planning my raised beds.....

i just got delivered one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181904148310?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT and its blooming awesome! i love it, i was amazed when i aerated the pile at how much heat and steam were pumping out, and its all ready a dark composty material in the middle, ive not even had my bin a fortnight lol, it was great fun, again cant believe how much heat there was, and the job was effortless with this tool, even my 10 year old daughter was using it with ease amazing......

 

well ive got my raised beds ..............................................sort of any way lol

raised beds lol by Martin Young, on Flickr​

 

well a productive couple of hours today.... its getting really exciting now, one thing i want to know, where i have cut my posts shall i protect them with some kind of paint, if so any suggestions

IMG_0563 by Martin Young, on Flickr


IMG_0565 by Martin Young, on Flickr


IMG_0568 by Martin Young, on Flickr


IMG_0571 by Martin Young, on Flickr


IMG_0576 by Martin Young, on Flickr

​

 

Hi Martin,

I can't recommend any names but I would definitely paint them with some sort of wood preserver.

They're looking brilliant a job well done, I'm jealous

 

Thanks buddy! not fully complete i only put the sides up for the pic lol, i want to get them in a rough final position before i put all the sides on

do you just mean the end which are fresh from the cuts i made or all the wood? this wood has C24 stamped on them, from what google says, C24 is treated?

thanks again for your kind comments, im raring to get my 1st year veggie garden under way :D

 

From what I've just seen C24 is just the strength rating of the timber. You should have been told by your supplier whether it had been treated or not.

I'd try and find out if I were you. If it is then do the cut ends only. If not do it all.

One thing to remember is to pick a preserver that is plant friendly.

 

Thanks a lot, i will contact jewsons tomorrow as i was not here when delivery was made and i didnt order it myself so not sure, not a problem if its not as ill just treat myself, will find out for sure tomorrow tho, thanks

 

C24 does indeed refer to the strength, in this case 24MPa. On the marking should be the number SS 23 01 20.

This wood is really intended for indoor use. To preserve it, as AR says, find something that is plant friendly, but also thin enough to saturate the wood.

 

Plastic sheeting to line the inside ?

 

thanks everyone, any ideas at all with a preserver as i really have not got a clue
well actually i remember someone using this linseed oil on youtube, would this be ok to preserve my wood?
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/raw-linseed-oil---500ml-068361

also i guess i would need to paint when the wood is dry.....might be a problem with all this rain :(

would the plastic sheeting be to not let the preserver contaminate the soil?

edit, this stuff seems pretty good
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p34502

 

not sure I want to use linseed oil as from reading its not the quickest to dry in this weather condition, so was just thinking to paint it with some toxic wood preserver, so I'm guessing this will be ok as long as I line the inside of my beds??? HELP LOL :(

edit... or this stuff?? says it can be applied to damp timber, which seems what I need as my timber is not going to be dry anytime soon
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Pai...176/Rustins+Advanced+Wood+Protector+5L/p48251

 

If linseed oil is used, then it should be boiled, not raw. It does not dry as such, it oxidises. Rags soaked in it can self combust due to the heat of this oxidisation. Just a bit of useless information...

As regards the Rustins stuff, I would not be sure. Although what they say is correct, treating damp wood tends to promote mould. Remember that the more care that is taken now to preserve the wood, the longer it will last before the whole bed needs redoing. There is a traditional mix here, but one of the ingredients is not to my knowledge available in the UK.

 

cant see your link for the above tradition mix

so will the linseed oil be ok to paint damp timber where the linseed oil does not need to dry? never thought choosing a safe wood preserver would be this hard, surely they got stuff for us raised bed gardeners? designed for raised veggie beds... this is madness :(

I'm thinking I don't want to rush this step tho and will take my time to find a correct product and attempt to dry this wood out, but not sure how about from bringing the 3 meter lengths inside the house which the mrs will not be happy about :(

EDIT!!! just found this, what do you think?
http://www.recycleworks.co.uk/Croma-Non-Toxic-Wood-Preservative-Treatment.html

 

When I wrote "here" I meant in this country. The traditional coating that we use here is a mix of equal quantities of wood tar (not sure if I have translated that correctly) balsam turpentine, and boiled linseed oil. As is, it gives a nice golden colour to the wood. However, I usually add a black pigment. This is part of the not-very-raised bed I used this mix on.



As regards painting damp wood, my advice would be never do it.

 

Thanks mate, hmm I was hoping to buy a simple ready made preserver, this is doing my head in now, just been down to bnq and there useless, no help what so ever, I'm thinking just to preserve the wood in a toxic preserver and line my beds with a membrane so the toxic Chema don't seep into my soil......? Sound like a plan.? And of course I'll wait till the woods dry, when ever that might be :(