Solid wooden benches have their very own charm. If you then built it yourself, you can be very proud. With our instructions it works guaranteed.
Plastic benches are good, without a doubt. But depending on the processing quality, they can wobble, fade and the material can even become brittle. Anyone who relies on durable solutions that are also much safer should definitely consider building a wooden bench. We will now tell you which materials are required for this, how it works and what needs to be considered during construction.
Why it pays to invest in wood
In times of cheap garden benches made of plastic or modern models made of metal, one or the other may wonder why it is worth the effort to build a solid wooden bench yourself. The answer is very 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 less maintenance.
Important considerations
Convinced? Then it's time to start planning. You should first ask yourself the following questions:
» Which wood should be used?
Larch wood is extremely practical, as the hardwood is attacked by insects and fungi less often than other types of wood. In addition, it is very acid resistant and less sensitive to bad weather conditions. But teak, eucalyptus, robinia or cedar wood is also ideal for garden furniture due to the essential oils it contains.
» How wide and deep should the seat be?
Many people find a depth of 43 to 50 centimeters comfortable. A seat width of at least 45 centimeters should also be planned per person - the more space, the more comfortable.
» What seat height is comfortable?
Should the seat be slightly curved? If so, it must be planed accordingly.
» Do you prefer armrests?
Depending on personal taste, a height of 20 to 28 centimeters makes sense here.
» How wide should these be?
5 to 10 centimeters are considered common.
» Do you want the armrest to be slightly angled?
An angle of about 15 degrees is quite comfortable.
» How high should the backrest be?
Unless the bench is built specifically for children, it should be higher than 50 centimetres.
Required Materials
We have compiled a shopping list below:
| Material | Notes |
|---|---|
| 1 tree trunk | • as a seat and backrest • the feet can also be built from parts • if there is enough wood left over, the holder for the backrest can also be made from it. » Note: The length of the tree trunk varies according to the desired size of the bench. The longer the trunk, the more seating space there is. We provide further information on this under “Important preliminary considerations”. Example: two-seater |
| Peeler, also called bark peeler or tree peeler (my favourite) | • to remove the bark |
| Chainsaw | • to split the log |
| Hand or electric plane (my favorite) | • to smooth the surfaces |
| Cordless angle grinder with matching milling disc | • for milling recesses |
| Drilling machine with wood drill bit and Forstner bit (e.g. 50 mm) | • for pre-drilling holes |
| long wood screws | • to attach the feet and backrest |
| Hammer | • for driving in the screws |
| ratchet | • to tighten the screws |
| Protractor | • to check armrest and backrest angles |
| 2 squared timbers (e.g. 55 x 55 mm) | • as a holder for the backrest |
| Wood protection or oil | • Stain to protect the wood - available clear, in natural wood tones or strong colors (like white, red or blue) |
Building a wooden bench - step by step instructions
Step 1: Processing the tree bark
If not already purchased: First, the tree trunk is freed from the tree bark with a peeling iron. ParticularlyThis is easy to do with tree trunks that have already been stored in the shade for six to 12 months. The cambium layer falls off almost by itself. If you want it really clean, you should work cleanly, especially on the edges. A wafer-thin residual layer of bark can also look very natural and chic.
Step 2: Saw through the tree trunk
The next step is to saw through the log using a chainsaw to separate the wood for the seat and backrest from the rest of the log that will be used for the feet.
Tip: There are chainsaws with different drives on the market. So you can choose between an electric chainsaw, which is operated with a battery or via a power cable, and a petrol chainsaw.
Step 3: Saw the bench to size
Now the part of the trunk for the bench has to be cut through again. The slower the cuts, the smoother the cut edges. A middle cut would be ideal, as the finished seat looks very even.
Step 4: Sand surfaces
So that the surfaces are nice and even, they are sanded down bit by bit with the plane. You can test whether everything is nice and smooth by carefully running your palm over it - but be careful: wear work gloves!
Step 5: Flatten the backrest
Optional: Next, the backrest should be flattened a little with the angle grinder 125 or an electric planer - this way the whole thing doesn't look so bulky and takes up less space.
Step 6: Mill recesses
Now use an angle grinder to mill out recesses in the lower half of the tree trunk. The round feet will later be screwed into these. While routing, the foot should be held in the recess periodically to see if the whole is flush.
Step 7: Clean Edges
Before the seat is screwed together, all hard edges should be broken off and cleaned to minimize the risk of injury and to make painting easier later.
Step 8: Prepare feet
The feet of the bench should now be prepared. Conveniently, these are made from a piece of tree trunk by removing two sides with a chainsaw.
Step 9: Set up a test bench
Now is the perfect time to set up the bench for a test. Pay attention to the following points:
- Does the overall picture look coherent?
- Is the distance between the feetbest?
- Is the lateral distance between the feet and the seat equal?
- If not, you can now measure and work again.
Step 10: Assemble the feet
If everything fits, the feet can then be attached to the seat from below. After the holes have been pre-drilled, the wood screws or metal rods are hammered into the wood more firmly and then tightened with a ratchet.
Step 11: Pre-Drill Holes
Now the holes for the backrest can be pre-drilled. A Forstner bit is ideal for this, in order to create sufficiently large holes for the squared timber.
Step 12: Mount the backrest
The squared timbers are then converted to hold the backrest. One end is carved with the angle grinder so that it fits into the holes you just prepared. 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 timbers, you should not work by feel, but check the dimension with a protractor.
Step 13: Attach backrest
As soon as the squared timber fits into the pilot holes, the backrest can be attached with sufficiently long wood screws.
Step 14: Apply wood protection
To protect the wood, it should be glazed with an oil. In most cases, a primer is also recommended, which protects the wood from staining caused by blue stain and fungal attack. After this has dried sufficiently, one or two coats of varnish should be applied.
This video tutorial shows how it could look like:
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Tips for building a solid wooden bench
| Tip | Notes |
|---|---|
| slim seat or backrest | If the seat or backrest made of half a tree trunk is too bulky for you, you can divide the trunk halves again. |
| soft edges | Classically, solid wooden benches have hard edges. But if you like it romantic and playful, you can also break the corners at a larger angle so that they become nice and round. |
| Metal braces for the backrest bracket | If you don't have much confidence in squared timber, you can also use metal bracesuse to connect the seat with the backrest. This means that the woody charm is somewhat lost, but the construction is even more robust. |
| easier to assemble the feet | If milling out the recesses for the feet is too time-consuming, the seat can also be placed on the feet and then connected with a long metal rod. The visible drill holes can be easily hidden by inserting a wooden stick with the diameter of the drill hole and sawing it off accordingly. Alternatively, you can also build plugs from the remains of the trunk. In both cases, excess material should be removed with a planer so that the seat is nice and flat. |
| Mill name or date | A personalized garden bench is a popular wedding gift. Simply mill in the names of the bride and groom and the date of the wedding with a router and the gift is perfect. |
Care tips for wooden benches
The maintenance effort depends very much on the type of wood. While a wooden bench made of softwood (e.g. pine, beech or spruce) has to be sanded and varnished regularly, hardwood is much easier to care for.
Regardless of this, the garden furniture should be cleaned properly at least at the beginning and end of the gardening season. However, aggressive cleaning agents are not suitable for this. Instead, we recommend soapy water made from natural soap, which not only cares for the wood thanks to the vegetable oils it contains, but also ensures that it is moisturized. So that no soap residue remains on the wood, the bench should then be rubbed dry.
» Warning: Microfibre cloths damage the wood by removing important oils. Simple cotton towels are better suited. But sponges or a brush can also be used.
In addition, it makes sense to treat the wood with a care oil two to three times a year after thorough cleaning. When choosing the agent, however, it should be noted that colorless variants usually do not offer UV protection. This can gray the color of the wood. Apart from that, the oils should be free of solvents, otherwise the natural protection of the wood will be damaged. Cotton cloths are also suitable for application, as are pads and brushes.
Create an oasis in everyday life - our best decoration tips
Are you still missing some inspiration on how best to stage the garden bench? Then follow our decoration tips for an oasis of well-being in the garden.
- Seat cushion:Unfortunately, wood has an ugly habit: it's hard. But you can make yourself really comfortable with pillows or seat cushions.
- Rose arch: If you like it particularly romantic, you can place a rose arch behind or over the garden bench. The second variant in particular offers such a natural source of shade. Incidentally, not only climbing roses are suitable for planting the rose arch, but also clematis.
- Flower pots: Of course, if a rose arch is too big, flowers in rustic pots also look charming.
- Parasol: To protect yourself from direct sunlight, a parasol can also be set up. There are now also numerous models that appear rustic and therefore go perfectly with a solid wooden bench.
- Table that can be assembled: Small wooden tables that can be attached to the armrest are ideal for putting down a glass or book. If you opt for a swiveling model, you can also work/read comfortably on a laptop or tablet. By the way: With a solar charger, you can recharge your devices quickly and independently of a power source.