Spring time is just around the corner and so our focus shifts to gardening. A popular question is whether or not to use raised garden and/or flower beds. When considering to build a garden or flower bed you want to use high quality material to create a bed that is functional, durable, long-lasting and is safe for your plants and veggies. Here are a couple suggestions from our trusted staff at Weatherwise Cedar Products to consider for your spring project.
Yellow Cedar
Yellow Cedar is a very durable wood, and life its sister-wood Western Red Cedar, it is also resistant to rot, decay and insects. Yellow Cedar is a dense wood due to the high concentration of tannins which can cause a longer drying time when staining your project. If the drying time is a high priority and you still want to use Yellow Cedar, one action we suggest is to sand the pieces with a very course sandpaper (such as 60-80 grit) to open up the grain in the wood as much as possible. This allows the wood to absorb the stain more quickly and have a faster drying time allowing you to put your project to use shortly after staining.
Western Red Cedar
Western Red Cedar is a softer wood than Yellow Cedar and is a preferred cedar choice for garden beds. As with all cedar products, we recommend the application of stain onto all sides of each board using a water-based stain (such as Sansin or Timber Pro) that is safe for plants and vegetables. Western Red Cedar is a light-weight wood when dry making it easier to work with and placing your finished project.
Pressure Treated Lumber
This has been a tradition go -to product for making garden and flower beds; however in recent times there is increased discussion and controversy regarding its safe-use for garden beds. Our staff recommends avoiding using pressure treated lumber for garden beds out of a caution of using a chemically-treated product around edible vegetation.
If you feel you are needing more information on any of these products please feel free to come in and talk to our staff here at Weatherwise Cedar Products or leave a review so that we can assist you with your projects.
