All about wooden benches

Knowing everything about wooden benches and carved garden benches for a summer residence will be interesting to any owner of a plot or a private house. Both simple street benches and unusual-looking benches deserve attention. In addition, issues such as processing benches on the street, making them with your own hands, and proper placement in a landscape environment are also useful.

Wooden benches are equally widely used in a wide variety of climatic zones. Such products are present in the catalogs of almost all major manufacturers of items and equipment for park equipment. Wooden benches are perfect for well-attended recreation areas, they are resistant to a large number of users almost as much as their metal or stone counterparts. The wood is favored by its increased aesthetics. Natural color and pattern create an excellent aesthetic experience for almost all people.

Thanks to modern technologies of wood processing, its disadvantages are almost completely eliminated. Manufacturers in the manufacture of wooden products are able to achieve:

• minimal risk of fire;
• increased strength;
• resistance to water;
• resistance to decay and pathogenic fungi.

Currently, there are several types of wooden benches. Let's describe the most popular ones.

Often such simple designs are called benches (or benches) - they are quite appropriate in summer cottages and near houses. On them you can relax in minutes of short breaks at work, read something or think about pressing matters. Or just sit with friends, family or neighbors talking. The simplified appearance of the shop in fact turns out to be even an advantage in some cases. Making such a bench with your own hands is not difficult.

It is much more comfortable to sit on a bench with a back than on an ordinary bench. You can lean on your back, allowing your spine to rest, and relax your whole body. And from the decorative side, this solution is much more attractive. However, there are some disadvantages when compared to a bench without a back. For example, You can sit on a bench from any side of it, whichever is more convenient, and sit on a bench with a backrest only with one.

Usually, transforming benches and benches have such a design. A well-thought-out design allows you to lay out the product without any effort, which is quite affordable for both children and women. It should be borne in mind that transformers are made both on the basis of a metal frame and completely from wooden raw materials. Pay attention to the stability of the finished product in any position. Before taking this or that model as a sample for your site, you need to carefully analyze the product, and also ask for reviews about it.

Such benches look equally attractive both in the garden and on the territory near the house - it is not for nothing that they are highly appreciated by experienced designers. They are widely used in compositions referring to the plots of old fairy tales, cartoons, and so on. Usually the carving is done with a jigsaw. To make the design look beautiful, they try to varnish it. The variety of thread types and its practical execution allows you to achieve an original appearance.

This design option is very widespread; it is quite appropriate to use it in any private house. However, one must understand that products for children must meet much more stringent requirements than those intended for adults. The bench should be free of burrs, sharp points of fasteners, places where fingers or other parts of the body can be pinched. We'll have to give up toxic dyes.

Other features:

• height and other dimensions are smaller than usual;
• selection of sizes taking into account the height of children;
• cheerful colors;
• maximum visual beauty.

This option is recommended for use in patios. It is easy to install and easy to move. Tables and chairs are often supplied as a complete set. The assembly is easiest to do according to the drawings. The size of such structures is selected at your discretion.

The advantage of folding benches is their compactness and versatility. It is worth noting that it is not so easy to find sensible drawings of transforming models. Most often, they are either ordered from professionals, or made on their own (but then you have to design a lot yourself). Choosing the second option, it is worth initially laying the highest possible strength in the structure. It is quite possible to use boards made of different types of wood, but this is at the discretion of the owners themselves.

Creating a swing bench will allow you to enjoy one of the most popular garden activities in recent decades. Equipping with a canopy guarantees protection from rain, snow and scorching heat. You can safely deliver the finished product even in an open area. When creating a "double structure", in fact, a gazebo or a small copy of it is created. The bench is connected to the frame, for which roofing material is used (most often polycarbonate).

In general, the structure is given an arched shape, which is more like an open greenhouse. They try to put not one, but two benches inside. A table can also stand between them. This allows you to make an almost complete dining area, but the space for movement is very limited, so you have to move over the back bench to sit down at the table. True, there is also a clear plus - practicality and rather high aesthetics.

Single benches also work well with awnings. To do this, you need to lift the backrest frame and tie it to the canopy that covers the seat to its full depth. The area of ​​the canopy is better done with a margin in order to guarantee protection from precipitation. A bench with a canopy is placed in the garden or as an "extension" - to a residential building. When paired side by side, they become a full-fledged place for lunch, while not limiting free space.

Returning to swing benches, it is necessary to emphasize their important feature. - not the canopy will be held on the piece of furniture, but the bench is fixed in the canopy frame. The seat itself is permanently suspended, which allows it to swing.There are a lot of specific variants of "rocking chairs"; they are offered in abundance by both supermarket catalogs and a selection of private developments. If you plan to make such a bench with your own hands, then any drawings should be used only as a starting point. Much will have to be adapted to personal preference.

Not every tree is suitable for such an idea. The older and thicker it is, the more pleasant the aesthetic effect will be. But at the same time, you should abandon the option of placing benches around fruit and any other fruit trees. The subsequent cleaning of their seats and backs from fruits, juice, seeds is a rather time-consuming task, which can greatly darken your leisure time. The best tree options for relaxing in their shade:

• teak;
• larch;
• oak;
• Pine.

The main point when choosing them is resistance to mechanical and biological damaging factors. Sometimes, obviously unstable breeds are also used. However, in this case, you have to take care of thorough impregnation for better protection, and this is quite difficult and time-consuming. In any case, parts of the benches are treated with antiseptics. At the same time, maximum attention is paid to the end edges, since they actively draw in moisture (this is especially true of the lower edge of the wooden legs).

The processed material is dried for at least 12-18 hours, which depends on the type of impregnation and the type of wood. A quadrangular bench is most often placed around the tree, since it is extremely simple to manufacture. It is necessary to keep the tree trunk intact and without any damage, for which an indent of several centimeters is made between the elements of the bench and the tree trunk. In some cases, a hexagonal or more complex shape of the bench is made - but this sometimes requires turning to professionals.

If you want to show originality, without complicating your task too much, then you can adapt a corner bench for relaxation. Among its many options, there are also transforming structures. It is very convenient to attach such products not to trees, but to capital walls. If, nevertheless, it is decided to surround the tree trunk, then a round structure will be the most practical option. True, it is much more difficult to create it, but it will be possible to be deservedly proud of your success.

Many people love armrest benches. Manufacturers have responded to this demand, so they offer many suitable solutions. The armrest will allow you to lean on your hands, put bags, bags, and other small items. And in case of urgent need, you can sit on it. Another undoubted benefit is the visual completeness of the design, which is lacking in benches without armrests. The shapes and motives of the armrests vary greatly, which makes it possible to adapt the design to any design. In addition, a hanging table, reversible seat can be added.

Many manufacturers try to use yacht varnish when processing armrests. It effectively protects wood from rotting and mechanical damage. And also sometimes processing with fire retardants with bioprotective additives is practiced. In conclusion, it is worth pointing out such an option as a design with flowerpots. Such benches are mainly mounted on flat surfaces where there are no other plantings. Fasteners are most often made according to a hidden scheme so that it does not spoil the appearance. Additionally, anchoring can be performed. The flowerpots themselves are logical to be made of polished and carefully processed wood.

The imagination of architects and designers creates a great variety of original wooden benches. What is, for example, one flat board, which is held by concrete "hands" sticking out of the ground. Imitation of "torn off carpet strips" can also look attractive. And there are also structures that completely cover the seated people from above, being, at the same time, rather an analogue of an armchair. Many people will find it a beautiful solution to embed a bench inside a concrete wall.

The expressive contrast of the combined material only favorably sets off the naturalness of the wood. And the roughness of the concrete environment will sparkle with new colors. Lovers of romance will surely love the idea of ​​sitting on a whale tail. It is difficult to achieve such an effect, but real craftsmanship and careful selection of paint work literally wonders. Even those who are not going to literally copy these models should start from them in their aesthetic searches.

Finally, it is worth considering a few more options that can also become sources of inspiration:

• a round bench encircling a tree;
• product with a curved lattice back;
• an option similar to something, but at the same time clearly distinguished by its originality;
• an emphasized rough bench, with some details provoking the subtlety of the work.

There are 3 main parameters for choosing benches: exterior style, design and material used. There are many types of wood, and its special processing allows you to further diversify the appearance of finished products. But when choosing wooden outdoor furniture, you will have to find out if it is treated with antiseptics, whether it is well varnished. Only a few coats of varnish provide good protection against negative weather conditions.

The saw-cut benches are a true classic. They will be appropriate for a summer residence or a country house, decorated in any style. In some models, the base (frame) is made of metal. Such a solution is relatively inexpensive and lasts a long time. When choosing a specific breed, you should give preference to:

• hazel;
• cherry;
• oak;
• conifers (they are especially resistant to moisture and decay).

Benches can also be made from solid solid logs. Logs from deciduous tree varieties do not need special preparation, but conifers will need to be treated with a mixture of 4 parts of acetone and 1 part of water. This will get rid of the resin. It is advisable to inquire whether such processing was carried out by a specific manufacturer. Solid pine structures are quite traditional - they have been used for many centuries in a row, and the potential of such outdoor furniture has not yet been fully exhausted.

Another important aspect is the choice by color. The simplest option is the color characteristic of the tree itself. It looks natural, but such a solution will not fit into all compositions. In gardens, benches are usually used in white, blue or green colors. Moderate black, dark brown or chocolate paint will look romantic and charming. But one should not forget about the relevance of such a performance.

The downside of the white color will be that, for all its elegance, it will flaunt any seemingly insignificant dirt, even individual specks of dust. Maintaining a white bench outdoors is difficult. Therefore, in many cases, it is best to stop at a dark green color. It is helpful to maintain harmony with the color of the house or fence. Red benches have another advantage - they form an expressive contrast with dark greens.

Of course, garden furniture should be placed where it will look beautiful, appropriate and fully realize its function. It is quite logical to place a bench near a reservoir, near a hearth (outdoor fireplace, stove, barbecue or campfire). But even if there is nothing of the kind, it is worth focusing on places where a wide, distant perspective is open. A true classic is the installation of a bench at the edge of the lawn or at the very beginning of a path leading into the distance. In areas with a pronounced relief, it is appropriate to use hills, from where a wide view opens. However, it is worth remembering security considerations.

It is not worth bringing the bench too close to an open fire or heating equipment. In addition, it must be borne in mind that it should not create obstacles for the passage through the site. When there is a tendency to friendly, unhurried conversations, it is logical to put benches facing each other (or next to each other). Sometimes benches are placed in narrow places, but their role is no longer to provide an overview, but to perform a purely practical task - just to give people a rest in silence and a space hidden from prying eyes.

Making a bench from wood with your own hands is possible if the project is carefully drawn up and the layout is determined. The back is screwed on with self-tapping screws from the back. The back itself is made of boards of the same size as the seat, then everything looks harmonious. It is possible to varnish individual parts indoors, but it is much more logical to process everything together outdoors after final assembly. Important: there should not be any hardware on the surface, therefore glue and dowels are used wherever possible.

If you decide to make a structure from a log, the easiest way is to saw the trunk in the longitudinal plane. The saw is carried out either in the very middle of the log, or in the zone of medium diameter. The less thick trunk will become the back. Leftovers are often allowed on the legs. Steel pins inserted into pre-drilled holes up to about half the length will help to tie the legs to the seat. Sufficient strength is already achieved with 2 or 3 pins. All fasteners must be screwed in firmly and until they stop. When using unedged boards, you can save a lot. But all the parts are adjusted to each other as carefully as possible. In this case, it is logical to turn rough old stumps into legs. Sometimes benches are made from pallets as well - but it is important to assess their cleanliness. You should not buy blanks that have even small stains.

For the legs to last longer, they need to be mounted on a concrete or paved area. Dry the wood after each wet cleaning. At the same time, direct sunlight is carefully avoided. The most difficult stains are removed with special compounds (in no case with acetone). It is not worth covering with polyethylene, but sometimes it is quite reasonable to saturate the surface with varnishes and protective mixtures.

A simple solution - but therefore no less attractive for an ordinary consumer - will be the following design. The dark wood board has only one metal support, and the stone block is used as the second leg. Against the background of a green grassy lawn, the shop part of the original form looks great, set on figured supports, which, in turn, rest on stone slabs. A round bench attached to a stone structure of the same shape also looks good. As you can easily see, it is combined with a plank floor, and with a gravel area, and with a green lawn.

For information on how to make a wooden bench with your own hands, see the next video.