6 tips on how to make a garden bench to give your own hands + photo

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Contents

  1. 1. General tips
  2. 2. Choosing material
  • Wood as the main building material
  • Metal benches
  • Stone benches
  • 3. Doing a wooden bench with your own hands
  • 4. Doing a wooden bench with your own hands
  • 5. Wooden garden bench with your own hands
  • 6. A wooden bench on stone pillars
  • There is nothing more pleasant after a long hot day than sitting in the shade of trees on a comfortable bench and just relaxing, enjoying the coolness and singing of birds. Or spend time in a large company of friends at your summer cottage. In any case, you need to think about where to arrange all their guests. To store in the back room a large number of folding chairs and money is expensive, and not very convenient. Much more practical once to build a large comfortable bench. To do this, it is not necessary to seek help from specialists. In this article we will look at 5 ways to make a garden bench to give your own hands .This will not only help to significantly reduce the amount of necessary funds, but also provide an opportunity to show imagination and make your bench truly unique.

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    1. General tips

    A bench on the site is its essential attribute, and the process of its manufacture is often very interesting and informative. Like any other project, the construction of a bench or a full bench should be started with developed by with an accurate drawing with all dimensions. For what it is necessary: ​​

    • In the process of creating a working sketch, you will be able to accurately determine the size of the bench. It is necessary to rely on the number of people who are supposed to sit on it. It is better to make it a little longer, or to add one spare place to the required length just in case, than to look for an additional chair for an unexpected guest.
    • When you see the final version of the drawing with all sizes, it will be much easier for you to calculate how much material is needed.
    • And, of course, the drawing is a great way to visualize, which will help to correct the appearance of the finished product as needed.

    To make it easier for you to decide on the basic dimensions, let us give an example of of standard sizes, , which will allow you to create a comfortable product. So:

    • The seat height should be in the range of 45-55 cm from the floor, depending on the average height of all users. This height is optimal because the legs bent at the knees will form the correct angle, approximately equal to 90 degrees. You will be comfortable to sit and get up. If you make the seat lower, then the position of the spine while sitting will be wrong, and your knees will be above the required point. Older people will not be easy to get up from this position.
    • The depth of the sitting position is most convenient if it is 50-60 cm. This allows you to take a comfortable position and removes the load from the back and knees while sitting.
    • The height of the backrest, if such is planned, should reach the level of the shoulder blades. This is about 40-50 cm, depending on the person's height. It will be comfortable to lean on such a back, and even after spending a long time on a bench, your back will not go numb.

    These standards are optional. These are only standard indicators that are used by furniture factories in the production and are calculated on the parameters of the average person. It is possible that it will be inconvenient for you in such sizes. To work in the end did not come to naught, you can build on the dimensions of your favorite chair, from which you want to first take measurements.

    The form of the future bench also plays an important role. The choice is small, only three options, but they all have characteristic differences:

    • The straight bench is the most common and easiest option in terms of performance. If you creatively approach the process, it can look very beautiful and modern. Such a bench can accommodate a decent amount of people, subject to the availability of additional supports. The main disadvantage is that with such an arrangement of people, there is practically no eye contact. That is why such benches can be found in public places - parks, train stations, near theaters. They have a friendly conversation only with a small length, when people, sitting in a half turn, can look at each other.
    • Bench in the shape of the letter "P" - a good option for a large company. This bench can be placed in the gazebo, around a small artificial pond, a beautiful flower bed or around a fire pit. All guests will see each other due to its shape. The capacity of this model is very large. Its only drawback is that it takes up much more space than the previous version. But if you have it, then over time, make yourself personally comfortable.
    • The semi-circular bench of the has almost the same advantages and disadvantages as the model above with one difference. The place of rounding, where the radius will be greatest, is much more convenient to use as a full-fledged seating position than an angle of 90 degrees.

    From the above, it is clear that is the determining criterion, influencing the choice of form, will be the number of people and your personal aesthetic preferences.

    The next important factor to consider before the construction of the bench is , the place of in its location. Considering that this will be either a corner for privacy, or a large company’s resting place, pay attention to the following recommendations:

    • A bench of any shape should be positioned so that, sitting on it, you can admire something beautiful. For example, a small front garden, possibly located next to the site by a forest or stream, but by no means a neighbor’s own or own fence or outbuildings. On this bench, you can not rest morally and relax.
    • Consider that it is very hot during the day in the warm season, so try to choose a place under the trees. If you already have a gazebo, place a bench inside it. It will save from heat and protect from getting wet in case of rain.
    • It is advisable to pre-level the place under construction. If you put a bench on a hillock, then not all family members will be able to climb up to it, and then down due to their age and state of health. The same applies to buildings located in the lowlands.

    Well, the last thing you need to figure out is whether it will be a bench or an ordinary shop and whether the design will be portable. Bench is more comfortable, as it implies the presence of the backrest and armrests. But this is not always necessary, so we will consider both options below. The difference of the portable bench is that its legs do not dig into the ground or are not concreted.

    2. The choice of material

    There are not many materials suitable for a garden bench. Of course, the most economical option would be to build on what you are already rich with, for example, old wooden boards, sheets of chipboard, remnants of metal structures and other good. In addition, it is necessary to take into account your skills with a particular hand tool and its availability. And, of course, proceed and the budget that you are ready to allocate for construction. After all, you can make wooden armrests of the remaining materials, and you can order beautiful wrought sidewalls with molded armrests. Here everything is purely individual. Consider the three main materials and their strengths and weaknesses.

    Wood as the main building material.

    Wood almost always occupies a leading position in such lists. For the garden bench, suitable wood species such as pine, oak, birch, pear, hornbeam or other hardwood. The main advantages of of this material are:

    • Robust and reliable. Wooden structures can withstand heavy loads with proper assembly;
    • Durability. With proper surface treatment, such a bench will please you for many years, and if something happens, you can easily restore or replace individual elements;
    • Ease of processing. It is much easier and more pleasant to work with wood than with the same metal. It is more malleable and does not require the use of specific tools;
    • In the hot season, the surface does not heat up as much as the metal, and in the cold season it cools down much less. Thus, it will be much more pleasant to sit on it;
    • And one of the important advantages - an attractive appearance, even without additional decoration. Thanks to the natural beauty, the wooden bench will perfectly fit into any locality and will only decorate it.

    To disadvantages of wood products include:

    • High sensitivity to direct sunlight, high humidity and low temperatures. Because of this, it is better to have wooden furniture in gazebos or in the most shady places, as well as to provide for it a canopy or cover, or make the structure portable;
    • The cost of already hewn and fully prepared wooden bars can be very high, especially when it comes to artistic carving.

    Metal benches

    Unlike wooden, which are ubiquitous, not very popular among owners of dacha plots. Despite this, metal products have their own advantages: :

    • They are much more durable than wooden counterparts;
    • Less dependent on external weather conditions;
    • May have more diverse shapes;
    • Look less dimensional.

    Disadvantages of metal structures:

    • The metal is more difficult to machine, and the manufacturing process itself will be more laborious. If you make all the elements yourself, then to achieve a good result, you will have to work with a welding machine and a grinder. In the absence of such equipment, this will incur additional expenses;
    • The metal instantly heats up in the sun to high temperatures, and in the cold even gets covered with ice and frost. Sit on such a shop on a hot day can be quite an extreme venture;

    Stone Benches

    You can meet such buildings only on the garden plots of very wealthy people. Completely stone benches are usually small in size and are able to fit a maximum of a couple of people. They rather have a decorative role in decorating the entire landscape. They can act as a continuation of a large flower bed, fenced with natural stone blocks, be a continuation of the stone foundation of the house or the fence, located in front of a small fountain with a beautiful statue in the center. All these attributes of luxury country houses.

    Consider the advantages of stone products:

    • High strength;
    • Durability;
    • No response to temperature changes, increased humidity, or direct sunlight.

    Disadvantages, of course, more:

    • The high cost of even small models;
    • Heavy weight;
    • The surface of natural stone is always very cold to the touch, which requires the use of pillows or decorative mats in order to avoid discomfort and health problems;
    • Even if you decide to lay out a considerable amount and purchase the necessary amount of material, you are unlikely to be able to independently treat the surface and simply pick up individual elements. This will entail additional expenses for the rental of the corresponding equipment;
    • If no other elements on the site are made of stone, then such a building will not fit into the overall situation and will seem superfluous, and you will be sorry for the money spent. Therefore, such a bench is very binding.

    To create the most durable bench, you must use the strengths of different materials. Therefore, the most practical products are combined. For example, a wooden bench on metal or stone pillars. The fact is that with constant contact with moist soil, the tree can quickly deteriorate and rot. But it does not threaten stone or metal.

    3. Making a wooden bench with your own hands

    The most common form of the bench is straightforward, but this does not mean at all that you cannot build a semicircular or U-shaped. Just by itself, this piece of garden furniture does not imply a long pastime due to reduced comfort. But to sit down in the evening and drink a cup of coffee or talk on the phone will be quite convenient. For the construction of the shop, we will need :

    • Boards 15–20 cm wide and at least 3 cm thick;
    • Saw or jigsaw - with which you prefer to work;
    • Screwdriver;
    • Bulgarian and grinding wheel; ;
    • Roulette;
    • Level;
    • Pencil;
    • Self-tapping screws 35 mm long;
    • Varnish or paint on wood;
    • Brush.

    Our design will have a seat, sides and a spacer, which will give it strength and prevent the sides from tilting. The seat can be made from solid boards or from pieces. The first option is preferred. In accordance with the previously drawn drawing, you need to cut the timber into pieces of the desired length. Using a tape measure measure the size and put a mark on each strip with a pencil. Before you start sawing it is better to check if all the marks match. Try to cut the board into fragments with minimal losses. Sawing off the spacer, which will be located between the sides, do not forget to take two thicknesses of the material. After this, should be thoroughly cleaned up with all edges and surfaces. This will help you grinder with a grinding wheel. If you are making a bench for children, try to round the edges of the boards as much as possible with an arbitrary radius. This will significantly reduce the possibility of injury. Many people think that it is necessary to varnish or paint a finished product, but we will not agree with that. After all, after the assembly, it will be very difficult to paint over the ends of the adjacent boards. Moisture that gets into unprotected areas will contribute to the speedy deterioration of the surface. Therefore, after stripping the follows the stage of processing the surface with paints and varnishes. For a more natural look, use clear or tinted lacquer. If the task is to hide the wooden texture, use covering paints for wood. When all parts are dry, you can polish them with a soft circle and re-open. So the surface will be smoother, and an additional layer will more reliably protect it from external factors. After the second layer dries, proceed to the assembly.

    In order not to damage the exterior finish, fumigate an old sheet or other fabric and install it on it. With the help of transverse slats, which will be equal to the width of the seat, we fasten its parts. If a solid canvas is used for seating, then immediately proceed to fastening the strut, and then the sides. Threaded connections are preferable to ordinary nails. Even under heavy loads, they do not slip out of the seat and fasteners do not weaken. Diagonal crossbars can also be used as spacers. To do this, in the seat and sidewalls sawn seat for them. They can be fixed with metal corners on the inside. After that, the protruding parts are sawn off and polished. In less than an hour, your shop will be ready. If the coating is still damaged during assembly, you need to clean the affected area and re-paint it. Then sand and cover a second time.

    4. Do-it-yourself wooden bench

    To begin, we will look at making the simplest bench with a back so that you understand the principle. It can be taken as a base in the manufacture of more complex configuration and shape. Our design will have good stability and rigidity. We need:

    • Long boards for back and seat( element C);
    • Two long supports to which the back and two short will be attached, which will play the role of the front legs( element A);
    • Eight short beams, which will act as a support leg and give the structure the necessary rigidity( element B).

    The length of boards will depend on the size of the bench. If it is long, make sure that the boards are sufficiently thick and will not sag under the weight of numerous guests. It's very easy to do this - lay the board on the bricks and sit down on it with several family members. If there are concerns, it is necessary to add an additional support to the structure in the middle. All elements of the bench must polished. This will not only make the surface more pleasant to the touch, will show a unique texture, but also protect you from splinters.

    Above, we mentioned that the design can be mobile or fixed. This will increase its sustainability. But note that if you plan to to dig the legs of the into the ground, then they should be at least 30 cm longer. It is at this depth that they will dive. When all the elements are cut and polished, you can proceed to assembly. For this we need a screwdriver and screws. Work must begin with the assembly of the side legs and crossbars. At the junction of each two wooden parts, at least two fixings should be made.so the design will come out safer. After the sides are ready, you need to fix the seat, which was previously fastened with the same short crossbars. To maintain the straightness of the parties, you can use the construction angle. The back is tied at the back, and fastened to the long racks. Between the seat and the beginning of the back, as a rule, leave a small gap. Use additional support or not need to be known exactly after the final assembly. You can always add the missing element without harming the finished bench. In order for to protect wooden legs from rotting upon contact with wet soil, it is necessary to treat them with tar. To do this, the composition is heated until it becomes liquid and fluid. Then brush gently applied to the legs. Full drying will occur in about a day. Of course, this must be done before assembly. Additionally, from the premature corrosion can protect and caps screws. To do this, a drilling is done at the junction, a shallow sweat, the diameter of which should slightly exceed the diameter of the cap, and the depth allow the self-tapping screw to sink flush with the surface. Now preparing a protective composition, which consists of the same tar and small wood chips. A small amount of paste is applied to the cap. After complete drying, the protruding elements must be sanded.

    5. Wooden garden bench with a metal frame

    This design will be more durable, but the process of making it more complex and requires special skills. will need the following items for :

    • Iron corner with shelf size 40-50 mm;
    • Beam for the manufacture of seats;
    • Bolts;
    • Hacksaw or Bulgarian;
    • Drill;
    • Screwdriver;
    • Welding machine;
    • Bulgarian and grinding wheel.

    Work should begin with frame production. To do this, you will need to cut a metal corner into four pieces with a length of 1 meter for the manufacture of vertical supports, five pieces with a length of 0.5 meters and two pieces with a length of 1.5 meters for the manufacture of supports for the seat and backrest. To make the back and the seat will require boards with a length of 1.5 meters and a minimum width of 10 cm. Grind the boards and smooth sharp corners. So you will be more comfortable to sit, and on your feet will not remain traces of the extreme slats on the seat. For reliable protection from moisture moisture can be impregnated all wooden elements with antiseptic.

    Now let's proceed to the processing of metal elements. All edges that will dock with each other should be trimmed at a 45-degree angle, like the joints of the door trim panels. Now connect the parts using hot welding. First, the frame is welded to install the seat. Legs are welded to it for subsequent fastening of the back to them, and then stops. Remember to use personal protective equipment during welding. Upon completion of work, all places of welding joints are cleaned and polished. After that, the metal frame is treated with anti-corrosion coating and oil paint. Paint should be applied in two layers.

    Now it's time to fix the wooden seat and backrest. To facilitate the work itself, you can pre-drill at the joints of wooden elements with a metal frame. Now lay all the seat boards on the frame and fasten with special bolts. If your bench will stand on a paved or tiled area, the legs should have additional supports in the form of a lower metal frame. The plane of the legs, which will touch the asphalt, must have a length of at least 0.5 meters.

    Often metal legs concrete in the ground. For this pre-markup. Small pits are dug out, about 40 cm deep. Their bottom is covered with sand to a depth of about 10 cm, and fine gravel is poured in from above. A gravel of ruberoid is laid on top, a reinforcing mesh is laid, and only after that they put a bench on such a foundation. After that, the remaining depth is filled with concrete. Before pouring it is necessary to set the shop level. Such a complex substrate is made to prevent the structure from settling.

    6. Wooden bench on stone pillars

    Another very practical option for making a garden bench. The workflow will be simpler than in the previous case, and not so laborious. We will need :

    • Building bricks;
    • Wooden boards;
    • Screws and screws;
    • Cement;
    • Sand;
    • Gravel.

    Due to the fact that such a structure will have an increased weight, and the brickwork should come out flat, the bench should be placed on a flat, concreted area. If that is not available on the site, but you must first pour columnar foundation and allow it to dry completely. The construction of the foundation must begin with markup. In the location of the brick pillars of the future bench, we remove the top layer of soil and dig holes in the size of 20 × 20 cm and a depth of 50-60 cm. River sand is poured at the bottom of the pits, crushed stone on top. The proportions are the same as in the above variant. Crushed stone is compacted, filled with water and left to dry during the day. After that, the surface is covered with roofing felt and reinforced bars and is poured with concrete. The foundation will harden for 3-4 days. Now we are making the basis for future brick pillars - we put a thin layer of concrete solution, 1-2 cm thick, on the prepared foundation.

    We start to lay bricks with dressing. The width of the masonry is determined by the width of the shop itself. It may be the same or slightly narrower. The height of the masonry will be about 50 cm. On the top row of the masonry, you need to leave room for the formation of a shelf into which the wooden bars of the seat will be laid in the future. They need to be pre-fastened to each other with transverse boards and screws. Ready seat fits into the shelves of brick. To fix the wooden boards on a brick surface, you can put them on the same solution. The number of brick racks will depend on the length of the bench.

    All wooden elements are pre-assembled as above. Using this technology, it is possible to perform not only flat, but also corner constructions. But in this case the joints should be located on a solid tape-type foundation.

    Tags: Land improvement
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