Raised Garden Bed Plans: Bed Sizes, Paths, Lumber and Soil
These raised garden bed plans use the sizes that work: beds 4 feet wide so you can reach the middle from either side, 8 feet long to match lumber, 11 to 17 inches tall, with 24 to 36 inch paths between them.
Free: draw, save in your browser, download a watermarked image. Paid: clean to-scale PDF and materials list.
| Bed | Soil at 11 in | Boards (2 × 6 × 8 ft) | Corner posts (4 × 4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4 ft | 14.7 cu ft (0.5 cu yd) | 4 | 4 × 18 in |
| 4 × 8 ft | 29.3 cu ft (1.1 cu yd) | 6 | 4 × 18 in |
| 4 × 12 ft | 44 cu ft (1.6 cu yd) | 8, plus a centre stake | 4 × 18 in |
| 3 × 6 ft | 16.5 cu ft (0.6 cu yd) | 4 (cut to 6 ft and 3 ft) | 4 × 18 in |
| 4 × 8 ft, 17 in tall | 45 cu ft (1.7 cu yd) | 9 (three tiers) | 4 × 24 in |
Soil is the inside volume at the full height; order 10 percent more because it settles. 2 × 6 boards are 5 1/2 in tall, so two tiers make 11 in and three make 16 1/2 in.
Layouts
Pick a layout
Each one opens in the canvas below with its sizes already drawn; change anything.
Two 4 × 8 ft beds, 16 × 14 ft plot
Two beds with a 33 inch path between them and a potting bench along the fence. The starter plot: 64 sq ft of growing space, about 2.4 cubic yards of soil at 12 inches deep.
Three beds in a row, 22 × 12 ft
Three 4 × 8 beds end-on to the path with 29 inch gaps, a bench along the back. Runs north to south so the beds shade each other as little as possible.
U-shaped beds, 16 × 16 ft
Three beds around a 6 ft wide working area, open on one side. Everything is within one step of the centre; good for a square corner of the yard.
Four-bed rotation, 24 × 20 ft
Four 4 × 8 beds in a 2 × 2 grid with a 34 inch cross path, so each crop family can move one bed a year. 128 sq ft of growing space.
Two 4 × 8 ft beds in a 16 × 14 ft plot. Click to move the beds, change the plot or add more; the beds sit on mulch with gravel paths drawn as ground surfaces, and the edge lengths update as you drag.
About
Pick a layout below, two beds, a row of three, a U, or a four-bed rotation plot, and the plan opens to scale with every edge length written on it. Stretch the plot to your own fence lines, slide the beds until the paths are right, and read the plot area off the plan. The lumber cut list and the soil volume for each bed size are in the table. It is a schematic plan, not an AI picture, and the arithmetic is plain.
01
Bed sizes that work
Four feet is the widest a bed should be: an adult reaches about 2 feet from a path, so a 4 ft bed is tended from both sides without stepping on the soil. Against a fence, where you reach from one side only, keep it to 2 or 3 feet. Eight feet long matches standard lumber with no waste and is short enough to walk around rather than over. Height: 11 inches (two 2 × 6 boards) is enough for most vegetables; 17 inches (three boards) suits root crops, poor native soil or anyone who wants to kneel less. Taller beds need more soil and a stake at the middle of each long side so the boards do not bow.
- Width: 4 ft with paths both sides, 2 to 3 ft against a fence or wall.
- Length: 8 ft standard; 12 ft needs a centre stake per side.
- Height: 11 in general, 17 in for carrots, potatoes and easier kneeling.
- Lumber: untreated cedar or redwood, or modern pressure-treated (no arsenic); never old railroad ties.
02
Paths and orientation
Leave 24 inches between beds for walking and kneeling, 36 inches on the main path so a wheelbarrow or a cart passes. In the plans above the paths are 28 to 36 inches; drag a bed and the gap reads off the plan. Run the long side of each bed north to south where you can, so the morning and afternoon sun reach both sides and tall crops at the north end do not shade the rest. Put the whole plot where it gets six hours of sun and within a hose length of a tap; a drip line from one tap can feed every bed in a row.
03
Cut list for a 4 × 8 ft, 11 inch bed
Six 2 × 6 × 8 ft boards: four stay full length for the long sides (two tiers each side), and two are cut in half for the 4 ft ends, four pieces. One 4 × 4 post, 8 ft, cut into four 18 inch corners that the boards screw into, with 6 inches to drive into the ground. About 32 exterior screws, 3 inches. Add a 2 × 4 cap on top if you want somewhere to sit. A 4 × 4 ft bed uses four boards (two cut in half); a 4 × 12 uses eight plus a stake at the middle of each long side.
04
How much soil to order
Volume is length × width × depth. A 4 × 8 ft bed filled to 11 inches (0.92 ft) is 29 cubic feet, 1.1 cubic yards; filled to a full foot it is 32 cubic feet, 1.2 cubic yards. Two beds need about 2.4 yards, four need 4.7; add 10 percent for settling. For a mix, a common recipe is 60 percent topsoil, 30 percent compost and 10 percent something airy such as perlite or bark fines. Bagged soil at 1.5 cubic feet per bag means about 20 bags per 4 × 8 bed, which is where bulk delivery starts to make sense; the cubic yards calculator does the conversion for any size.
05
What the plan is and is not
The canvas draws the plot and the beds to scale, with every edge length on the plan and the plot area in square feet, so the paths and the fit against the fence are measured rather than guessed. It is a schematic planting plan, not a construction drawing, and it is not an AI image. Drawing and saving are free; the clean PDF to scale is paid.
06
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best size for a raised garden bed?
- 4 ft wide by 8 ft long, 11 to 17 inches tall. Four feet is reachable from both sides; eight feet uses standard boards with no waste.
- How far apart should raised beds be?
- 24 inches for a walking and kneeling path, 36 inches on the main path for a wheelbarrow. Closer than 18 inches and you cannot kneel between them.
- How much soil does a 4 × 8 raised bed need?
- About 29 cubic feet (1.1 cubic yards) at 11 inches deep, 32 cubic feet (1.2 cubic yards) at 12 inches, 45 cubic feet (1.7 cubic yards) at 17 inches. Add 10 percent for settling.
- What lumber do I need for a 4 × 8 raised bed?
- Six 2 × 6 × 8 ft boards (two cut in half for the ends), one 4 × 4 × 8 ft post cut into four 18 inch corners, and about 32 three-inch exterior screws. That makes an 11 inch bed.
- Which direction should raised beds face?
- Long sides running north to south, so both sides get sun and tall plants at the north end do not shade the bed. Six hours of sun is the minimum for most vegetables.
Sources
Where the numbers come from
Local amendments apply; check your own jurisdiction.