Craft Wood Bench Furniture for the Patio

Making your own backyard wood bench furniture is a wonderful way to start out the summer. This is a great family project as the weather warms up, making it possible to spend weekend afternoons outside.

Recommended Woods

Pressure treated wood is preferred when building backyard patio furniture, like chairs and benches. Pine is inexpensive and easy to obtain at almost any home improvement center. Other recommendations include redwood, cedar and even eucalyptus. Almost any hardwood is appropriate for patio furniture, but make sure that you seal it once you have finished construction to protect against water damage and insects.

Here are simple instructions for a simple outdoor patio wood bench.

Tools and Materials Needed:

• 3 Inch and 1 Inch Galvanized Deck Screws
• 4 L-Brackets
• Pressure Treated Wood
• 3 36 inch long 6x4 pieces (seat)
• 3 17 inch long 4x2 pieces (seat support)
• 4 18 inch long 6x4 pieces (legs)
• Ratchet Bolt Wrench
• Wood Sealer
• Sand Paper

Step 1-Build the Seat

Start by making the seat. Place the 3 36 inch long 6x4 pieces of wood stacked against each other, ends flush and almost touching with a small gap  between each board.

Step 2-Build Seat Supports

Take the 3 17 inch 4x2 pieces and lay one in the center of the seat boards, perpendicular to the boards, and one at each end, approximately half way between the center piece and the end of the seat boards.  These are the seat supports.

Step 3-Attach the Seat Supports

Attach the supports to the seat with deck screws, spaced every 2 inches, with a power drill.

Step 4-Attach Brackets

Attach L-bracket on each corner with 1 inch deck screws.

Step 5-Attach Wood to Bracket

Attach one of the 18 inch 4x6 pieces of wood against each L-bracket.

Step 6-Sand the Wood

Carefully sand the ends of the seat boards to remove any splinters or rough edges that might snag against the skin of those using the bench.

Step 7-Paint the Wood

Spray or paint the bottom, seat and legs of your bench with wood sealer.

Once you have finished your first backyard furniture project, you can tackle others throughout the summer months. Working on building backyard furniture is a great way to save money and have activities that the entire family can participate in putting together.