Now that you’ve gathered the materials and tools you’ll need (see Building a Raised Bed, Part I), you are ready to start building your raised bed.

1. Cut the 2x10s to length. You’ll need two boards 48 inches long and two boards 51 inches long. To save time, you can have the hardware store or home center cut them for you.

2. Cut the 2×3 (or 2×4) into four post pieces, each 9 inches long.

3. Take two post pieces, align them with the outside edges and bottom of the first 48-inch board, and glue them in place. Repeat with the other 48-inch board. Allow the glue to dry completely.

4. On the side opposite the wood posts, mark and predrill four evenly spaced holes, top to bottom, along the left and right edges of the first 48-inch board. The holes should be positioned so that they go into the middle of the wood post, as shown in the video. Repeat with the other 48-inch board board.

5. Screw the 3-inch screws into the holes you just made at each end of the first board. Repeat with the other 48-inch board.

6. Take the two 51-inch boards and the two 48-inch boards, and set them on edge, with the posts enclosed, to form the box frame. Make sure the sides are matching together well.

7. While the boards are placed together, mark four screw holes, evenly spaced, along the edges of both 51-inch boards. They should align with the center thickness of the boards they’re going into. This will be approximately 3/4 inch in from the cut edge.

8. Now, on the same 51-inch boards, mark the a second set of four evenly spaced holes, aligning them with the center of the 2×3 wood post (on the opposite side). When you are done, you should have eight holes on each side of the 51-inch boards, in two rows of four.

9. Holding the corners of two boards together firmly, screw the 3-inch screws into the top and bottom outside holes of the board. This way, the two boards are anchored together. Now that you have that, you can set the rest of the screws.

10. Repeat Step #9 for the remaining three corners.

Congratulations—you’ve built your first 4×4 raised bed!