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Thread: Outdoor Bench

  1. #1

    Outdoor Bench

    My wife requested a small bench for her garden, so of course it was time to build one. Gotta make sure I earn that chocolate/banana bread that she has perfected. My style is clean and contemporary, so I designed this bench in Sketchup based roughly on an online image of an indoor bench. I used kiln dried redwood from Lowes, and by buying some extra was able to cut around most of the knots and imperfections.


    I started with the top, and wanted to keep the gap spacing as consistent as possible while the bench is exposed to the elements. My solution was using splines between the 3 top pieces. This also made the top one solid unit which helped when making the mortises for the legs. The mortises were cut with a router and cleaned up with a chisel.


    The legs were glued up and planed to proper width, and then the tenons were cut on the table saw. I wanted the top to have a floating appearance, so the tenons were cut 1/4” longer than the depth of the mortises.


    I added a stretcher for stability, and decided to use sliding dovetail joints since I’ve never made this joint before and wanted to learn. As those who have made this joint will know, it’s a bit finicky to achieve a perfect fit.


    I used 2 screws to attach the stretcher to the top, and when combined with the sliding dovetails and Titebond 3 it’s a very solid bench. The screws were countersunk and the holes plugged with redwood plugs and sanded flush. All outside edges got a 3/8” round over. I’m leaving this bench unfinished so it will achieve a nice gray patina over time.


    This might be a bit over-done for outside furniture, but I might want to build this design in the future for an indoor bench using nice hardwoods, so this was somewhat a prototype. Thanks for looking!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2021
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    Mid West and North East USA
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    Really nice, Superchunk is a look I like. No redwood from Lowes for us in the midwest. It is a wonderful wood.
    Last edited by Maurice Mcmurry; 09-06-2022 at 9:10 PM. Reason: caps
    Best Regards, Maurice

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    I really like it inside or out.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    I really like that including the shadow line you created between the seating surface and the support structure. That really takes things to the next level on what would be very ordinary and blocky. Bravo!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Thanks Gentlemen. Jim, that was exactly my thinking when designing this bench. I know that the block style legs are not for everyone, but I like them as long as the end result doesn’t look clunky.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    WNY
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    I'd call it chunky but not clunky. Very well done.

    You lose of wracking resistance with the top floating off the legs, so the stretcher was definitely needed. You might get nearly the same look and more wracking resistance by making the tops of the legs butt up under the seat and only cut away a couple of inches at the front and back to give the floating look.

    John

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