Selecting Outdoor Benches

Outdoor benches are an excellent way to enhance aneeded stability. Another method is known as mortise
garden, create additional seating in a backyard or addand tenon, which involves a socket and two pieces of
a resting spot for a business. With outdoor benches,projecting wood. Other options for the joints include a
you will discover a huge selection of materials such asdoweled joint where a wood pin fits tightly into a drilled
stone, wood, concrete, brick, etc. Keep in mind that oneout hole, rabbeted and butted joint that has two pieces
type of material is not necessarily better than anotherof wood placed at angles, glued, and stapled, bolted or
with a few exceptions. As an example, if you choosecorner blocked if rigidity is a concern, and finally, the
something like granite, marble, stone, or concrete, theleast expensive method for outdoor bench joints is
seats will be hard so if you are looking to provide awith stapling. The downside to this is that as people sit
comfortable resting area, cushions would be required.down and get up from the outdoor bench, the staples
In addition, some types of wood do better than others.can eventually work free.The second factor for
Teak, redwood, beech, birch, cherry, ash, maple, oak,selecting wooden outdoor benches is the stability and
mahogany, poplar, walnut, pecan, and cedar aresturdiness. Since people of all sizes will be sitting down,
excellent choices for outdoors.Since wood outdooryou obviously want a bench that will accommodate
benches are the most popular, we will address thosevarious weights. To ensure sturdiness, you would need
in particular for this article. First, wood is easy to workto make sure the bench meets certain criteria. If the
with, offers a warm, rich, and inviting appearance, andbench has a back, then the outside posts or rungs on
is very durable. Depending on the design of theeither side will need to go all the way through the
outdoor bench, it may or may not be made with abench seat to the underside, making the posts and
combination of solid wood and veneer. Regardless ofrungs less likely to break. In addition, the legs of the
the type of wood being used, the quality ofoutdoor bench need to be solid and large enough to
construction for the outdoor bench is crucial. First, thehandle weight.One way to tell if the bench is not sturdy
outdoor bench needs to be made using the best jointenough is to sit on it. If you hear a creaking noise, then
method and second, the outdoor bench must be stableyou should be concerned. While sitting, move your
and sturdy.For the joints, manufacturers use a numberweight back and forth a little to see if the bench feels
of methods. The tongue and groove method is verysecure or wobbly.
popular in that it looks nice and neat while providing the