[Casey76]

Ok, so it was probably my own fault for not buying pressure treated timber...

At the weekend I made some raised beds with shelvng wood (Brazilian pine boards which was made of 5 smaller sections glued together.  It was very basic, just screwed the boards onto 1.5x1.5 supports and payed on the ground.

On Monday we had a storm and it shucked it down.  Yesterday wen I went out to check the new beds the boards have warped to the point of snapping the screws in half!

Is there anything I can do to remedy this?

I have just bought enough boards to make another 4 beds (before I had seen what had happened to the others)

Is there anything I can do to prevent this happening with any further beds?

PS. I'm a girl living by myself and have no access to power tools except an electric screwdriver and a drill...

MTA, here is a photo of the beds in question (before the rain)

[philskin]

HIYA ,i think im right in saying that it the boards are made of smaller lengths glued together 1 option would be that you would have to seal the boards to stop moisture attacking the joints .I would paint them with either gloss or a good rubberized paint its to late for the ones youve made but it could be done on the new stuff or find a more suitable timber  sorry about that ,but someone more wiser will be along soon

[Bombers]

Hi Casey,
Agree with Phil there. They will need coating/protecting with something. (I'd probably go for some permeable wood finish in a nice colour!  )
It sounds like the boards you are using are laminated, and are probably a 'tad' too dry for external use. Personally, I would stack them somewhere outside, but protected from rain, flat, with your 1.5" timbers in between (to allow good air circulation) for a month or so, to acclimatise themselves. Then coat before assembly.

 warped to the point of snapping the screws in half!

That should'y happen... I would have expected the timber to pull away from the screws if anything (Pine is pretty soft)

I would invest in some better quality steel wood screws TBH. You might find that this will solve your problem.





If not...

I can be persuaded to come and fix them for you... in exchange for board/ lodgings and a bottle or two!

 

[Rangerkris]

Could you run some batton on the inside edge and screw to the batton at say 1ft spacings.

[Aunt Sally]

If not...

I can be persuaded to come and fix them for you... in exchange for board/ lodgings and a bottle or two!

 

   Free holiday eh Bombers 

[Bombers]

If not...

I can be persuaded to come and fix them for you... in exchange for board/ lodgings and a bottle or two!

 

   Free holiday eh Bombers 

It's dirty werk.... but someone's got to do it Auntie...

[Ice]

I am also a mere "girl" living alone and have made raised beds all by myself.

My advice is to put it down to experience and get some treated timber.  You made the other ones really well, so well done on that.   Don't try to bodge something that you want to use long term.  I learnt that from bitter experience.

[mark.carline]

Ok, so it was probably my own fault for not buying pressure treated timber.....

not a good idea - pressure treated timber contains arsnic !

[Ice]

not a good idea - pressure treated timber contains arsnic !

It doesn't any more.

[mark.carline]

not a good idea - pressure treated timber contains arsnic !

It doesn't any more.

ok - but still not a good idea i built ours and then lined it with some plastic I had spare that was an old pond liner

[penance]

Why is it not a good idea?
A lot of treatments now are non toxic so I see no problem.
Unlike lining with a plastic sheet that will hold moisture against the wood and cause it to rot much quicker.

[Leaf]

I dont know what people mean by "rubber" paint or permiable stain! and weathering the timber outside would dry it ou more and it would warp! I am very surprised the screws snapped.
Ok hardwood or treated softwood would have been the easier option but you can use a variety of coatings from natural oils like linsead or sikens, you could gloss it but you would have to use "internationals" breathable paint which is quite expensive, you best bet is to go into a proper builders merchants and ask at the paint desk. i would certainly not line them with plastic as the pine would sweat and rot.
I am very impressed withe your handy work though

[meterman]

My raised beds are made from old replaced plastic fascia boards dont rot warp etc all free from a gutter/fascia supplier.

[siandc]

Drive stakes into the ground at the corners and a few along the sides. That way the warp will be mimimised. Whatever you use to treat the other timber see if you can "thin it" the problem with a lot of paints etc is that the y will sit on the surface of the timber. If you can get a product to soak into the grain a bit you'll get better protection in the long run. Linseed oil can be thinned with white spirit for example.