Do you happen to have a lot of old paving stones lying around and don't really know what to do with them? Or you don't have a lot of money but dream of a raised bed? Then paving stones might be the right choice for you - you can also layer them to form a mortared wall.
How to build a raised bed out of paving stones?
A raised bed made of pavers can be created by using a variety of stone designs and building a mortared wall on a sturdy foundation. The stones can also be laid in double rows for additional stability.
Variety of possibilities
Concrete paving stones no longer have to just look gray and ugly - quite the opposite. When it comes to choosing colors, hardware stores now offer a wide range of very different stones. Some look very similar to natural stone, others like slate, granite or sandstone. Since these are also nice and even, you can wall them up without any problems. However, it is important that you put a foundation under such a brick raised bed - this ensures the necessary stability of the structure. In principle, it would also be possible to build a dry stone wall, but then it would only be a very low raised bed - without mortar, the stones do not provide sufficient stability for walls of the appropriate height.
How to build a raised bed out of paving stones
How many paving stones you need to build your raised bed depends on the size and height of the bed - and on the size of the paving stones, which are available in very different dimensions. So you would have to calculate from the dimensions of the desired type of stone how many of them you need to build your raised bed - perhaps you also want to build double rows to create even more stability and planting space. If you don't like the look of paving stones: the finished wall can be covered in a variety of ways.
And this is how it is built:
- Select a suitable location.
- This should be protected and as sunny as possible.
- Now measure the required area and stake it out.
- Dig a shallow pit for the foundation.
- It should be a little longer and wider than the later raised bed.
- Compact the soil carefully with a vibrating plate.
- This is followed by a layer of gravel or gravel.
- This is also carefully condensed.
- This is followed by a layer of horticultural concrete about 30 centimeters thick (€20.00 on Amazon).
- This needs to cure for at least a day.
- Now pull up the mortared wall.
- Use a rubber mallet to move the stones into the desired position.
If you want to build a higher wall, ask a structural engineer first - he will be able to tell you exactly whether the planned project makes sense or not.
Tip
Concrete planting stones are also ideal for building a raised bed.
