Wood for a garden bench project

[Mike Brady]

I am planning a build of a garden bench and would appreciate suggestions for materials and finish.  The bench is a version of the classic garden bench that was the cover project for WOOD magazine in June of 2006.  I built one at that time using big-box store cedar construction lumber.  It lasted 15 years with sanding and refinishing every few years, but rot finally got to areas that couldn't be refinshed or that trapped moisture; such as in some of the joinery.  Now I want to duplicate that bench, using improved materials and finishes, if available; and taking extra care to seal each joint to infiltration of moisture.  What suggestions would you have for materials, glues, and finishes?

[Woodworm!]

built a chair from redwood in the 70's with my Dad, still has its original oil finish, and looks good, despite the recent gnawing by some animal.

[BrokenOlMarine]

I built a garden bench and table using the leftover salt treated 4x6s, 4x4s, 2x4s, and deck boards from the large decks I built on the house in the mid 90s.  Finish was Thompson's Waterseal. 
  Amazingly, the Bench and Table are solid as rocks.  They still look good, and  I left them with the house when I sold it since they matched the Decks.  

[R Clark]

I just came back in from the shop; I've been sanding and refinishing two adirondack chairs I made in Summer 2007.  They've been outside through midwest seasons and weather since then.  This is their first refinishing job.  They're made of aromatic red cedar, and they are rock solid.  There was nothing special to the joinery:  exterior grade construction screws and Titebond III.  I did counterbore the screws and cap them with plugs.

[Mike Brady]

Looks like I have some alternatives and choices to make.  Very glad to see good results can be had several ways.  For me, in Indiana, my choices could be narrowed by availability.  One tradesman I respect has given me some resources that would likely be better than the big box stores' typical quality.  

I appreciate the feedback.

[jteneyck]

There are more alternatives.  Black Locust, if you can find it, has amazing durability and looks beautiful, too, but it's really heavy.  Spanish cedar is another great choice and is a lot lighter. And of course white oak has great durability.  Sapele is beautiful and very durable, too.  

If you want to use a film finish, I would start with epoxy sealer,  followed  by a high quality marine varnish, like Epifanes.  If you would rather use an oil type finish I would only use fine grain woods for the bench and not coarse grained woods like white oak.  


John

[iclark]

I don't have that issue handy, but a lot of those plans used through-mortises for the legs through the seat board. Replacing those joints with blind mortises tends to really improve the longevity of garden benches and tables.

If you can orient the grain for the legs to match the grain of the seat, then the expansion and contraction of the legs and seat over seasons will roughly match up and the joints will stay tight and sealed.

[R Clark]

Another wood species not yet mentioned is cypress.  Not all hardwood dealers carry it, but mine does, although only in 4/4.

LOML got a deacon's bench that's made out of it.  She got it about 15-16 years ago, and promptly put it outside.  I didn't know what it was made out of.  It's been outside all this time and it's also still in very good shape.    It's very light when considering its bulk.  But it has held up well.  It's currently ensconced out in the wildflower garden.

[WoodworkerTom]

I just refinished a garden bench the previous homeowner left with the house. It's either teak or eucalyptus. Construction appears to be screws with plugs for frame and M&T for slats.

I used 7 coats of Epifanes, it has only been outdoors for a month so too early to speak on durability.

[jteneyck]

I just refinished a garden bench the previous homeowner left with the house.  It's either teak or eucalyptus.  Construction appears to be screws with plugs for frame  and M&T for slats.

I used 7 coats of Epifanes, it has only been outdoors for a month so too early to speak on durability.

If you do nothing it's going to look great for about 2 years, Tom, and it will lull you into thinking you have found the answer to everyone's prayer for the ultimate outdoor varnish.  If you continue to do nothing it will start to look a little thin or blistered in spots by the 3rd or 4th year, and then you will be in for a lot more work to rehab it than if you follow the maintenance advise on the can and add a new coat or two of finish every year.  OR, you could keep a cover over it except when you want to use it and forget having to do maintenance at all.  


Here's a black locust bench I built over 10 years ago, finished with 7 coats of Epifanes.  What I described above is how it went with this bench.  After two rehabs, it now has a cover over it.  



To the OP, another outstanding exterior wood is red mulberry.  Equally heavy to black locust, but just about as durable outdoors.  Of course, if you plan to varnish it you could use nearly any wood as long as you maintain the finish.  

John