Refurbishing a garden bench - timber and finish?

[Richard D]

The other half has noticed that it's summer. She's also noticed that I've been filling the garage full of woodworking tools recently. Putting two and two together, she now wants me to refurbish our old garden bench.

It's a pretty standard sort of thing - cast iron ends and slats running between them to form the seat and the back. But the slats are in a pretty poor way (as well as being too weedy for the weight of two people, I suspect), so it's time for some new slats.

What should make them from, and what finish should I use?

It's probably worth my pointing out that durability is key, here. I know that if anything needs a fresh coat every year, it won't get done more often than one year in three. I'd rather spend twice as much on a really durable timber than an extra hour or two on annual maintenance.

 

[Chems]

Iroko!

 

[9fingers]

Wot he said!

It will look better kept maintained but it won't rot in a long time.

Bob

 

[Benchwayze]

Richard,
There is a school of thought that believes it's best to leave garden furniture without a finish, and let it grey with age.

I have a teak chair which was treated like that and it's a fantastic colour.
(Of course teak is forever anyway!)

I also have a cast iron B&Q bench, with Iroko seat slats, which again I have allowed to weather. One or two checks, but nothing serious. Both must be at least ten years in my garden. From your description, it's the same model as yours.

HTH

John

 

[Richard D]

Thanks for the advice.

Looking at some online prices, teak's going to cost 4-5 times as much as iroko, so iroko it is.

 

[OPJ]

LarryS did something very similar a couple of years ago. I think he used oak? Though, it might have been iroko...

The best oil I've come across for exterior work is the Osmo UV Oil. Well, I haven't yet used it myself but, Smith & Roger seem very impressed with it (see their blog, here). I've only used yacht varnish and other oils so far (teak, linseed, etc.) and find they're usually beginning to fade after six-months or so.

I did buy a can of the UV oil and I do intend to use it something this summer...!

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks for the advice.

Looking at some online prices, teak's going to cost 4-5 times as much as iroko, so iroko it is.

If you can get genuine, Tectona Grandis you will never need to touch it again, and it will last you out! (Whatever your age.)

Does that make it sound more attractive? Or would it be over-egging the cake?
:wink:

John

 

[Richard D]

Tempting as teak is, the cast iron side pieces just aren't impressive enough to be worth the expense of making the slats from something special.

But if I ever get around to making some garden furniture from scratch, it will be in teak, and copulate expensio, as the Romans might have said.

 

[Benchwayze]

Tempting as teak is, the cast iron side pieces just aren't impressive enough to be worth the expense of making the slats from something special.

But if I ever get around to making some garden furniture from scratch, it will be in teak, and copulate expensio, as the Romans might have said.

Good man! :lol:

And I accept it is a bit pointless to over-egg the pudding. (Did I say cake earlier?) Duhhhhh

John

 

[Digit]

I use Iroko and for the finish I think I've tried them all and have found Boiled Linseed Oil to be the best.

Roy.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I got one from my Mother-in-law she just wanted some one to take it to the tip, so I put new Iroko slats in it, should have seen the look on her face when she saw it, I don't think she will be giving me anything else.

I left them untreated and they are going a nice silvery colour.


Pete

 

[StevieB]

A thread on here a while ago used hardwood decking from B and Q, cut up for slats. Cannot remember who did it but it looked good in the pics......

Steve

 

[milkman]

Oak!

 

[Ironballs]

I've just done the exact same project and gone for western red cedar and no finish, light weight, cheap, smells nice, looks good and is already beginning to get a silvery look

 

[Benchwayze]

Yes.. Oak is good and not that expensive. (I might be tempted to buy a couple of fence posts and use that just for a few slats on a garden bench.

Also agree that Cedar is another good choice, but watch yer bum with splinters!

I think I'd go really cheap, and strip up a 25mm board of WPB ply!

:lol:

John

 

[Richard D]

This project was almost stillborn when one local timber merchant quoted my £92 for the required amount of iroko!

Thankfully my usual haunt (which is more set up to supply local builders, and tends to only have decent hardwood as offcuts from their own workshop) had a chunk of iroko for £24 that was pretty much the ideal size once sawn in half and sawn into planks (they do most of the sawing, too, although I deliberately left myself *something* to do).

I'm just putting a rounded profile on the edges. The Woodrat isn't absolutely ideal for the job, and I'll need to do some sanding to get it looking acceptable, but I can tell already that the bench is going to be unrecognisable in a fortnight. The new slats are so much more substantial than the original ones.

Next step is to find a local shot-blaster and powder-coater to give the cast iron bits a look to match the timber.

 

[Richard D]

The bench went from this:

To this:

The timber has since darkened to a chocolatey brown and started to silver, but then it is outside 24/7. Though I still haven't got around to screwing the top slats into place, and I'll give it a rub down and light oilling in the spring. Should be good for 10-20 years, though.

I might make some "proper" patio furniture this summer.

 

[jimi43]

Nice job indeed!

You can pick up the old Victorian "ends" regularly at bootfairs for next to nothing and a quick rub down...paint with Hammerite and some nice wood will result in a bench which, as you rightly say, will last a very long time.

Satisfying too!

Bloody awful to sit on IMHO though :mrgreen:

Give me one of these any day....

Most comfortable garden seating I have ever restored.

Have fun with your Spring projects...and post some pictures...

You clearly have the eye for quality!

Jim