# attaching landscape timbers



## dudeman (Nov 14, 2011)

im making a raised flower garden bed, im gonna use landscape timbers to make the sides. whats the best way to attach the timbers together and secure it to the ground?
i was thinking drilling a hole thru all the timbers and driving a rebar thru the holes in the timber and into the ground.

is there a better/easier way to do this?


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

That is a perfectly reasonable way to do it. Another is to drive metal spikes (basically large nails) to connect one row of timbers to another. There is one detail you should think about. If you use PT lumber rated for ground contact, the timber touching the ground will rot relatively slowly. However, ground contract rated pressure treated lumber may be toxic to your garden, so make sure you fully understand what chemicals were used to treat the timber before you use it.

For my money, I would use concrete block to make the raised garden, the type used for retaining walls (segmental block) works really well, and concrete is not toxic to plants.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Read the tags on the ends of landscape timbers.
Says right on the the tag, not rated for below ground use.
Ues 4 X 4's, or 6 X 6's instead.

Each piece needs to have a notch cut out 1/2 way through the piece the width of the material being used.
This way the tops stay level.
I just use 24" long 1/2 rebar to lock the corners.


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## ArtF (Jun 16, 2012)

*Drill the Timbers & Use Rebar*

I usually drill the timber ends (6" from the end) and every 3-4 feet in between.

I use 3/8" rebar at least 18 inches long to secure them, unless I plan on running over them with a tractor, then I use 1/2" rebar, 18-24 inches. The rebar is installed using a 3lb sledge hammer.

If aesthetics is an issue in the location or you want to be fancy, the timbers can be drilled at an angle from inside the bed so that the rebar doesn't show.

On the corners, I'd drill horizontally and put it in a long deck screw. It's much easier to drill these up on saw horses or garbage cans before they are installed.

Have fun!


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