My Mind won't concentrate?

[ceresone]

If I build 10 garden beds, each 3 concrete blocks high  4' wide and 16' long-how many standard blocks do I need? I know, I've done it before in my lifetime, but I don't seem to get it right. Will my age excuse me for a simple problem?

[Deleted]

Wish I could help, ceresone.  But that involves math and I think I will just put it down to age...so wish i were kidding!

[ceresone]

LOL--I'll be 78 in July-hope thats just a excuse for me..

[wvterri]

3 blocks wide and 10 blocks long, so 26 per layer x3=78 x 10=780

Hope that helps! 

[horseyrider]

May 10, 2015 15:48:03 GMT wvterri said:

3 blocks wide and 10 blocks long, so 26 per layer x3=78 x 10=780

Hope that helps! 

Well I'M impressed! 

I had a double major in college, and one major was cultural anthropology.  I remember there was a culture we studied that counted like this:

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

More than Five

When I read about them, I felt a sense of coming home. I think they're my peeps!

[beowoulf90]

Well imagine that.. I got 28 per layer with the outside dimensions being 4' wide by 16' long, using the standard 8x16 cinder block.
28x3=84x10=840.. I drew it up in AutoCAD just to double check.

 
I tried to attach a picture of it, but it was so fuzzy it wasn't worth it..    Well imagine that it showed up anyway and is readable..

Attachments:

[Melissa]

I always just remember that 3 block lay four feet. A quick way to figure block without too much calculating.

[ceresone]

perhaps the difference come in on the ends? how the blocks are staggered? anyway, guess I'm going to be looking for more blocks than I have--and someone strong to work with! thanks

[Melissa]

Yes, it depends on whether the 4' x 16' is the inside dimension (actual planting area) or the outside dimension (counts block and planting area).

[Rustaholic]

May 11, 2015 21:05:06 GMT Melissa said:

Yes, it depends on whether the 4' x 16' is the inside dimension (actual planting area) or the outside dimension (counts block and planting area).

Yes you are so right.
For 4' X 16' outside measurements it will be 28 per layer.
Three layers per bed and ten beds will need 840 blocks.

For a 4' X 16' inside growing area it will be 36 blocks per layer.
Three layers per bed and ten beds will need 1080 blocks

[ceresone]

since I dont quite have that many, think I'll go for 3 2X8"s--and make them 8'x4x10, boards I can handle better by myself. Thanks

[motdaugrnds]

Looks like your getting the information you need...

ROFL You're more precise than I would be. I'm 74 too and trying to figure that out is something I just wouldn't do. I would simply start laying block and make sure they come out even at each corner.

I see you've decided on using 2x8 boards. Those are heavy yet not as heavy as the 2x10s I used. Hope your bed turns out more even than mine did.

[ceresone]

I've simplified it even more, motdaugrnds, for 3 years, I've had beds on my deck, on legs--made from deck boards. while tearing them down, and seeing how well they were preserved--I;m going to use them-3x4 for smaller beds in the garden, and make larger ones with 4x4 and deck boards for sides. so--I will have 2 sizes, and roughly 20 beds--best of all, I can handle these myself-and build them by myself 8x4 beds and 3x4 beds and I could never decided without bouncing ideas off everyone--Thanks!

[Rustaholic]

May 14, 2015 13:22:43 GMT ceresone said:

I've simplified it even more, motdaugrnds, for 3 years, I've had beds on my deck, on legs--made from deck boards. while tearing them down, and seeing how well they were preserved--I;m going to use them-3x4 for smaller beds in the garden, and make larger ones with 4x4 and deck boards for sides. so--I will have 2 sizes, and roughly 20 beds--best of all, I can handle these myself-and build them by myself 8x4 beds and 3x4 beds and I could never decided without bouncing ideas off everyone--Thanks!

What I have here are wood beds.
Some are with 2 X 6 and others used 2 X 8 lumber that I got super cheap.
The 2 X 6 ones are four feet square and the rest are four feet by whatever I had.
They are 16 to 20 feet long.

[ceresone]

Rust--do you have bowing out towards center?

[sandsuncritters]

I'm not Rustaholic, but I do have large raised beds. I must say, Ceresone, you're about my age and It would never enter my mind to even try to make a raised bed of any size out of those heavy blocks. I reached for an ice pack just reading your post LOL

I had volunteer help from a local Boy Scout troop to make my raised beds. Just a suggestion for you.

With my age and physical limitations I needed my beds to be 18" tall with a lip atop the long edges to sit on while working.
My beds are 4x12 OD. 12' is the longest we could go without needing cross braces in the middle to avoid bowing out.
Bottom layer is 2x12x12
Top layer is 2x6x12
4x4x12 cut into 4 pieces makes the corner blocks and holds the layers together.
2x4x12 for the long edge lips

The young men also attached 1/2" hose clamps (4 per bed, evenly spaced) to the long sides of the beds.
1/2"x10' pvc tubing went into the clamps side to side to provide structure for light weight bird netting or row covers. (My cukes and peas love these )

BTW, the bottom layers were set on top of layers of newspapers and cardboard to keep our Florida weeds from growing through, and this has worked very well. Just a suggestion for you.

Good luck, I hope this helps. If you have any questions please ask. I'm so very blessed to have this "elder garden" so I'm happy to share the details with anyone who's interested. I cannot post pics, that's my only caveat.

In His Love
Mich

[mythreesons]

May 10, 2015 15:24:40 GMT ceresone said:

LOL--I'll be 78 in July-hope thats just a excuse for me..

God bless you.

[Rustaholic]

May 15, 2015 12:51:50 GMT ceresone said:

Rust--do you have bowing out towards center?

No, They have a very heavy duty landscape fabric nailed to the frame bottoms.