- Versatile L-stones
- L-Stones: DIY or rather let a professional do it?
- L-stones need a solid foundation
Raised beds can be built from a variety of materials: in addition to wooden slats, Euro pallets, various stone walls, metal and plastic solutions, some resourceful gardeners have come up with the idea of using so-called L-stones made of concrete. However, these are very heavy and can therefore only be moved with machines.
Concrete is well suited as formwork for the raised bed
Versatile L-stones
L-stones are also known as angle stones and are usually made of concrete. They are very popular for supporting embankments and slopes, but are also suitable for various demarcations or for securing beds and paths. Of course, they can also be used to build raised beds, but this option needs to be carefully considered and compared to others: L-stones are very heavy and can hardly be moved by just one or two people.
L-Stones: DIY or rather let a professional do it?
An L-stone with the dimensions 80 x 50 x 40 centimeters - i.e. within the classic raised bed height - already weighs over 100 kilograms. Since you need about 12 of them to build a conventional raised bed, the stones alone add up to a total weight of around 1200 kilograms - nobody can do that alone, so the stones have to be moved with machines. You can usually borrow the necessary construction machinery, but you should also have the necessary know-how to lay the stones. Therefore: If you are a skilled craftsman, you can certainly handle such a DIY project. Everyone else is better off switching to a different material or getting the appropriate experts.
How much does it cost to build a raised bed with L-stones?
L-stones are not necessarily one of the cheapest materials for a raised bed: a single stone 80 centimeters high costs around EUR 20 - that's around EUR 50 per meter. In addition, there are the costs for the foundation and for renting the necessary construction machinery. For a larger raised bed, which may also be used to support a slope, costs in the four-digit range are due - which are even higher if you have the work done by a specialist company.
L-stones need a solid foundation
A solid foundation is essential when setting L-stones: This includes digging a sufficiently deep pit, solidifying the subsoil with a vibrator and filling it with gravel. Finally, there is a thin concrete cover. L-stones are very heavy, which is why the floor must be fixed accordingly.
tips
If you don't want to do without L-stones despite the high weight, you can also use L-stones made of significantly lighter recycled plastic to build raised beds. Here, an 80 centimeter high stone costs around 35 EUR.