The raised bed in this project stands 3' tall. But remember, much of that height comes from the supporting legs. The planting bed itself has a depth of 14". That means the top of the "floor" will lie 14" down from the top of the 2x4 frame. It is here, in Step #3, that you make that measurement and establish where the bottom of the planting bed will be.
The floor will be comprised of 1x3.5 boards. You want the tops of those boards to lie 14" from the top of the frame. The floor boards will be supported by braces spanning the legs. To achieve the correct height, then, measure down 15" from the top of a 2x4. Mark the measurement. This is where the brace will be attached to the leg.
Place the brace (one of the 16" 2x4s you cut) perpendicular to the ground. Now place the leg (one of the 3' 2x4s you cut) atop it, forming a "T" shape. The intersection will be where you made your mark. Using the drill, pre-drill a hole through the leg and into the brace.
Again using the drill, join the leg and brace with a screw.
In Step #4 we'll finish the framing unit, an essential building block for this project....
