[amj84]

Hi,

I have just bought (very cheaply) some 10" x 2" roof timber to make into raised beds for my allotment.

My dilemma is that the wood is untreated and I'm not sure what to do?

I have read that wood preserver is no good as the chemicals can contaminate the soil..... I wondered if anyone had any recommendations of a wood preserver I could use or some advice of what to do.

Many thanks

Andy

[Kleftiwallah]

Are you sure the wood hasn't been treated ?  The days of creosote and/or  green staining are gone (I think).   You could construct the sides and then staple plastic sheeting to the sides to hold it in place before you fill the raised bed with soil/compost.    This may have to be replaced in a couple of years but as you will be digging the soil.  .  .  .  Cheers,     Tony.

[amj84]

No the wood deffinately hasn't been treated.  I have read some where about putting polythene in side but this seems like a bit of a faff to me.

Andy

[mattwragg94]

hi amj84, you could line your wood wth polythem and it is a bit of a faff as you say, but it is more of a faff having to change your wooden raised beds every few years once the wood has rotted  - anyway im sure there is some eco-friendly wood preserver out there, google it!

[plot53b]

Hi Andy - firstly, well done on your acquisition, I've been hunting for some wood at a good price for ages!

Personally, I would use an off the shelf wood preserver, the type you use for fences and sheds. They are mainly all safe for gardens and near food crops - I just bought one at the weekend and it even says it is safe near food crops on the can - check the labels.

I know my grandad did use creosote with used oil many years ago, but as Kleftiwallah points out, those days are gone!

I'll be building some raised beds when I get some wood and I will be sealing mine in a very dark brown wood preserver.

[amj84]

Thanks plot55b can you tell me what wood preserver you bought? I have been looking at colprinol total wood preserver which is water based and low voc. I did look on the tin in b&q on the weekend but it didn't really say a lot.

[sazhig]

I garden organically so prefer to simply use untreated wood like from pallets and just replace it when it rots. For areas where it needs to last, I try to use a wood that doesn't rot easily and therefore doesn't need treating.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/guidelines/wood/
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/gg33.php

[Trillium]

I use untreated as well but I go a different route for treating it. I first put an oil based paint primer on the wood (far better than latex), then put on 2 coats of oil based paint that I've had tinted (and got on sale!). I use a small roller and can whiz through the panels quite quickly. Because my yard is on a corner lot and visible to the road, it looks a lot nicer, plus the paint is holding up well after several years.

I did this with my blueberry beds, but in those I lined the whole bed with heavy poly with holes punched in the bottom since blueberries like damp soil . This way the damp stays in but never turns into a swamp.