{"id":6492,"date":"2019-10-03T09:58:21","date_gmt":"2019-10-03T09:58:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/landscapy.com\/?p=162"},"modified":"2019-10-03T09:58:21","modified_gmt":"2019-10-03T09:58:21","slug":"build-your-own-solid-wooden-bench","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygardenguide.com\/build-your-own-solid-wooden-bench\/","title":{"rendered":"Build your own solid wooden bench – material, instructions & tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Massive wooden benches have their very own charm. If you are also built by yourself, you can be mighty proud. It’s guaranteed to work with our instructions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u00a9 nidafoto – Fotolia.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Plastic benches are good, no question about it. But depending on the quality of their workmanship, they can shake, bleach and even make the material brittle. Who sets on long-lived solutions, which are in addition still clearly safer, should consider absolutely the building of a wooden bench. What materials are needed for this, how it works and what needs to be considered during construction, we’ll tell you now.<\/p>\n

Why it’s worth betting on wood<\/h2>\n

In times of cheap garden benches made of plastic or modern models made of metal, some may ask themselves why it is worth the effort to build a solid wooden bench by yourself. The answer is quite simple: wood has a particularly rustic charm that no other material can match. In addition, such wooden benches are much more stable and safer with little maintenance. <\/p>\n

Important preliminary considerations<\/h2>\n

Convinced? Then it’s on to planning. The following questions should be asked first:<\/p>\n

” Which wood should be used? <\/strong>
Larch wood is extremely practical, as the hardwood is less frequently attacked by insects and fungi than other types of wood. In addition, it is very acid resistant and less sensitive to bad weather conditions. But also teak, eucalyptus, robinia or cedar wood is suitable for garden furniture due to the essential oils it contains.<\/p>\n

” How wide and deep should the seat be? <\/strong>
A depth of 43 to 50 centimetres is considered pleasant by many. In addition, a seat width of at least 45 centimetres should be planned per person – the more space, the more comfortable.<\/p>\n

“Which seat height is comfortable? <\/strong>
Should the seat be slightly arched? If so, it must be planed accordingly.<\/p>\n

“Are armrests preferred? <\/strong>
Depending on personal taste, a height of 20 to 28 centimetres makes sense here.<\/p>\n

” How wide should they be? <\/strong>
5 to 10 centimeters are considered common.<\/p>\n

” Should the armrest be a little beveled? <\/strong>
An angle of about 15 degrees is quite comfortable.<\/p>\n

” How high should the backrest be?<\/strong>
Unless the bench is built specifically for children, it should be higher than 50 centimeters.<\/p>\n

Required material<\/h2>\n

In the following we have compiled a shopping list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
material<\/th>\nclues<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1 tree trunk<\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • as seat and backrest surface<\/li>\n
  • the feet can also be built from parts<\/li>\n
  • If there is enough wood left, it can also be used to make the holder for the backrest. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    “Notice:<\/strong> The length of the tree trunk varies according to the desired size of the bench. The longer the trunk, the more seat area results accordingly. Further information can be found under “Important preliminary considerations”.<\/p>\n

    Example: Two-seater<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

      \n
    • 1 metre tree trunk as seat and backrest<\/li>\n
    • 50 centimeters for the two feet (if the trunk is divided for the feet). Otherwise two times 50 centimeters, if blocks are to be sawn from it<\/li>\n
    • four square timbers for the construction of two armrests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peeler, also called bark peeler or tree peeler (my favourite)<\/td>\nto remove the bark<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chainsaw<\/td>\nTo divide the tree trunk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hand or electric planer (my favorite)<\/td>\nFor smoothing surfaces<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Angle grinder with matching milling disc<\/td>\nfor milling out recesses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drilling machine with wood drill and Forstner drill (e.g. 50 mm)<\/td>\nfor pre-drilling holes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
long wood screws<\/td>\nfor attaching the feet and backrest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hammer<\/td>\nfor driving in the screws<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ratch<\/td>\nfor tightening the screws<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
protractors<\/td>\nfor checking the angle of armrest and backrest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2 squared timbers (e.g. 55 x 55 mm)<\/td>\nas holder for the backrest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wood protection or oil <\/td>\nGlaze to protect the wood – colourless, available in natural wood colours or strong colours (such as white, red or blue) <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Building a wooden bench – step by step instructions<\/h2>\n

Step 1: Edit tree bark<\/h3>\n

If not already prepared bought: First the tree trunk is freed from the tree bark with a peeling iron. This is particularly easy with tree trunks that have been stored in the shade for six to 12 months. So the cambium layer falls off almost by itself. If you want it to be completely clean, you should work here especially on the edges. A wafer-thin residual layer of bark can also look very natural and chic.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Saw through tree trunk<\/h3>\n

In the next step, the tree trunk is sawn with a chainsaw to separate the wood for the seat and back from the rest of the trunk to be used for the feet.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Saw the bench into shape<\/h3>\n

Now the part of the trunk for the seat has to be sawn through again. The slower the cuts, the more even the cut edges. Optimal would be a central cut, because the finished bench looks very even. <\/p>\n

Step 4: Grind off surfaces<\/h3>\n

To ensure that the surfaces are beautifully flat, they are sanded down piece by piece using a plane. You can test if everything is nice and smooth by carefully driving your palm over it – but beware: wear work gloves!<\/p>\n

Step 5: Flatten the backrest<\/h3>\n

Optional: Next, the backrest should be flattened slightly with the angle grinder or electric planer – so the whole thing doesn’t look so bulky and requires less space.<\/p>\n

Step 6: Milling recesses<\/h3>\n

Now cut out recesses in the lower half of the trunk with an angle grinder. The round feet are screwed into these later. During milling, the foot should be held regularly in the recess to see if it is flush.<\/p>\n

Step 7: Clean edges<\/h3>\n

Before the seat is screwed together, all hard edges should be broken and cleaned in order to minimize the risk of injury and facilitate painting later. <\/p>\n

Step 8: Prepare feet<\/h3>\n

The feet of the bench seat should be prepared by now at the latest. Practically, these are made from one piece of the tree trunk by removing two sides with a chainsaw. <\/p>\n

Step 9: Put the bank to the test<\/h3>\n

Now is the perfect time to set up the bank on a trial basis. Pay attention to the following points:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Does the overall picture look harmonious?<\/li>\n
  • Is the distance between the feet optimal?<\/li>\n
  • Is the lateral distance between the feet and the seat the same?<\/li>\n
  • If not, you can now measure and work again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Step 10: Mounting the feet<\/h3>\n

    If everything fits, the feet can then be mounted to the seat from below. After the holes have been pre-drilled, the wood screws or metal rods are hammered tighter into the wood with a hammer and then tightened with a ratchet.<\/p>\n

    Step 11: Pre-drill holes<\/h3>\n

    Now the holes for the backrest can be pre-drilled. A Forstner drill is ideally suited for this purpose, in order to create sufficiently large holes for the squared lumber. <\/p>\n

    Step 12: Assemble the backrest<\/h3>\n

    The squared lumber is then used to support the backrest. One end is carved with the angle grinder so that it fits into the prepared holes. As mentioned above, it is much more comfortable if the backrest is not mounted at a 90 degree angle to the seat, but is slightly inclined. To ensure that the angle of inclination is the same for both squared lumber members, you should not work by feeling, but check the measurement with a protractor.<\/p>\n

    Step 13: Fastening the backrest<\/h3>\n

    As soon as the squared lumber fits into the pre-drilled holes, the backrest can be fastened with sufficiently long wood screws.<\/p>\n

    Step 14: Apply Wood Preservative<\/h3>\n

    To protect the wood, it should be glazed with an oil. In most cases, a primer is also recommended to protect the wood from discolouration caused by blue stain and fungal attack. After this has dried sufficiently, one or two coats of varnish should be applied.<\/p>\n

    This video tutorial shows what it might look like:<\/p>\n