the growing space inside is 21 × 45 inches. At 12 inches deep that holds 6.56 cubic feet, 18% less than the table. Metal and composite walls are thinner, but corner posts and braces still take space, so measure between the inner walls before you order.
Beds sold at 2 × 4 ft
These are the beds we list in this size. A maker’s stated capacity often differs from the table because the inside is smaller than the advertised size or the maker assumes a different fill depth.
- Vego Classic Elevated Garden Bed6 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 32 in tall overall, 12 in planting depth. The maker states 7.63 cubic feet.
- Gardener’s Supply Farmstead Cedar Raised Beds8 in walls, 8 in planting depth. The maker does not state a soil capacity.
- Gardener’s Supply Elevated Cedar Raised Beds5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 29 in tall overall, 10 in planting depth. The maker states 6.7 cubic feet.
- Birdies Medium Modular Raised Bed, 15 in tall7 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 15 in walls. The maker states 9.6 cubic feet.
- Birdies Medium Modular Raised Bed, 29 in tall13 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 29 in walls. The maker states 19.2 cubic feet.
- Gardener’s Supply Elevated Cedar Planter Box with Shelf35 in tall overall, 10 in planting depth. The maker states 180 quarts.
- Gronomics 24 × 48 Elevated Cedar Garden Bed, 32 in tall5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 32 in tall overall, 10.5 in planting depth. The maker states 6.48 cubic feet.
- Gronomics 24 × 48 Elevated Cedar Garden Bed, 32 in tall6 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 32 in tall overall, 14 in planting depth. The maker states 8.59 cubic feet.
- Frame It All GardenBLOX 2 × 4 ft Raised Bed, 11 in tall5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 11 in walls. The maker states 7.34 cubic feet.
- Frame It All GardenBLOX 2 × 4 ft Raised Bed, 16.5 in tall8 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 16.5 in walls. The maker states 11.01 cubic feet.
- Frame It All GardenBLOX 2 × 4 ft Raised Bed, 22 in tall10 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 22 in walls. The maker states 14.68 cubic feet.
- Tarter 4 ft Oval Raised Bed Planter6 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 12 in walls. The maker states 8 cubic feet.
- Vego 17" Tall Modern Metal Raised Garden Beds8 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 17 in walls. The maker states 11.5 cubic feet.
- Epic Small Modular Metal Raised Bed, 15 in tall7 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 15 in walls. The maker states 10 cubic feet.
- Epic Small Modular Metal Raised Bed, 29 in tall13 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 29 in walls. The maker states 19.3 cubic feet.
- Veikous 14" Deep Cedar Elevated Garden Bed 4 × 2 ft5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 14 in planting depth. The maker states 7.26 cubic feet.
- Sunnydaze Galvanized Steel Raised Garden Bed6 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 11.75 in walls. The maker states 7.89 cubic feet.
- Gardenary Elevated Cedar Raised Bed Planter32 in tall overall, 12 in planting depth. The maker does not state a soil capacity.
- Land Guard Oval Metal Raised Garden Beds, 12 in tall4 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the estimated capacity. 12 in walls. The maker estimates 6 cubic feet.
- Land Guard Oval Metal Raised Garden Beds, 24 in tall9 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the estimated capacity. 24 in walls. The maker estimates 13 cubic feet.
- Anleolife Elevated Metal Raised Garden Beds6 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 22 in tall overall, 12 in planting depth. The maker states 8 cubic feet.
- Greenes Fence Premium Cedar Raised Beds, 10.5 in tall5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 10.5 in walls. The maker states 7 cubic feet.
- Greenes Fence Premium Cedar Raised Beds, 14 in tall7 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 14 in walls. The maker states 9.3 cubic feet.
- Greenes Fence Classic Cedar Raised Beds5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 10.5 in walls. The maker states 7 cubic feet.
- Greenes Fence Elevated Cedar Garden Beds, 31 in tall5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 31 in tall overall, 9.6 in planting depth. Inside: 47 × 23.75 in. The maker states 6.2 cubic feet.
- Greenes Fence Elevated Cedar Garden Beds, 31 in tall4 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 31 in tall overall, 7.5 in planting depth. Inside: 47 × 23.75 in. The maker states 4.8 cubic feet.
- Greenes Fence Elevated Cedar Garden Beds, 19 in tall5 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 19 in tall overall, 9.6 in planting depth. Inside: 47 × 23.75 in. The maker states 6.2 cubic feet.
- Gardener’s Supply Self-Watering Elevated Cedar Planter Boxes4 bags of 1.5 ft³ for the stated capacity. 29 in tall overall, 10 in planting depth. The maker states 6 cubic feet.
What to plant in a 2 × 4 ft bed
Four planting layouts drawn to scaleA 2 × 4 ft bed holds 8 heads of lettuce, 128 carrots or 2 trellised tomatoes at Colorado State University Extension’s spacings. See a salad bed, tomatoes and peppers, and roots and onions with every plant counted.Work out your own bed
Open these measurements in the soil calculator to change the depth, add more beds or split the fill into a mix. To compare the cost of bags with a bulk delivery for 0.3 cubic yards, use the bagged vs bulk soil calculator.
Other bed sizes
2 ft wide
3 ft wide