Putting Together Your New Raised Garden Bed from Best Choice Products

If you’re someone who loves gardening and growing your own vegetables and herbs, you may have looked into getting a raised garden bed. Raised beds make gardening easier by letting you avoid digging into the ground and building up mounds of dirt. They also improve drainage and reduce weed growth compared to traditional in-ground gardening.

One popular brand of raised beds is Best Choice Products. Their metal raised garden beds come in different sizes and are an affordable option compared to wooden raised beds. However for first-time builders figuring out how to assemble a Best Choice Products raised bed can be confusing if you don’t closely follow the instructions.

In this article, we’ll walk through the steps for assembling a Best Choice Products metal raised garden bed so you can get your new bed put together and ready for planting.

What’s Included with Your Purchase

When you order a raised bed from Best Choice Products, it will arrive in a large cardboard box. Inside the box, you’ll find all the components neatly packed along with a small sheet of paper with assembly instructions.

Here is what is typically included:

• 2 side panels
• 2 end panels
• 4 corner brackets
• 4 ground stakes
• 2 metal bracing rods
• 80 screws (either M6 x 10mm or M6 x 15mm depending on the size of the bed)
• 80 wingnuts (to secure the screws)
• 4 rubber bumpers
• Assembly instructions

You’ll need to provide a few tools on your own for assembly:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Scissors (to cut the rubber bumper strips)

The entire assembly process takes about 30-45 minutes and can be done by one person. Now let’s look at the steps.

Step-by-Step Assembly Instructions

These instructions are for a standard size raised bed from Best Choice Products (SKU SKY6142 or SKY6418). If you purchased a different size, the overall process will be the same but the number of panels and other components may vary.

1. Attach Brackets to End Panels

The first step is to attach the corner brackets to the two end panels using the provided screws and wingnuts.

• Place an end panel on a flat surface.
• Take two of the corner brackets and align them on the inside of the end panel, with the holes in the bracket lined up with the pre-drilled holes in the end panel.
• Insert 16 screws through the bracket holes into the end panel and secure them with 16 wingnuts.
• Tighten the wingnuts by hand; no tools needed.
• Repeat the same process to attach brackets to the other end panel.

2. Attach Side Panels

Now you’ll attach the two side panels to the end panel assemblies from Step 1 using more screws and wingnuts.

• Take one end panel assembly and stand it upright on the floor.
• Take one side panel and position it along the edge of the end panel so that the pre-drilled holes line up between both pieces.
• Insert 16 screws through the side panel holes into the bracket on the end panel. Secure them with 16 wingnuts.
• Repeat to attach the other side panel to the first end panel assembly.
• Follow the same process to attach side panels to the second end panel assembly.

3. Join the Two Sides

With the two side panel assemblies complete, now you just need to join them together.

• Place the two assemblies next to each other on the floor so the open sides are facing each other.
• Make sure the holes on the edges line up between both assemblies.
• Use 12 screws and 12 wingnuts to secure the two pieces together along one long edge. Leave the holes empty along one of the short and one of the long edges.
• Tighten down the wingnuts with your hands.

4. Add the Bracing Rods

To reinforce the bed and prevent racking, you’ll need to install two metal bracing rods across the width of the bed.

• Position each bracing rod diagonally in an “X” shape across the inside of the bed from corner to corner.
• Use 2 screws and wingnuts at each end to attach the bracing rods, so 4 screws total for each.

5. Attach Stakes to the Bed

For stability, ground stakes are included that attach to the bottom of each corner bracket.

• Turn the bed right side up and press a stake into the ground through the hole in each bracket. Tap gently with a hammer if needed.

6. Add Rubber Bumpers

The last step is to add rubber bumpers on the upper edges of the bed. This protects the metal from chipping when you set pots or other items along the edges.

• Cut each rubber bumper strip to match the length of each outer edge of the bed.
• Place one bumper strip on the top edge of each side panel and each end panel of the bed, sticking it to the metal surface.

That completes assembly! Inspect all screws and wingnuts one last time to make sure everything is tightened down. Then you’re ready to fill with soil and start gardening!

Tips for Smooth Assembly

Assembling a raised bed is easier if you follow a few tips:

• Clear an open, flat area to work on like a driveway, patio or garage floor. This gives you room to layout all the pieces and allows you to attach the side panels without awkwardly holding them up.

• Read through all the instructions before starting so you understand the full process and proper part names.

• Work methodically and double check that all holes align properly when inserting screws. Having a helper makes this easier.

• Hand tighten wingnuts gradually in a crisscross pattern when first inserting screws. Then go back and tighten them fully.

• Save a few empty screw and wingnut holes along the edges in order to later attach plant trellises or bed extenders.

Enjoy Growing with Your Raised Bed

Part of the fun of a raised garden bed is being able to pick whatever size, shape and material you want. Best Choice Products offers durable and budget-friendly metal bed kits that are easy to assemble if you follow the instructions. Spend an afternoon putting it together, fill it with a quality garden soil mix, and soon you’ll be growing flowers, vegetables and herbs in your own backyard raised bed.