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Calcimator

Raised Bed Builder Calculator

Plan a raised garden bed build — get lumber quantities, hardware lists, soil volume, and total cost estimates by material type.

Inputs

ft
ft
in

Results

Estimated Total Cost

$225.33

≈ 15 movie tickets

MaterialCedar
Soil Needed32 cu ft
Soil (Cubic Yards)1.19 cu yd
Lumber Needed48 linear ft
Total Boards8
Board Courses (layers)2
Corner Posts (4x4)4
Deck Screws32
Lumber Cost$144.00
Soil Cost (bulk)$53.33
Hardware Cost$8.00
Perimeter24 ft
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter your bed dimensions — length and width in feet, and desired wall depth in inches (12 inches suits most vegetables).
  2. Select your preferred lumber material: cedar for longevity, pine for budget, composite for low maintenance, or pressure-treated for durability.
  3. Review the Estimated Total Cost, which combines lumber, corner posts, hardware, and bulk soil costs.
  4. Use the Lumber Needed (linear ft) and Total Boards count to create your shopping list at the lumber yard.
  5. Note the Soil Needed (cu ft and cu yd) to order bulk soil or calculate how many bagged mixes to buy.
  6. Check the Deck Screws count and Corner Posts needed to ensure you have all hardware on hand before building.

How the result changes with Bed Length

Bed LengthEstimated Total Cost
3.8$146.93
8.3$230.93
14$337.33
18$412.00

What each input means

Bed Length
Length of the raised bed in feet. 8 ft is the most popular size.
Bed Width
Width of the raised bed. Keep it 4 ft or less so you can reach the center.
Bed Depth
Height of the raised bed walls in inches. 12 inches suits most vegetables.
Material
Type of lumber or material. Cedar lasts 10-15 years without treatment.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Bed Length = 8, Bed Width = 4, Bed Depth = 12, Material = 2 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Estimated Total Cost
    Estimated Total Cost
    225.33 = $225.33
  3. Calculate Material
    Cedar = Cedar
  4. Calculate Soil Needed
    Soil Needed
    32 = 32

Engine last updated . Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators.

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