Quick verdict
Eight L-shaped powder-coated steel brackets with rounded corners that screw to the ends of boards to make a raised bed corner, stackable so two beds become one tall one. Cut boards to length, screw them into the brackets and the bed is built with no mitres, no posts and no corner blocks. Eight brackets make two beds at one height or one bed at double height for 12 to 24 inch boards. The brackets carry the load so boards can be thinner.
Strengths
- Build a bed with cut boards and screws, no joinery
- Stackable for taller beds
- Thick powder-coated steel resists rust
- Rounded corners are safe for children and pets
- Eight brackets make two beds or one tall one
Weaknesses
- Boards and screws not included
- Brackets show on the outside corners
- Wide boards over 24 inches need a second bracket row
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
A Raised Bed in an Hour
The hard part of a wooden raised bed is the corners: posts, mitres, corner blocks, or screws into end grain that split within a season. Corner brackets remove the problem. Alffun’s are L-shaped steel, powder coated, with rounded edges, sold in eights so you can build two beds or stack for one tall bed. Cut four boards, screw them into the brackets and the bed stands.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how steel corner brackets perform in raised bed construction generally. We have not used these brackets ourselves.
Building
Cut boards to the length and width you want, stand a bracket at each corner, and screw each board into the bracket faces with exterior deck screws. There are no angles to cut and no posts to set. The bracket carries the load that wooden corners put into end grain, so the bed does not bow or split at the corners when the soil is wet and heavy.
Stacking
For a deeper bed, set a second bracket on top of the first at each corner and add another course of boards. Two 12 inch courses give the 24 inch depth that root crops and gardeners with bad backs both appreciate. Eight brackets make two single-height beds or one double.
Materials
Thick steel under powder coat handles damp soil and years of weather. The rounded corners are a small detail that matters where children play. For the boards, cedar and redwood last longest; ground-contact treated lumber is the economical choice. The brackets accept any board length, so beds can be 4 by 4 or 4 by 12 feet.
Appearance
The brackets sit on the outside corners and are visible. In black they read as a deliberate industrial detail; a mitred cedar bed hides its corners but takes far more skill.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone building a raised bed without woodworking tools.
- Gardeners wanting deep beds by stacking.
- Owners of beds whose wooden corners have split.
Common Owner Complaints
Visible brackets and the need to buy boards. Both are the nature of the product.
Build Tips
Level the ground where the bed will sit before assembling, since a bracket corner on a slope shows the tilt in every board. Screw the long boards in first, then the short ones, and square the bed by measuring the diagonals before the final screws. A fabric liner stapled inside the boards keeps wet soil off the wood and extends the life of the bed by years.
Alternatives to Consider
Oldcastle planter wall blocks hold boards in concrete slots. Full galvanized bed kits skip the lumber entirely. Traditional 4×4 corner posts suit those with a saw and patience.
Verdict
For a strong raised bed from plain boards in an hour, corner brackets are the easiest route and these eight do two beds or one deep one. Use good lumber and exterior screws and the corners will outlast the boards.
Full specifications
Alffun 8-Piece Stackable Powder-Coated Steel Raised Bed Corner Brackets for 12 to 24 Inch Boards FAQs
Cedar or redwood 2x boards for longevity, or pressure-treated lumber rated for ground contact. Cut to the bed length and width; the brackets take any length.
Build the first tier, set a second bracket on top of each corner and screw the next course of boards into it. Two tiers of 12 inch boards make a 24 inch bed.
Exterior-rated deck screws long enough to pass through the bracket and well into the board, typically 1-1/4 to 1-5/8 inch.
Yes. The bracket takes the load that a nailed corner would carry in the end grain, which is where wooden corners fail.
