An outdoor bench is a hefty piece of furniture that will require the use of some hefty timbers to be part of the frame. However, once put together the park bench makes a nice addition whether it be in your backyard or in a public outdoor area, such as a park.
Step 1
Acquire the timbers needed for your construction project. Since the final product will be used by many people in a public setting, it is not recommended that you salvaged wood. The best place to go is your local lumberyard or sawmill. You will need 2 X4 or 2 X 6 planking for the seat and some heftier 4 X4 and/or 4 X 6 post material for the seat supports. Some 2 X 4s can be used for bracing. Lag bolts will be used to hold together the supports, while large wood screws can be used to secure the planking to the frame.
Step 2
Choose wood that is weather resistant or plan to cover the finished product with several coats of paint. Don't use pressure treated wood for this bench.
Step 3
Make the three supports for the bench. Use one as a template and then copy the other two from the first one. Each support will have four components, which will need to be held together by some rather long lag bolts at least a ¼ inch in diameter. The tall upright should be around 3 feet high and for more maximum comfort it should not be vertical, but instead it should tilt back at a angle. The top and edges of the post should be sanded smooth with a belt sander or cut in a curved shape with a band saw (if available). The seat should be 20 to 24 inches in length. The front end should be rounded off with a sander. The end that butts against the upright should be cut at a angle so it fits flush against the upright. Next is the most important part of the whole project. The angle between the upright and the seat should be between 100 and 105-degrees with 102 to 103-degrees being ideal for maximum comfort. This is done for maximum comfort. Cut the front upright next and then the bottom brace last. The pieces should be placed together on a flat workbench or surface to get the design just right. Some trial and error is unavoidable here.
Step 4
Lay everything out on the workspace and bolt the four pieces together with lag bolts. Twelve per support piece should be fine. That means three at each juncture. First drill a preliminary whole that is ½ inch in diameter and a ½ inch deep. This is the recess to hide the head of the lag bolt. Next, use a long speed bore bit as a pilot drill and run the drill bit through the entire thickness of the 4 X4 and into the second piece for at least two inches. Bolt everything together using a ratchet wench or a power drill. All three supports should be identical.
Step 5
Sand the upright support pieces thoroughly with an orbital sander.
Step 6
Cut the 2 X 6s to length (6-feet is good) and sand thoroughly.
Step 7
Attach the planking to the three support pieces. One support goes dead center and the other two should be located just a few inches from the outside edge. Attach the screws from the bottom if at all possible.
Step 8
Paint with two coats of outdoor paint. The first coat should be a primer and the second should be a finish coat.
Step 9
Understand that the following is optional: Build a concrete pad with protruding anchor under each foot. Do this if you think theft might be a problem.
Skill: Moderately Challenging
Ingredients:
- Timber (4 X 4s and 2 X6s are a good combination)
- Lag bolts (¼ inch by 6 inches for the posts)
- Wood screws (2 to 3 inches galvanized)
- Circular saw
- Saw horses
- An electric drill and bits
- A band saw
- A belt sander (or heavy duty orbital sander)
- Sandpaper
- Outdoor paint (primer and top coat)
- Cement and anchor (optional)
- Jorgensen clamps or a vice
- Ratchet wrench
Tip: An assistant might be of some help in assembling the bench.
Warning: Make sure that the bench is "idiot-proof." No protruding screw heads, no splinters or unsanded surfaces that might tear clothing or cause a scrape.
Keyword: park bench
