Galvanized steel is an underrated material with many advantages, but both wood and galvanized steel have pros and cons.
wooden raised garden bed
Wood is one of the most versatile building materials in the world and the most popular choice of gardeners everywhere, and for good reason. It's cheap and available everywhere. While it won't last forever, a wood frame bed can last for a few years before needing to be replaced.
The benefits of using wood
The advantages of using wood for raised garden beds are its price, customizability and general availability. They also have the best thermal performance of all raised bed materials.
Wood is by far the cheapest raised bed material you can use. You can even recycle wood for free from sidewalks, wooden pallets, and even old furniture. Of course, you can source your own wood from forest woodlands. But for most gardeners, you'll source lumber from the hardware store, and with lumber like pine that's affordable, you can even build large raised bed gardens.
Wood is readily available no matter where you are in the city, the country, or growing a survival garden in the middle of nowhere.
Wooden raised garden beds are very customizable. You can trim the wood to the exact dimensions you want, so you can build a loft bed to your exact specifications. Galvanized steel beds, although available in different sizes, are still limited in size and shape.
One of the less often mentioned advantages of wood is how good an insulator it is. Wood insulates soil better than galvanized steel, making wood ideal for building raised beds with cool frames for winter gardening.
Disadvantages of Wooden Loft Beds
The main disadvantage of using wood is that it does not last as long as galvanized steel. This is especially true if you live in a humid or rainy climate.
Wood will rot over time and may also be eaten by termites or larvae. If you're a DIY gardener, this isn't a problem because you can easily replace the boards as needed. However, if you don't want the fuss of building a loft bed, you should consider galvanized steel.
Generally speaking, unless you use cedar or mahogany, your wooden loft bed can last up to 10 years.
Types of wood for garden beds
While wood can be one of the cheapest materials to use for raised garden beds, it all depends on the type of wood you use.
Most gardeners will use untreated pine because they are readily available and affordable. The downside to using pine is that it is not as durable as other types of wood. Untreated pine beds typically last 7 to 10 years. However, if you live in a very humid climate, such as the Pacific Northwest or the Deep South, the lifespan of a wooden raised bed can be significantly reduced.
The most expensive but most durable options are cedar or mahogany. Cedar is also common but can be very expensive. However, if you can get cheap cedar or are willing to pay more, your cedar bed will last 10 to 20 years.
For DIY raised garden beds on a budget, a popular option these days is to repurpose wooden pallets. You can often get pallets for free if you ask individual distribution centers, big box stores, or even check out your local online ads. You can also find local pallet recycling centers that will provide you with pallets for free or a small nominal fee.
If you are using pallets to build wooden raised garden beds, avoid any colored pallets or pallets that have MB printed on them. MB stands for methyl bromide, a toxic chemical used to treat wooden pallets.
Wooden pallets printed with HT (heat treated), DB (bark peeled) or KD (kiln dried) should be safe for use in the garden.
Galvanized Steel Raised Garden Beds
There is currently a renewed interest in galvanized steel as a raised garden bed material, with companies specializing in galvanized raised bed kits that are easy to assemble, safe to use and outlast any type of wood. Galvanized steel beds are expensive, but offer the best long-term, low-maintenance solution for home gardeners.
The advantages of using galvanized steel
Galvanized steel is galvanized steel which protects it from corrosion making it ideal for any outdoor application. It can take years before it starts to rust, whereas a galvanized bed will last at least 20 years without replacement and with minimal maintenance.
Galvanized steel will not rot, degrade, and is extremely durable.
While there's nothing stopping you from building a taller loft bed out of wood, galvanized steel bed sets often come in taller versions already. Waist-high raised beds are easier to plant, weed, mulch, and harvest, especially for older gardeners or those with limited mobility.
Galvanized steel is galvanized steel which protects it from corrosion making it ideal for any outdoor application. It can take years before it starts to rust, whereas a galvanized bed will last at least 20 years without replacement and with minimal maintenance.
Galvanized steel will not rot, degrade, and is extremely durable.
While there's nothing stopping you from building a taller loft bed out of wood, galvanized steel bed sets often come in taller versions already. Waist-high raised beds are easier to plant, weed, mulch, and harvest, especially for older gardeners or those with limited mobility.
Disadvantages of galvanized steel
Using a galvanized steel bed may seem easy, but there is a cost to using galvanized steel.
The first is the actual cost: The upfront cost of a raised garden bed made of galvanized steel is much higher than that of wood. A 12 sq ft wooden loft bed made from off-the-shelf pine can be had for less than $30, or even reclaimed wood for free, while a galvanized steel bed of the same size can easily cost over $100, especially for heavy duty bed.
Galvanized loft beds are not as easy to find as wood. The distance between suppliers is small, and cleaning your own galvanized steel usually means getting steel that has already started to rust.
One situation where galvanized beds will not last long is in acidic soil. Acids will gradually attack the zinc coating. If you're filling soil for acid-loving plants like blueberries, use plastic-lined galvanized steel.
Finally, galvanized raised beds do little to insulate soil for winter gardening. Yes, galvanized steel heats up faster in the sun, but it also releases heat faster at night.
where to buy a galvanized steel bed
You have a variety of options to add to your garden. Galvanized steel beds come in a variety of styles, but I strongly recommend against any galvanized raised garden beds that use plastic posts or accessories, as the plastic will degrade or crack long before the galvanized steel.
Instead, look for an all-steel design or one with wood frames or columns. At least with wooden frames, they are easy to replace throughout the life of your raised garden bed.
If you're in the US or Australia (they ship to Canada too), the Birdie would be my choice. I'm not affiliated with Birdies, but you can see the galvanized steel garden beds in action on the SelfSufficientMe channel:
Should I use galvanized steel or wood for my loft bed?
In the end, it really depends on your situation and budget.
If your budget is tight, cedar or galvanized steel will work. It's all a matter of style. Some people like the rustic look of a wooden loft bed, while others like the industrial look and finish of corrugated galvanized steel.
For those on a budget, you can't go wrong with wood. Wooden loft beds are easy to build, and you can even recycle the wood for free. Wood also allows for more design flexibility and customizability.
If you live in a humid climate, galvanized steel offers a more durable, longer-term solution.
Gardeners who don't want the fuss or mobility of raised beds can also opt for galvanized beds, as they last for decades, and many come standard with 2- or 3-foot beds, which are easier to plant and plant. Keep your veggies and flowers.
