Such garden furniture is a striking example of a successful combination of beauty and practicality. But isn’t this especially appreciated in a private home or country house, where there is often a lack of free space?
When folded, the structure takes up very little space (photo 1). And with one movement of the hand, an ordinary bench turns into a table with two benches - great for outdoor dining or for board games with children (photo 2). Construction material: timber with a section of 90×45 mm, 90×32 mm, 45×32 mm. Hardwood is preferred: beech, ash, oak, birch (in extreme cases, pine without pronounced knots).
Tools:
■ a table-top cross-cutting machine - its graduated dial will allow you to obtain precise cuts of parts (or you will have to mark with a protractor and cut with a fine-toothed hacksaw);
■ electric drill and drills: spiral d 5.1 mm, d 3.0 mm (holes for screws), 8.0 mm (holes for dowels), feather d22 mm (holes in parts moving relative to each other);
■ countersink (recesses for screw heads);
■ Phillips screwdriver;
■ milling machine or hand plane (chamfering the bars that form the planes of benches and tables);
■ a grinder or a block with sandpaper (finishing the surfaces of parts),
■ rasp (rounding corners).
Supporting materials: PVA wood glue, paint (impregnation), sanding paper No. 60, 80; wood screws; wooden dowels - 12 pcs. (connecting parts D-D1, Zh-Zh1); M8x60 mm bolts with self-locking nut and washers - 4 pcs. (connection of parts A-K, D-E).
Manufacturing
Children P and C we remove the chamfers, i.e. We round both edges on the wide side of the bar. Children P, forming the plane of the table top, remove one chamfer from two bars, which during installation will be the outermost on both sides of the table top. In children A and K, when marking the centers, first drill through holes with a d5 mm spiral drill. Then, conditionally graying the children. legs A and support block L of the tabletop, from the outer sides we drill a recess for the head of the bolt with a feather drill. After this, use a 10 mm drill to drill out the centering holes. We do the same with children. D and E. B det. Drill a through hole.
Details of the transformable bench
Items not shown in figure:
P— Bars for the tabletop - 90x32x1480.5 pcs.;
R— Bars for the outer bench (folded) 90x45x1380 mm, 2 pcs.;
WITH— Bars for the internal bench - 90x45x1445 mm, 2 pcs.
The owner of any plot dreams of making it beautiful and attractive. At the same time, you want every thing in the garden to be perfect. Sometimes incredible efforts and a lot of money are invested in this. However, practice shows that you can get by with much smaller sacrifices. So, for example, a transforming bench, which is quite easy to make with your own hands, can decorate your garden plot and add comfort and convenience to everyday life.
Transformable bench - what is it and how does it work
Any country furniture should be multifunctional and comfortable - this guarantees comfortable relaxation in the fresh air and a pleasant pastime. An interesting option that will make any owner of a plot of land happy is a transforming bench.
The design of a garden bench is not as complicated as it might seem to many at first glance. The design can in the blink of an eye turn from an ordinary-looking bench into a comfortable table of considerable size, which has two benches on the sides. And after use, you can return the furniture to its original position with a slight movement of your hand. The main thing in such a structure is the moving parts, the mechanism and their strong fastening.
Folding version with 2 benches 
Folding option
Types of transforming benches
Each owner selects a type of bench for himself: some need the bench to accommodate 3 or more people, while for others it is enough to organize a small table and 2 seats that look like a chair. There are a lot of options for assembling the structure, but below we will highlight several classic types:
- Bench-table with benches. This type of transformer in a matter of seconds turns from one bench into a complex of a table and two benches that can accommodate a total of 5-6 people. It is the most common today, as it takes up little space and allows you to accommodate a large number of guests.
- Designer bench. Compared to the previous one, this option is more modest. When dismantled, the structure can serve as a bench that can accommodate many guests. When there are no guests, the bench can be turned into two seats (with armrests or not - whatever you want) and a table between them. On the table, in turn, you can place a laptop, books or other items. This design is functional and very convenient.
- Folding flower bench. This type of design is very similar to the previous one, but it has its own characteristics. Externally, the bench resembles a piano, only instead of keys on the seat there are recesses and cells into which the back parts are inserted. Many people associate such a bench with a blooming flower, which is why it has just such a name. When folded, the structure is a sofa that can be easily transported to any place. All you have to do is open the “petals” of the bench, and you can enjoy a pleasant and comfortable rest on a comfortable bench. The main feature of the “flower” is the ability to move the backrest elements as you please.
Classic bench with benches 
Transformable bench with benches 
Bright colors of the flower bench 
This bench opens up like a flower in the morning 
Bench-flower 
Constructor bench with a table in the middle 
Constructor bench
Functionality and convenience
A multifunctional transformable garden bench is a piece of furniture that can be used as a table and as a bench, which makes it possible to save space on the site. The design will become an indispensable assistant at the dacha, where guests are always present.
It’s not for nothing that the popular transforming bench is so widespread among summer residents and garden owners - it has a lot of advantages that set it apart from other similar elements of garden furniture.
Advantages:
- Multifunctionality. The transformation of a bench into a table with benches occurs in a matter of seconds through simple manipulations.
- Convenience. The structure is convenient to transport from place to place, as it easily folds and unfolds.
- Space saving. The bench does not take up much space, which makes it compact and practical to use.
- Durability. The right material will ensure a long life for the bench.
- A simple mechanism. Even a child can handle the folding mechanism.
Preparing to create a bench-table
Selecting the optimal material for manufacturing
An element of furniture such as a transforming bench can be purchased at any hardware store, but you will agree that it is much more pleasant to accommodate guests and relax comfortably on a product of your own making, because it is not only a beautiful design, but also a source of pride for you. However, before you start working directly, you must definitely decide on the material from which the bench will be made.
As a rule, wooden materials are used to construct a high-quality bench. Moreover, in addition to natural wood, plywood or PVC can be used. Undoubtedly, the first option will be more expensive, but, as a result, it will serve you not for 3-4 years, but for about 35-40 years. In addition, wood has a number of advantages.
Advantages:
- Environmentally friendly material;
- Safety;
- Long service life.
An important note to pay attention to when using wood: Before use, be sure to coat the bench with an antifungal agent and also paint it with varnish. This will be an excellent prevention of rot.
Convenient option 
Wood is a safe material 
Environmentally friendly material - natural wood
Project drawing
In order for the design to be of high quality and convenient, it is recommended to make a drawing. If for some reason you do not have the opportunity to do it, then a ready-made circuit would be an excellent solution. When drawing up a drawing or selecting it from the Internet, you should follow 4 conditions:
- The image of the final structure should be firmly fixed in your head. You can't miss it during construction.
- The dimensions of the future transforming bench must correspond to the area where the structure will ultimately be located.
- It is recommended to compare the entire progress of work with the drawing, so it must be clear and of high quality (in the case of printing a photograph from the Internet).
- At the very beginning, you should calculate and record the dimensions of the moving parts, which will subsequently be firmly fixed to each other.
Below is one of the drawing options on which further work will take place:
Tools and materials
To create a transforming bench we will need the following tools:
- Hacksaw;
- Roulette;
- Sandpaper;
- Chisel;
- Drill;
- Bolts with nuts.
Materials The ones we will use during construction are listed below:
- Wooden beams;
- Edged boards;
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
- We start by making parts that will later act as the legs of the structure: to do this, we cut out 8 similar sections 70 centimeters long.
- We make cuts on the sections above and below at an angle of 10 degrees. This ensures your bench is balanced when installed on an incline.
- Then we make frames for two benches from edged boards: we cut out 4 elements, the length of which is 40 centimeters and 4 segments 170 centimeters long.
- Now we cut the corners on all the parts from step 3 so that we can make two oblong rectangles.
- Connecting rectangles. It is recommended to use screws or nails for this. Important! If you decide to use option 1, you first need to drill a hole.
- Let's start creating reinforcing elements in the frame. These parts will finally form the seat. This is where we need timber: it should be nailed at a distance of 50 centimeters from each other. Due to this, the structure will be reliably protected from lateral deformation.
- We attach the legs to the structure: to do this, 12 centimeters from the corners, we attach them to the seat using 2-3 bolts (must pass through the beam and part of the legs at the same time) so that they are firmly secured. It is also recommended to make grooves in the timber to cover the bolt heads, and remove excess under the nut using a hacksaw.
- We make a rectangle from timber that exactly matches the length of the benches - 70x170 centimeters. From the inside, the part is connected by additional stiffening elements. This rectangle will subsequently serve as a backrest or a table (depending on what position you give it).
- All that remains is to form a common structure from all the elements. Important! Since you will have to work with large parts, it is advisable to call an assistant rather than perform the manipulations yourself. We cut 2 beams 50 centimeters long and place them between the bench and a large shield. We fix them at the bottom of the shield, but on the side of the bench.
- We cut out 2 bars again, only this time 110 centimeters long. The bars are fixed on another bench in the center. This is done to make docking more convenient.
- The final stage of the technical side is the cladding. We cover the outside of the transforming bench with either laminated chipboard or edged boards.
Finishing
Since the structure can be located both in the house and on the site, it can be covered in various ways.
The do-it-yourself transforming bench has different drawings. Before preparing a design diagram, it is recommended to determine its parameters. If necessary, you can create a transforming table from the bench.
A transformable bench significantly saves space on the site and can be either a table or a bench.
Preparatory work
To make a bench you will need: edged board, timber, hacksaw, tape measure, chisel, sandpaper, drill, bolts. It is first recommended to prepare 8 legs 70 cm long. Oblique cuts are made at the top and bottom of the elements.
Then the frame is made from edged boards. To do this, you will need to prepare 4 segments of 40 and 170 cm. The resulting parts are connected into a rectangle. To make the seat, reinforcing elements are made in the frame of the previous design. To do this, use a wooden beam, which must be nailed in increments of 50 cm.
Then the legs are attached to the seat, making a diagonal indent of 10 cm from the corners. The transforming bench is equipped with a backrest, for the manufacture of which a beam with a cross-section of 70x170 cm is used. The resulting 3 structures are combined into one system. A folding bench is assembled with your own hands on the floor. To do this, use hinges or ordinary bolts.
Between the bench and the large shield, 2 bars of length 40 cm and 110 cm are attached. The bench is sheathed with timber or laminated chipboard. The resulting product is coated with stain and varnish, or waterproof paint.
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Additional technique
To make a transforming bench, consisting of two benches of different widths and a table, you will need to prepare a drawing. The first bench is made from a board 20 mm thick. The dimensions of the bench are 118x25 cm.
Furniture legs are made from two planks measuring 37x11 cm and two planks measuring 34x11 cm. The resulting elements are connected to each other with metal plates and self-tapping screws. The height of the legs should be 45 cm and the width should be 37 cm. The straps for the seat are screwed to the legs using self-tapping screws. The holes are pre-prepared. The resulting structure is strengthened from below with spacers.
The next step is to make the second bench. Its width is 109 and its length is 22 cm. The legs of the bench are made of bars with a cross-section of 40x40 mm. A board is attached to beams 22 cm long. To do this, use wooden dowels, wood glue and self-tapping screws. Similar steps are performed with the second board. The legs of the bench are used to form the letter “A”. Two boards are screwed to the resulting structure so that they are flush with the timber. The width of the second bench should be 109 cm. The seat is reinforced with spacers.
The next step is to check that the furniture is assembled correctly. To do this, its elements are connected to each other. They should be at the same height, forming a sofa of four boards.
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Manufacturing of components
To make a tabletop, you will need 5 tesins measuring 126x57 cm. The elements are sanded and connected to each other by two planks 8 cm wide. Tabletop boards are placed on the edge of the planks. In this case, it is necessary to maintain a step of 4 cm from the edge. The elements are secured with self-tapping screws.
The tabletop is then screwed to the bench. To do this, use 2 boards measuring 4x10 cm. On the 1st side of the stop, a cut is made at an angle of 115 degrees. Having made an indentation of 14 cm from the edge of the tabletop, attach the stops.
Holes with a diameter of 7 mm are made in the support of the back and legs. The structure is assembled with furniture bolts. Washers are installed between the stops. The next step is to check the correct installation of the backrest-tabletop. To do this, you will need to open it and secure it with a stick. If all the elements open and close, then the benches are connected to each other.
To make armrests, use 2 planks measuring 8x22 cm and 4 planks measuring 6x27 cm. To fix the elements, it is recommended to use wooden dowels and wood glue. The armrests are attached to the bench. To make a lever, use a piece of wood measuring 88x6 cm. The workpiece is connected to the bench using nuts and furniture screws. The lever is connected to the armrest using self-tapping screws. If the transforming bench is made correctly, you will get a table with two benches that rest on the armrests.
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Conclusion on the topic
Before making furniture, it is recommended to prepare a drawing. Experts advise using a graphics program or graph paper. The main function of the manufactured furniture is to transform a bench with a back into 2 benches and a table. In the first case, the furniture is assembled, and in the second - unfolded.
The next stage is the purchase of material - planed boards measuring 35x120x6000 mm. The material is sawn to width taking into account the size of the benches. The tabletop and seats are made of boards 120 mm wide. The rest of the material is dissolved into 50 mm slats. The resulting strips can be used to connect the table and benches.
If the resulting product will be installed in an open area, it is treated with a special anti-corrosion agent. Otherwise, the transforming bench is covered with varnish or paint.
Anything done independently is always interesting and enjoyable. In addition, “homemade products” provide the opportunity for flights of fancy and the realization of the most daring ideas. There is especially a lot of room for creativity for those who have a summer cottage at their disposal.
“Homemade products” provide the opportunity for flights of fancy and the realization of the most daring ideas.
One of the wonders of home craftsmanship is a transformable table and bench, which you can make with your own hands according to ready-made drawings or drawn yourself. In this case, it is best to use graph paper: on it the diagram of such an unusual product will be made most accurately.
One of the wonders of home craftsmanship is the transformable table and bench.
Depending on ideas about the capabilities of the transformer, drawings are made; When preparing them, all the advantages that this product will provide are taken into account:
- it is compact and takes up minimal space, which will be an additional advantage in small areas;
- it can be moved to any point without any problems;
- universal in use, as it turns into a kit for wide use.
The transformer can be equipped with one or two benches, with or without backs and armrests. Their sizes will also be determined by the home master, based on the needs of the family and his own creative vision.
It is best to use graph paper: on it the diagram of such an unusual product will be made most accurately.
To make the product strong and durable, you need to choose the right lumber.
To work you will need:
- edged boards;
- wooden beam.
The product is compact and takes up minimal space, which will be an additional advantage in small areas.
At the same time, experienced owners claim that beech, ash, oak or birch wood would be suitable. You can also use pine, but you will have to choose very carefully, avoiding blanks that have a lot of knots.
Prepare your tools
Universal in use, as it turns into a kit for wide use.
In order for things to move without stopping, and time to be spent as efficiently as possible, it is important to prepare the tools, not forgetting any little thing:
- tabletop cross-cutting machine: will greatly facilitate the work; You can perform operations manually with a fine-toothed hacksaw, and use a protractor to apply markings;
- electric drill and drills;
- plane or milling machine for chamfering;
- Phillips screwdriver;
- small sanding unit or block with sandpaper;
- rasp.
The transformer can be equipped with one or two benches, with or without backs and armrests.
Manufacturing process: step-by-step instructions
To ensure that all parts of the product are at hand, craftsmen recommend that before starting work on the drawing , where its elements are indicated, immediately prepare the legs (8 pieces) up to 70 cm long, making oblique cuts on them at the bottom and top.
The strength and durability of operation depends on the accuracy and consistency of execution.
The next step will be making the countertop. You will need five boards with the dimensions specified in the drawing .
They need to be sanded and connected with strips eight centimeters wide. Two connecting parts are enough.
Connect everything with self-tapping screws.
When will the bench be ready? , the tabletop is screwed to it.
To ensure that all parts of the product are at hand, craftsmen recommend that before starting work, use the drawing, where its elements are indicated.
If a design with two seats is proposed, you can begin manufacturing the first one; its value depends on the general parameters of the product; according to the drawing, it is made of boards (1-2 pcs.); their number correlates with the width of the bench.
- The seats are screwed to the legs;
- They are reinforced from below with spacers.
The next step will be making the countertop.
The second bench is made similarly:
- the legs are made from 40x40 bars; they are attached to the seat in the shape of the letter “A”;
- parts of the bench are connected with timber, strengthened for strength with wood glue and self-tapping screws;
- if it is assumed that a backrest will be attached to the bench, it is made of boards, reinforced with bars, spacers, wood glue and self-tapping screws.
The next step is assembling the prepared parts of the product.
The next step is assembling the prepared parts of the product. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you need to assemble a transforming table by connecting the elements one by one and checking the drawing.
The design idea can expand widely when it comes time to decorate; the backs of benches and seats are especially convenient for this.
A nuance that attracts attention is maintaining the same height of the parts. If everything is done correctly, in accordance with the drawing, after finishing the work you will see a lovely sofa.
If everything is done correctly, in accordance with the drawing, after finishing the work you will see a lovely sofa.
The backrest needs to be securely strengthened; To do this, holes are drilled at the joints into which furniture bolts are screwed.
Then check the correct manufacturing and strengthening of the backrest-tabletop . A simple reliable way to check is to open and fix it using a regular stick.
Then check the correct manufacturing and strengthening of the backrest-tabletop.
They are fixed with wooden dowels or glued with wood PVA.
For complete convenience and comfort, you can install armrests. To make them you need:
- two boards for stands;
- four - for fastening to the seat.
If everything opens and closes smoothly, without much effort, the benches are connected to each other.
They are fixed with wooden dowels or glued with wood PVA. To complete this part of the work, you need to make a kind of lever that allows you to freely fold and unfold the transformer .
Additionally, PVA glue and wood screws may be useful.
If the calculations are done correctly and the parts are connected correctly, you will get a wonderful table with two attached seats that is easy to disassemble and assemble.
You will need a beam secured with furniture screws and nuts, and it is connected to the armrest with self-tapping screws.
Decoration
If it is expected that the transformable table or bench will be located outdoors, it is worth painting and varnishing to increase strength and longer service.
The design idea can expand widely when it comes time to decorate; the backs of benches and seats are especially convenient for this. They can be decorated:
- drawings made with colored acrylic paints and varnish;
- decoupage paintings;
- cute figures of funny animals, applied with an electric burner;
- use a jigsaw to cut out a beautiful floral ornament or figurines of heroes from your favorite fairy tales; attach them with glue and self-tapping screws to the backs.
In order for business to move without stopping, and time to be spent as efficiently as possible, it is important to prepare the tools.
There are many ways to make a homemade design incredibly attractive and original: it all depends on desire and effort, and success will definitely come!
Experienced owners say that beech, ash, oak or birch wood would be suitable.
VIDEO: How to make a transforming table with your own hands
Benches and benches in the country house and in the garden are primarily a place of relaxation. But just putting up a bench is not interesting. After all, you can create a beautiful corner. To not just relax, but to enjoy nature and the fruits of your labor. There are many interesting ideas. Moreover, they often play out the simplest designs, such that these benches can be made with their own hands by any person whose arms grow from their shoulders.
Photos of original benches (ideas for cottages and gardens)
Everyone knows what ordinary benches look like—they’ve seen them more than once. But I don’t want the usual one - the simplest one. Especially if you have already started the process of decorating the site or are just planning it. Why not start from the bench? And then other decorations will follow. You just have to start.
In the garden or near the house I want to have more greenery: beautiful and different flowers. - that's good, but why not combine them with a bench.
What could be simpler? Two wooden boxes in which flowers are planted and between them a couple of planed and sanded boards. This bench can be placed near the wall, and a couple of long boards can be placed on the wall to create a backrest.
Not everyone likes flower beds made of wood: wood requires maintenance, and without it it quickly loses its appearance. It is especially difficult to care for a tree that is in contact with the soil. Instead of wooden boxes there may be, for example, stone or concrete cabinets.
It’s very easy to make such a bench at the dacha with your own hands. You can find ready-made concrete flower beds or do something similar. You can buy a processed board, or you can do it yourself. Instead of a board, there can be half a log - depending on the style of the site. It is easier to secure the seat using a metal corner. It is attached to concrete using dowels, to wood - with self-tapping screws from below or through bolts.
If someone has large plants in durable flowerpots, you can implement the following idea. In this option, the bench covers the plants. To avoid surprises, flowerpots must be very durable...
There is a similar version of a bench made of boards and without plants: it may need to be placed on or in. The supports are made of boards of the same size, and the seat is made of timber.
Bench made of boards - a non-standard option
And more variations on the same theme: hollow building blocks are used as support. Treated bars are inserted into the holes. This is the seat of the bench. Just round the edges of the beam, or it will be uncomfortable to sit.
For this garden bench, it is advisable to find large blocks with thick walls. If not, you need to securely fasten the blocks to one another. The whole task is to first secure the blocks (for example, with pins), and then attach the bars to them (with bolts or dowels).
Log benches
If your site is decorated in a rustic or ethno style, the standard approach will not suit you. It is best to use logs in this case - with or without bark - it’s your choice.
The seat for the bench is made of logs - a trunk of large or medium diameter sawn lengthwise. The back is either a smaller diameter trunk, or simply a cut closer to the edge. The legs can also be made from narrow pieces of logs (look at the photo below).
Log bench - quick and easy
The legs and seats are connected to each other with metal pins: a hole of slightly smaller diameter is drilled under the pin in both parts. The pin is driven into one of them, the second part is pushed in and is also driven in, but this time they hit the wood rather than the pin. To avoid leaving traces, lay a piece of unnecessary board and hit it with a hammer (or sledgehammer). Such a connection should be quite reliable, but to be sure, you can install two or three pins, or you can cut a little log, making a flat area of the same size on both parts being connected. By increasing the support area, you will increase the reliability of the seat fastening: after all, the log weighs a lot.
Bench option without backrest
Another interesting option in the “ethno” style is presented in the photo above. It is made in stone, but this bench can also be made from logs. The seat is a very thick board, the legs are a large part of a large diameter deck. A groove is cut in the deck for laying the seat. If you have a tool (you can make a cut with an axe, grinder or chainsaw), it’s easy to do.
Often in the countryside a work desk is needed. From a log you can make not only a bench, but also a table. A version of such an ensemble is shown in the photo. Only the tabletop is made of boards, all other parts are logs of different diameters or from halves.
A greater degree of processing is inherent in the next bench in the same style. The back, legs, and armrests are made of thick and not very thick branches, the seat is made of sanded and treated (barked and sanded) unedged boards.
The other bench was made almost the same way. Only the boards and branches are located in a different direction and the result is a different look. A DIY bench of this type does not require much skill. In this case, the more careless the work, the more decorative the result.
Wicker back - not often seen
You can make a rest area and a bench around the tree. The designs are simple, making the flooring is generally easy.
You can also supplement your recreation group. And above the bench you can put it - this is the “progenitor” of the usual arch - one of the types of light gazebo. And to make the relaxation completely complete, you can do, or.
Made of metal and wood
Few people will install completely metal benches in their dacha. They, of course, can be very beautiful, but in the summer they heat up to incredible temperatures, and when it gets a little colder, you can’t sit on them because they are too cold. Benches made of metal and wood do not have these disadvantages. The legs and supporting structure are made of metal, and the seat and back (if any) are made of wood. Moreover, there are also interesting shops in modern design.
Rectangles are welded from the profile, jumpers are welded to the side walls, on which the seat boards rest. Simple, stylish, reliable, functional.
In a more advanced form - with armrests, a backrest, soft cushions on the seat, such a design may look like in the photo. The wide seat turns the bench into a sofa, and cushions - fabric-covered furniture foam - add comfort. The tables are made in the same style - a frame made of corrugated pipe and a tabletop made of boards.
One important point: if you make a seat or tabletop from several adjacent elements, they do not need to be butted end to end. There should be a gap of 3-4 mm between adjacent boards/bars. The wood swells and shrinks. In order for the surface to remain relatively flat during these processes, a gap is required.
If smoother lines are needed - for families with children - you can bend the pipes and make garden benches and a table with rounded edges. This garden furniture is completely safe. An ordinary round or corrugated pipe is bent, leaving the sides in the shape of the letter “P” with a wide back. The length of this backrest is the length of the bench. For the table, the dimensions are made a little larger: the legs and back are longer.
Make two identical blanks for the table and bench. Next, cut the boards to equal lengths. For the seat, about 40 cm, for the tabletop, at least 55 cm. Fasten to the pipes with furniture bolts with a flat head. To prevent the caps from sticking out, drill a hole of a slightly larger diameter under them.
Benches made of boards
The largest group is benches and benches made of boards. There are designs that are more reminiscent of sofas, especially if you put soft pillows on them - and you can lie down.
Garden furniture in a modern style is easy to assemble: rectangles with partitions made of thinner boards, connected to each other.
Even the usual design of a country bench can become exclusive if you approach it with imagination: instead of legs and armrests, wooden wheels are used. The result is a designer item.
A bench made of boards with a back and wheels instead of sides - looks interesting
And the simplest possible is a board with legs in the shape of the letter “X”. Such shops were built centuries ago, and you can still see them today.
From the boards you can make a bench in a modern style: in the shape of the letter “P”. With this design, the main task is to ensure rigid fixation of the legs and seat: the pushing forces are not compensated for in any way. In this case, it is important to take a thick board or timber so that it does not sag. You can place the board “on edge”: this way the rigidity will be greater. To increase reliability, you can install corners from below.
The photo shows an option with a 45° cut. Having a miter box or a circular saw makes it easy to achieve an accurate cut. By accurately joining the workpieces and fastening them, we obtain an angle of 90°. If the seat does not sag, it will last a long time...
An interesting and reliable version of the bench is shown in the photo below. The legs are assembled from boards of different lengths: each second is shorter by the width of the board for the seat. Interesting idea. It is easy to make such a bench: it is important to maintain the dimensions, and everything is connected very simply: with nails into the face of the seat.
Original benches
It seems like there’s more that can be thought of... but it turns out there’s a lot. For example, attach the seat to a large stone.
Make a structure from bamboo trunks.
Or a stone.
Sitting in winter will be unpleasant, but beautiful...
How to make a bench: photo reports
We won’t make benches out of stone—not everyone has the equipment, but we can make them out of different pieces of wood. Let's talk about making simple but unusual designs. So that a handmade bench can be a source of pride.
Bench without back
The design is simple, but looks interesting due to the specific material. For the legs, timber with rounded edges was used. If you have small logs, you can trim them on the sides. You'll get almost the same effect. THIS material is not so rare; the legs are assembled from it in an unusual way: the bars are laid flat on top of each other. This adds zest and appeal.
This bench without a back has a length of about 120 cm, a width of about 45 cm, and a height of 38 cm. You can round the edges of the beam using a cutter, or you can find a similar profiled one. It costs more, but it will be easier to work with: it is already well processed and is easy to connect.
Depending on the found cross-section of the timber, calculate the length you will need. Determine how many bars will have to be stacked one on top of the other to get the required height. In this case, 5 bars were used for one leg. Total 45 cm * 5 pieces - 2.25 m. Two legs required 4.5 m of timber. A board 40 mm thick and 90 mm wide was used on the seat. For the seat you need 5 boards 1.5 meters long. It turned out 1.2 m * 5 pieces = 6 m.
First we cut and process the boards for the seat. Their edges must be rounded. If you don’t have a sanding machine or a router, you will have to work with sandpaper, but you can find such a board or arrange at a sawmill to have it processed and sanded for you: it will be much less work. So, we cut the boards to the same length, sand them and varnish them (with or without tinting - your choice).
Place the bars for the legs one next to the other, aligning their edges. Using a square and a pencil, draw lines where the fasteners will be placed. The distance between the lines is 7-10 cm.
You can take metal pins, or you can make dowels - carved from wood. Holes slightly smaller in diameter are drilled for them; the depth of the hole is half the length of the pin. Then they are hammered into one part, and a second part is inserted into the same hole on top. The connection is reliable, but to be sure, you can add glue, although then the structure will turn out to be one-piece.
With a pin connection, the main task is to make the holes strictly one above the other so that the parts mounted on the pin give a smooth edge. We've done part of the work - we've drawn lines where we'll drill, now we need to measure the same distance from the edge. For this we will create a template. We take a piece of plank about 1.5 cm wide. We will drill holes at this distance from the edge of the bars. Having placed it exactly along the edge, we mark the places of intersection with the drawn perpendicular lines.
We will install the pins in a checkerboard pattern, so we will drill holes through one intersection. We also make holes on one block from different sides in a checkerboard pattern. In a similar way, using pins, the legs are connected to the seat: two pins for each plank.
Technologically, this type of connection is correct, but it is complex and requires a certain skill. It could be easier. Place all the bars one on top of the other, secure with clamps, drill through in two or three sets - in the center and along the edges, connect with a long pin, with washers placed under the head and nut. You can nail the seat strip legs to the legs assembled in this way with nails from above or try to make a pin connection.
The bench was made by hand. Finishing work remains
If you nailed the seat, take some wood mastic of a suitable color, add some very fine sawdust and stir. Apply this mixture to the joints. When dry, smooth it with sandpaper. Sand all parts smooth and coat with varnish or wood paints for exterior use (preferably not covering ones, but those that leave the wood texture visible).
Read how and with what you can paint wood. It talks about lining, but the painting techniques remain the same, and the compositions must be taken for external use.
DIY bench made from broken chairs
In any household you can find two old chairs. They should be the same and still strong enough. We disassemble the chairs, leaving the part with the back and legs. We connect the two backs using bars of a suitable cross-section.
For greater rigidity at the bottom, at a distance of about 20 cm from the floor, where previously the chairs also had jumpers, we make another frame with transverse crossbars. It can be used as a footstool or to store some things.
After sanding, we paint the resulting structure. This time the paint should be ordinary: different types of wood can only be painted over with covering paints. Apply with a brush or from a spray can.
All that's left to do is cut the seat to size from thick plywood (8-10 mm thick) and cover it with foam rubber and fabric.
Garden chair/bench made from pallets
Everything is useful on the farm. Even cargo pallets can be used to make garden furniture. Moreover, there is no need to disassemble them: we use one for a seat, and from the second we will make a backrest. You will only need well-processed planks for the armrests and bars for the legs.
In one of the pallets we strengthen the fastening points by inserting pieces of bars. Having inserted it, we fasten it with self-tapping screws on one side and the other.
From a timber with a cross-section of at least 100*100 mm, we cut four identical sections 80 cm long. We screw them in those places that we have just reinforced. We leave 20-25 cm on the legs. We fasten with four long screws - 150 mm and no shorter.
It is important to maintain verticality and leave the same distance on the legs. Then the seat will be level. If there are errors in height, you can try to file it down, but then you will have to cut it from the top too - so that the armrests are even. So try to screw it straight. Deviations from the vertical can only be dealt with by screwing the leg back on.
We attach a second pallet to the rear posts, and boards for armrests on the sides.
All that remains is to cut out a piece of furniture foam rubber and cover it with fabric. You can also make pillows for the back. If you are not going to process everything thoroughly, but make a loft-style chair, use sandpaper or a sander, sanding all surfaces until smooth. You can coat it with paint, giving the wood a dark color.
Drawings of wooden benches
Video lessons
Several videos on how to make benches with your own hands.