Decorations made of concrete in the garden are very trendy at the moment. You can also easily build a bench yourself out of concrete. You can find out how this works and how it can be designed here.
Why always wood, metal or plastic? Concrete furniture is very trendy and is almost indestructible, especially in the garden. Especially those who like it more modern and minimalist will love a concrete garden bench, as it does not require any frills or decorations. Concrete garden benches are inexpensive and solid. The coolness of the concrete is offset by the contrast to the warm wood. We will now tell you how you can build robust and durable concrete garden benches.
Concrete furniture - what speaks for it?
Furniture made of concrete has recently experienced a real boom. Designers have discovered a niche here and are paying dearly for their creations. Furniture made of concrete can be made comparatively cheaply. Mix cement, rock and water or use existing concrete parts. Concrete is a material with many advantages, especially outdoors. Concrete garden furniture is durable and, due to its weight, can also be set up in the front yard. Thieves will certainly keep their hands off it.
In addition to garden furniture, concrete can also be made
- Chairs
- Stool
- Closets
- Beds
- Worktops
- Sink
- or Planter
craft.
Which concrete is suitable for furniture production?
A commercial concrete mix can be used to make a garden bench. You can also mix your concrete yourself. For this you need:
- cement
- Gravel or Sand
- Water
For larger projects, the use of aerated or lightweight concrete is a good idea. Expanded clay was added to this, which causes air pockets to form and the density of the concrete to decrease. Of course, you can also use existing concrete parts and convert them into a garden bench. There are no limits to creativity.
Overweight garden furniture
Your garden bench will not be a lightweight. Concrete carries a lot of weight and even if you use aerated concrete, nobody will easily knock your garden bench off its hinges. Therefore, consider in advance where the bench will be placed and transport the concrete parts to the site before the bench is fully assembled.
» Tip: If the concrete furniture is covered with sealing slurry, the garden bench cannot be affected by moisture and even light frosts can be survived unscathed.
Wood meets concrete
Concrete is cold and sober? Then just put wood next to your concrete garden bench. If the seats are made of wood, the bench looks much friendlier and more inviting. Use wood that is suitable for outdoor use and does not wear out as quickly. In addition to teak and other tropical woods, the European oak also fulfills these purposes. A garden bench made entirely of concrete would not be a really comfortable place to sit. The body cools down very quickly through direct contact with the concrete layer. Therefore wooden slats on the seat and back are more than welcome.
Build a concrete garden bench yourself - variant 1
Check out this post on InstagramA post shared by Steffen Englert (@beton_gut) on Feb 15, 2022 at 11:03 AM PST
Material List
- Concrete parts
- Timber
- Dowels
- screws
- Wood stain
Tool List
- Impact drill and cordless screwdriver ( alternatively a cordless impact drill)
- Chop saw
- Grinder
- Sandpaper
- Folding Rule
- Brushes
- pencil
Instructions
❶ Pour concrete
❷ Set up concrete blocks
❸ Cut wooden slats
❹ Pre-drill holes
❺ Make indentations
❻ Transfer holes to concrete blocks
❼ Drill holes
❽ Glaze the wooden slats
❾ Screw the slats into the dowels
❿ Screw the wooden slats onto the sub-slats
First the L-bricks are made. To do this, mix the concrete according to the instructions and fill it into the prepared molds. When the concrete has fully hardened, the angle stone is removed from the mould. Once you have produced the two required L-stones, these are transported to the later installation site of the garden bench, preferably with a sack truck.
» Tip: Use a spirit level when aligning the concrete blocks so that the bench is level later.
If the bench is set up on loose soil, for example a bed, leavescreate a straight surface by applying a layer of gravel. A layer of concrete screed, which is applied to the gravel and then watered, gives the concrete blocks additional support.
Now the wooden slats are cut to the desired length. A length of two meters is ideal so that there is space for several people on the garden bench. The wooden slats are now screwed onto the concrete. First you attach the two long slats and then you can screw shorter wooden slats to the desired bench width. The use of dowels is necessary for attaching the bottom battens. Before the wooden slats are screwed on, they are treated with wood protection. If you want, you can attach additional slats in the width of the bench to the front and back of the bench, giving the garden bench an additional veneer and making it look more inviting and less cool.
Garden bench made of concrete blocks - variant 2
Would you like to save yourself the hassle of mixing the concrete, but still want a concrete garden bench? Then simply use ready-made concrete building blocks. In a few simple steps, a decorative and robust garden bench is created, which can also be produced without great manual experience.
Material List
- Concrete Blocks
- Plywood panel
- Glue
- Pillow for decoration
Tool List
- Level
- Hammer
- Casting Gun
- Goggles
- Protective Gloves
Instructions:
❶ Determine location
❷ Position concrete blocks
❸ Glue concrete row
❹ Place another row of concrete blocks
❺ Glue second concrete row
❻ Plywood board cut to size
❼ glue plywood sheet
❽ attach decoration
First, the location of the garden bench is determined, because it has to be set up on the spot. Make sure you have a firm, level and stable surface. The first row of benches is now being built there with the help of the concrete building blocks. The blocks can be arranged as you wish. You determine the size of the later bench yourself. Two rows of concrete blocks are available to give the bench stability.
» Tip: Arrange the concrete blocks in a staggered manner. This gives the bank more stability.
So the middle of the back concrete block is exactly at the intersection of the concrete blocks in the front row. Now the blocks are connected to each other. A construction adhesive is to be used for this. The glue willapplied drop by drop to both sides, then both blocks are joined together under pressure. This will glue all the blocks on the bottom row together.
» Tip: Before you continue working, let the concrete blocks dry overnight.
The staggered arrangement of the concrete blocks created an empty space in the back row. This is now filled in by splitting a concrete block with the hammer.
Warning: Work with safety goggles and gloves.
Glue is applied to the two halves and these are now glued into the two empty spaces. When the first row of concrete blocks is completely dry, the construction of the second row of concrete begins. Place the concrete blocks offset here as well so that the bench gets more support. Now all the blocks are glued together and you let the bench dry again overnight.
The plywood board is cut according to the measurements for the bench. The construction adhesive is applied to the underside of the plywood panel. You can also add some glue to the concrete building blocks for a better hold. Before the plywood board is completely glued, it can be aligned on the concrete parts. Use the spirit level for this. Then the future seat is pressed down well and possibly weighed down. After the construction has been allowed to dry overnight, the work is complete. You can now decorate the finished garden bench with cushions and blankets as you wish and you can finally sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
What material can concrete be combined with?
Concrete is flexible in this regard. In modern buildings, concrete finds a perfect combination with metal and glass. This is less recommended for the garden area. The whole thing would just seem too cold and sterile for an oasis of well-being in the countryside. Therefore, the combination of concrete and wood is a first choice for garden furniture. The warm wood tones in connection with fluffy blankets and pillows create an inviting ambience and take away the austerity of the concrete.