Garden Bench Replacement

[T i m]

Interesting. I have such a pair of cast iron ends and was wondering what to replace the wood between them with. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[F]

One of the benches we have is like this. I might just try to find some larch if i's going to last and be maintenance free.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

A plastic one? Sadly a traditional wood one will need constant maintenance to keep it clean and looking as new.

[ss]

The leg timbers are 72mm, were 3x3x fence posts. The angle is 101°

[Bob Eager]

Ours gets used all year round (members of the family not allowed to smoke indoors).

[T i m]

If I was to get the chance, would you *want* some printed spacer / feet and if so, how thick (high) would you want them, how much smaller (if any) than the size of the leg and what colour (I have a fair range but not all)?

I was thinking 4 recessed screw holes going up from underneath, set in from the edge somewhat (especially those at the outside of the slopes / feet).

Cheers, T i m

[John Rumm]

Yup larch is good... don't know what its like pricewise at the mo. The main problem with cedar I find is its usually even more expensive than oak!

[John Rumm]

I was toying with the idea of doing an Adirondak type of bench...

I did a prototype of a chair a couple of years ago:

perhaps something wider with a pair of individual seats, and perhaps central arms joined by a small inset table...

[mechanic]

Our local authority uses these - iroko timber slats and cast iron ends. Cost a bit but durable.

[Andrew]

Just hammer a well-galvanised fencing staple into the centre of each leg so that it stays about 5 mm proud and dip the bottoms of the legs into old fashioned creosote, or get some end-grain sealer and use that if creosote cannot be sourced. Trouble is even end-grain sealer seems to have gone water-based since VOC2010, so cannot penetrate hard or resinous wood.

[Andrew]

In the typical wet, damp, humid, drizzly 6 months from October to April weather that much of the UK suffers from, few species of timber last well when unprotected end-grain is in contact with the ground.

Treat your garden furniture like frost-sensitive plants and move indoors for the winter. At the very least cover with a piece of epdm pond liner or similar and raise legs off the ground.

[Brian Reay]

Standing the legs (well the ends) is lids filled with teak (or similar) oil for a few hours helps prevent problems.

[ss]

Not having thought about it before I would have thought maybe max 1cm high, guessing at maybe a couple mm smaller all round (4 sides)to allow for any variation in wood thickness. Colour in preference order rosewood (the colour of the stain), brown, black. At the end of the day I can paint to colour if necessary.

[T i m]

Sounds about right.

That's what I was thinking.

I deffo have black and I'll see if I have a brown.

I'm not sure how well PLA takes paint but you could give it a go etc.

The printer isn't out ATM and I'll need to get myself back up to speed on Sketchup but it should be done before the winter. ;-)

(Unless anyone fancies doing the design bit and sending me the file to print? 70 x 70 x 10h at 101 deg (to follow the line of the legs) with

4 recessed countersunk holes to allow for 4 small ss screws to hold it to the leg?).

Cheers, T i m

[dennis]

I think you will find it hard to find garden furniture with much of a guarantee.

Maybe if you pay twice the price.

Anyway mine is more than two years old and looks the same as when I got it despite it being exposed to sun and rain all year round.

You can buy the "wood" if you want and build your own design, you are supposed to be able to use wood working tools.

[T i m]

uPVC windows come with a fair guarantee so just because it's plastic doesn't mean it can't be done?

4 years guarantee. ;-)

Quite, that's why I was surprised they didn't offer a better guarantee, giving the whole remit is how much longer it might last and without the need of treatment?

Do you think two seater bench sized battens would be stiff enough?

Cheers, T i m

[Harry Bloomfield]

ss laid this down on his screen :

Trying not to be critical, but opportunities to collect water between these feet and the legs, need to be minimised. The parts would need to also penetrate deep into the leg, to spread the loading should the bench be dragged across a hard surface.

[ARW]

I found mine in a pub beer garden:-)

[T i m]

Isn't that part of the idea of lifting them off the floor?

They could be perforated or printed in the form of a hollow cross )to minimise the contact between the top of the foot and the bottom of the lag) depending on what surface it was predicted too stand on.

If it's anchored using 4 reasonable spec ss screws I don't think it would be any more vulnerable than the ends of the legs themselves (splitting etc) without the feet? Or a larger bolt in the middle and a couple of screws to stop the foot revolving?

What would be stronger is if the leg sat in a lip round the foot but that would be even worse from a water ingress POV.

Nothing stopping the OP from bedding the foot on a sealant 'frame' (leaving the middle free to vent)?

Cheers, T i m

[ss]

No rush this end, just give me a shout when you are good to go.