Choosing the right raised bed is one of the most important decisions you make as a gardener. It affects how well roots can spread, how much soil you need to buy, how often you water, and how comfortable it is to work in the garden. This guide walks through the most common cedar raised bed sizes, depths, and configurations we build in our small workshop in Homer Glen, Illinois, so you can match the right bed to the way you actually grow.
All Timberlane Gardens beds share the same core features: handcrafted from sustainably sourced Select Cedar, traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery with oak pegs, no screws or metal hardware in the bed walls, and completely untreated wood that is safe for growing herbs, vegetables, salad greens, and other edible plants.
If you are unsure how much soil you will need, our Raised Bed Soil Calculator and Soil Volume Guide is the best place to start. This comparison guide works alongside that page to help you decide which cedar raised bed size and depth fits your space, climate, and gardening goals.
If you are still deciding what makes a raised bed best for growing vegetables specifically, see our Best Raised Garden Beds for Vegetables guide.
Use the table and sections below to:
When you are ready, you can browse our full range of cedar raised garden bed kits in the All Cedar Raised Garden Beds collection or view everything we build in the All Gardening Products collection.
This table summarizes our most popular cedar raised bed footprints and configurations. Soil volumes are approximate and based on interior growing dimensions. For precise numbers and bag counts, use the presets in the Raised Bed Soil Calculator and Soil Volume Guide.
| Bed type | Footprint (approx.) | Height | Approx. soil volume | Best for | Small-space friendly? | Budget level | Experience level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2×3 cedar raised bed (double height) | About 2 ft × 3 ft | 10 in | ≈ 3.5 cubic feet | Herbs, salad greens, lettuce, flowers, compact peppers, kids’ gardens | Yes – patios, balconies, narrow side yards | Low | Beginner friendly |
| 2×4 cedar raised bed (double height) | About 2 ft × 4 ft | 10 in | ≈ 4.5–5 cubic feet | Herbs, greens, onions, compact tomatoes, flowers, mixed plantings | Yes – small yards, patios, in front of fences | Low–medium | Beginner friendly |
| 3×3 cedar raised bed (double height) | About 3 ft × 3 ft | 10 in | ≈ 5.5–6 cubic feet | Herbs, greens, strawberries, peppers, bush tomatoes, pollinator mixes | Yes – fits many patios and small yards | Medium | Beginner and intermediate |
| 3×6 cedar raised bed (double height) | About 3 ft × 6 ft | 10 in | ≈ 12 cubic feet | Tomatoes, peppers, bush beans, salad beds, mixed vegetables for a small family | Best for yards and larger patios | Medium | Beginner, intermediate, and advanced |
| 4×4 cedar raised bed (double height) | About 4 ft × 4 ft | 10 in | ≈ 10.5–11 cubic feet | Square-foot gardening, mixed vegetables, salad gardens, cut flowers | Needs a bit more space; excellent as a main bed in a small yard | Medium | Beginner and intermediate |
| 3×3 cedar raised bed (triple height) | About 3 ft × 3 ft | 15 in | ≈ 8–8.5 cubic feet | Root crops (carrots, beets), compact tomatoes, peppers, deeper-rooted herbs | Yes – deeper bed for serious growing in a small footprint | Medium–high | Intermediate and advanced, or beginners who want room to grow |
| 3×6 cedar raised bed (triple height) | About 3 ft × 6 ft | 15 in | ≈ 18 cubic feet | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, mixed “everything” beds | Ideal as a main bed in a backyard or side yard | High | Intermediate and advanced gardeners, or beginners who want a long-term bed |
| Small 3-tier cedar raised bed (3×3, 2×3, 1×3) | Steps from 1 ft × 3 ft up to 3 ft × 3 ft | Tiers at 10 in height | ≈ 10 cubic feet total across all tiers | Strawberries, herbs, trailing flowers, compact veggies, display gardens | Yes – excellent for small yards and focal points | Medium | Beginner and intermediate |
| Large 3-tier cedar raised bed (3×6, 2×6, 1×6) | Steps from 1 ft × 6 ft up to 3 ft × 6 ft | Tiers at 10 in height | ≈ 22 cubic feet total across all tiers | Showpiece gardens, strawberries, mixed flowers and edibles, cascading plantings | Needs more space; a strong focal bed in medium and large yards | High | Intermediate and advanced gardeners, or anyone building a long-term landscape feature |
Think of this table as your “at-a-glance” view. If you already know roughly how much room you have and what you want to grow, you should be able to narrow down your choices within a few minutes. The sections below go deeper into depth, climate, soil, and layout so you can decide with confidence.
Bed depth is one of the most common questions we hear, and it is one of the biggest sources of confusion in online advice. In real gardens, 10 inches of good-quality soil is enough for a large percentage of crops, especially when you are building on native ground rather than a hard surface. Deeper beds offer more rooting volume, more moisture buffering, and more room for long-season crops. If you want a deeper breakdown of 10 vs 15 inches for vegetables, read Best depth for a raised garden bed for vegetables: 10 vs 15.
A 10-inch bed (our “double” height) is a great all-around depth when:
For many backyard gardeners, a 10-inch 3×3, 3×6, or 4×4 bed becomes the “workhorse” for salad greens, herbs, and smaller vegetables. A 10-inch bed also pairs well with our 3×3 Cedar Raised Garden Bed with Greenhouse Cover for season extension.
Because our beds are modular, a 10-inch bed can be used as two separate 5-inch beds, and a 15-inch bed can be used as three separate 5-inch beds. For shallow-root crops like salad greens, many herbs, and radishes, a 5-inch depth can be enough when you are focused on quick harvests and consistent watering. If you want more moisture buffering and a longer growing window, stepping up to 10 inches is usually the better all-around choice.
Moving to a 15-inch “triple” height bed gives plants more depth, more buffering against heat and drought, and more freedom for roots. This is especially helpful when:
If you know you love tomatoes, peppers, squash, or potatoes, a 15-inch 3×3 or 3×6 cedar raised bed is often the better long-term choice. You will invest in more soil up front, but you gain better yields and more stable moisture over the years.
The best raised bed is the one that actually fits your space and the way you move through it. Below are some simple guidelines based on where you are gardening.
If you are working with a compact space, focus on beds that are easy to reach from all sides without crowding walkways:
In these spaces, you are usually better off with one or two well-placed beds that are easy to access, water, and maintain rather than trying to squeeze in too many.
For most suburban yards, a mix of 3×3, 3×6, and 4×4 beds creates a flexible layout. If you are planning a multi-bed setup, our guides on how to choose a raised garden bed layout and how to choose a raised garden bed size can help you map spacing, access paths, and long-term expansion.
Many gardeners start with one 3×6 or 4×4 bed and quickly discover that a second bed makes crop rotation and seasonal planning much easier. This guide is designed to help you plan that progression from the start.
If you have the room, grouping several 3×6 or 4×4 beds together can give you a flexible long-term garden that still feels organized and easy to maintain:
If you are unsure how to lay out multiple beds, the Raised Bed Soil Calculator and Soil Volume Guide includes practical examples of bed groupings and how to plan soil volumes across several beds.
Soil is one of the biggest investments you make when starting raised beds. The goal is to buy enough the first time, without overspending or ending up with half-open bags stacked in the garage. That is why every Timberlane Gardens bed size is built into our interactive soil calculator, and why we recommend skimming potting mix vs raised bed soil vs garden soil before you buy soil in bulk.
On the soil calculator page, you can:
In general:
Exact numbers will depend on how full you like to run your beds and whether you layer compost, native soil, or other materials. The calculator exists to take the guesswork out of that part so you can focus on choosing the right bed, not doing math in the aisle at the garden center, and our how to fill a raised garden bed guide walks through the practical, real-world way to build a bed that settles correctly.
Cedar has been used for outdoor structures for generations because it handles weather so well. In raised beds, that translates into stability across seasons and fewer surprises after a few years outside.
In hot climates and during Midwest heat waves, natural cedar does not store and radiate heat the way metal does. The wood walls stay much closer to the ambient air temperature, which helps protect roots from extreme temperature swings and reduces stress on plants during hot afternoons.
In freezing and thawing cycles, cedar holds up well without cracking or splitting the way some treated wood and composites can. Our mortise-and-tenon corners and oak pegs allow the bed to flex slightly with the seasons while staying structurally locked together. Over time, the wood will age to a silvery grey, but the bed remains functional. If you run into common early-season issues like compaction, drainage slowdowns, or inconsistent moisture, our raised bed soil problems and fixes guide can help you troubleshoot quickly.
We use sustainably sourced Select Cedar grown in the Pacific Northwest here in the USA, left completely untreated. Cedar is naturally rot-resistant with no chemical coatings, preservatives, or wood treatments added, and is safe for growing herbs, salad greens, vegetables, and other edible plants. For a direct materials comparison between cedar and metal beds, read Cedar vs Metal Raised Garden Beds.
One advantage of our mortise-and-tenon, oak-peg design is that it allows beds to be stacked or converted over time. Instead of being locked into one layout forever, you can expand or deepen your growing space as your garden evolves.
Our standard 10-inch “double” beds and 15-inch “triple” beds are built around the same corner system. That means you can start with a 10-inch bed and add another course later if you decide you want more depth. The oak pegs keep everything aligned and tight without relying on screws or brackets that can loosen over time.
Our small and large 3-tier cedar raised beds use stepped levels to create three distinct planting zones. These are popular for:
Tiered beds are a practical way to increase planting area without adding more paths, and they create a strong focal point in the landscape. They also work well for gardeners who want visual variety in a compact footprint.
There is no single “correct” way to plant a raised bed, but certain sizes and depths lend themselves to particular crops. Here are some starting points based on what you may want to grow.
Once you know which crops you care about most, it becomes much easier to choose a footprint and depth. This is why we built this guide around real-world plantings instead of abstract “ideal” layouts that ignore climate and available space.
Many gardeners feel overwhelmed when they try to design an entire garden at once. A better approach is to start with a simple layout that fits your space and then add beds over time. Here are a few combinations that work well in real backyards.
A great starting point for small spaces is:
This gives you fresh herbs and salad ingredients without taking over your yard, and it pairs well with our soil calculator presets so you can buy the right amount of soil from the beginning.
For a typical backyard, a very workable layout is:
This combination gives you enough space to rotate crops year to year while still being easy to manage with hand tools and a single hose.
If you are ready to commit to a larger garden, consider:
This layout supports a full season of mixed vegetables for many households while still being modular. You can always add another bed later without redesigning the whole garden.
If you want this to feel simple and certain, use a single decision path: choose your footprint, confirm your depth, then pick the exact kit that matches. Most people do best when they commit to one bed first, get it planted, and then expand with the same system once the garden proves itself.
If you are still deciding between materials, read Cedar vs Metal Raised Garden Beds. If accessibility, simplicity, or limited space is the deciding factor, see Raised Garden Beds for Seniors, Beginners, and Small Yards. If you are trying to choose a setup based on what you want to grow, the vegetable-focused decision guide is Best Raised Garden Beds for Vegetables.
If you want a second set of eyes on your space before you buy, start with the Contact Us page. If you prefer to review policies first, visit the Support & Trust Center for shipping, returns, warranty, and materials.
We use sustainably sourced Select Cedar grown in the Pacific Northwest here in the USA, left completely untreated. Cedar is naturally rot-resistant with no chemical coatings, preservatives, or wood treatments added, and is safe for growing herbs, salad greens, vegetables, and other edible plants. For long-term soil quality and maintenance, see our Ultimate Raised Bed Soil Guide, including how to improve raised bed soil over time.
For most beginners, a 3×3 or 3×6 cedar raised bed at 10 inches deep is a great starting point. A 3×3 is easy to reach from all sides and fits small spaces, while a 3×6 gives you enough room for tomatoes, peppers, and greens without feeling overwhelming. You can always add a second bed later once you see how you like to garden.
Tomatoes can grow in a 10-inch deep bed when you have reasonably good soil underneath, but they perform better and stay more consistent in a 15-inch bed, especially in hotter climates or where the native soil is rocky or compacted. If tomatoes are a priority, a 3×3 or 3×6 cedar raised bed at 15 inches deep is usually the best long-term choice.
A 3×6 cedar raised bed is one of the most versatile sizes for most backyards. It is long enough to support several rows or blocks of crops, but narrow enough that you can still reach the center from either side. Many gardeners pair a 3×6 bed with a 3×3 or 4×4 bed for greens and herbs.
In a small yard, patios, or tight side yards, 2×3, 2×4, and 3×3 beds work especially well. They tuck into corners, against fences, or along walkways without taking over the entire space. Small 3-tier beds are also a good option when you want more planting area and visual height in a compact footprint.
Select Cedar is naturally rot-resistant and, when left untreated, can last many years outdoors in typical garden conditions. Actual lifespan depends on climate, drainage, and how consistently beds are watered. Our mortise-and-tenon joinery with oak pegs keeps the structure solid without relying on screws that can rust or loosen over time.
Yes. Deeper beds give roots more room to explore, buffer moisture better, and handle heat and cold more gracefully. Shallow beds can dry out faster and limit root development, especially in hot weather or where the soil below is compacted. That is why we offer both 10-inch and 15-inch cedar raised bed options and encourage gardeners to choose depth based on the crops they care about most.
The easiest way is to use our Raised Bed Soil Calculator. Choose your Timberlane Gardens bed size from the preset list or enter your own dimensions, and the calculator will estimate cubic feet, cubic yards, and approximate bag counts. It is usually better to round up slightly to account for settling and top-offs.
Use this guide to estimate how many plants fit comfortably in a raised bed based on real root-space volume, not just square footage. Select how many of each plant you want to grow, and we’ll show you which Timberlane Gardens bed sizes can support them.
Adjust the number of plants in each row. The calculator uses a conservative estimate of cubic feet of root space per plant for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and zucchini/summer squash.
Total estimated root-space volume needed: 0.0 cubic feet
This is an estimate for root space and comfortable spacing in a raised bed. Actual spacing can vary by variety, pruning style, and how intensively you plant.
We’ll compare your total root-space needs against common Timberlane Gardens raised bed sizes using internal dimensions (mortise-and-tenon joints already accounted for).
Tip: It is usually better to have a little extra space than to overpack a bed, especially for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash.
Enter the inside dimensions of your raised bed in feet and inches, or choose a Timberlane Gardens size from the dropdown, to estimate how much soil you will need.
Preset Timberlane Gardens sizes use the interior growing dimensions of our beds. If you enter your own measurements, the calculator will use the exact numbers you provide, which may differ from the preset Timberlane Gardens dimensions because of our mortise-and-tenon corner design.
When you choose a size, the calculator will auto-fill the dimensions so you can compare soil volume between beds.
Tip: Most bagged soil is sold in 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 cubic foot bags. It is usually better to round up a bag or two than to run short in the middle of filling a bed.
These numbers are estimates. It is usually smart to round up slightly to account for settling and imperfect bed filling.
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Cedar raised garden bed kits and planters made in the USA. Handcrafted from Select Cedar in Homer Glen, Illinois — sustainably built for lasting beauty, simple tool-free assembly, and organic growing.
