How to Build a Raised Bed Garden With Hinged Cover (Recycled Materials)

In this instructable, I am building an elevated garden bed with a hinged cover.

The cover serves as protection against pests, with the primary pests in my case being cats 😊.

Cats tend to dig in garden beds and use them as litter boxes.

The cover also prevents other pests from entering the garden bed and protects the plants from harsh weather conditions such as strong winds, hail, and more. (in the area where I live it doesn't snow in winter)

Supplies

Tools i used:

Circular saw
Welding Machine
Drill and Hummer drill
Sawing Machine
Hummer
Angle Grinder
Drill Press
C Clamp
Band Saw
Scissors
Protective equipment

Materials:

Wood Box
sheet metal
wood screws
metal profile 20x20 mm
hinges
iron rods
pipes
woven greenhouse mesh
Black zip ties
garden soil

Free Material:

cardboard
wood chips and branches
garden pruning's
local soil

Step 1: Box Preparation

I started with a wooden box that was originally used for shipping and later discarded. In the first step, I disassembled the bottom of the box to ensure direct and efficient water drainage into the soil.

Step 2: Sealing and Insulating the Box

For sealing and insulating, I used recycled metal sheet that I found. I cut them to the desired height and attached them to the inner sides of the box using wood screws. Before inserting each screw, I pre-drilled a hole in the metal using a small iron drill bit. I made sure to overlap between each piece to prevent water from leaking into the box. Direct contact of water with the wooden box can accelerate its decay.

Step 3: Wooden Frame on Top

I attached a wooden frame to the top opening of the box, which will later be used to connect the garden bed cover hinges.

Step 4: Iron Frame

I constructed an iron frame to serve as the cover for the raised garden bed. I attached eight iron rods, four on each side of the frame. To these rods, I connected flexible plastic pipes that would function as arches above the garden bed. The chosen plastic pipes are both flexible and have a substantial thickness to ensure strength.

Step 5: Hinges

I prepared two iron plates with four holes each, placed them on the wooden frame, and drilled holes to connect screws to the wooden frame using a wood drill bit. Then, I placed the hinges in position and welded the iron frame to them. I disassembled the screws and completed the welding on a workbench.

Step 6: Frame Protection Paint

I cleaned and painted the iron frame with anti-rust paint to protect it.

Step 7: Attaching the Frame to the Box

I attached the iron frame to the box using eight screws. I made sure to place washers between the planks and the screw heads \ nut.

Step 8: Gap Between the Iron Frame and the Box

Due to the type and thickness of the hinges used, a gap was created between the iron frame and the box. I closed the gap by adding wooden planks around the entire box. In the area of the hinges, I created custom-fitted planks to prevent the frame from coming out of its place (the hinges can be extracted).

Step 9: Arches

I found relatively thick pipes with an inner diameter that fits the outer diameter of the iron rods. I cut four pipes to a uniform length after determining the desired height of the arches. Then, I assembled them onto the rods, and they fit tightly.

Step 10: Mesh Cover

For the garden bed cover, I used tightly woven greenhouse mesh that I tailored to fit the frame. I attached it to the frame using black zip ties. The black zip ties are more resistant to outdoor conditions and UV radiation.

Step 11: Preparing the Bed for Planting

I moved the garden bed to its new location, ensuring that the surface is level. In the first step, I placed cardboard at the bottom of the bed. Afterward, I filled the bed with wood chips and branches up to about half the height. Then, I added garden pruning's. Next, I added local soil and finally, garden soil.