Building a Deck Bench

When you have a barbecue or just invite some friends over for drinks, deck is the ideal place for you to host these get-togethers. But what if you have called a lot of people over for a party and you suddenly realize that there is not enough room on your deck to hold these people? You also realize that by adding a few chairs, your problem is not going to be solved as there will hardly be any place for you all to move. There will also be limited space for you to serve the food. Besides, the chairs in your house won't match with your deck design. Now what? Either you buy patio furniture or you think of building yourself a deck bench. Of the above two alternatives, building a deck bench can be a good option as it is not only easy to do so yourself, but also it will save you space, time and money. How? Let's find out.

Before building furniture for your deck, there are a few things that need to be considered. You could have a backless deck bench or you could have a deck bench with a back, so that it acts as a railing to your deck; a great deck railing idea by the way. If you already have a rail, you will want built-in benches. Furthermore, based on your interior designing, decide if you want the benches to be built from bricks or from wood. Consult an interior decorator if you are too confused.

After you make the above decisions, there are certain other things to do before building a deck bench.

1. Make a list of the things and tools that you will need to make the benches, like measuring tape, circular saw, lumber, hammer, power drill, galvanized deck screws, nails, bolts and bench brackets.
2. Next, go to the hardware store and get all the tools and from a lumber shop, buy the wood like teak for teak furniture or wicker for wicker furniture, according to your taste. Chose the wood to match your deck.
3. Decide the measurements of your benches based on the space available on your deck.

Decide where do you want the deck benches to be and draw up the bench on deck building plans, accordingly. Either look up on the internet for a bench plan or make one of your own. Now that you have all the required materials with you and your bench plan is ready, let us look at how to build deck seating.

Frame and Seat
Cut the frame and seats according to your measurements, from the lumber that you have bought. On the basis of your home decorating theme, you can create your own deck bench design. While making the seat, it is ideal to make it with more than two planks. Keep some distance between the planks. This distance will not allow accumulation of water on the seat and will also help in keeping the seat cool.

Frame Assembly
Decide where you want the deck benches based on your deck railing design. First, drill in some holes in the ground to fix the legs or support for the benches. Screw the seat on the legs. Seal with the help of the wood glue. Next assemble the back on the seat. Keep the back a little tilted if you intend on relaxing on the bench. Next comes the assembly of the hands on the bench. Your bench is ready. Repeat this process with all the other benches on your deck. Remember to seal with wood glue and use bolts and screws of good quality.

Plywood
Get the plywood sheet of your choice. Cut out the sheet in the shapes and dimensions required and paste them on the benches. Sand the seat and the back to get rid of all the rough edges. The next procedure is to paint it according to the porch decor. You can stain it to match the wood flooring color. Your simple deck bench is ready to be used.

So, isn't building benches for your deck easy, fun and economical? You could make this into a family project or could invite a few friends over to help you make your deck a cool deck by building a deck bench. Enjoy your party and all the compliments of your guests!