Building Your Own Rustic Backless Wood Patio Bench
The rough, rustic qualities in natural bark-covered logs and branches and rough-hewn wood inspire creativity in furniture-making. Whether you are a novice or an expert woodworker and furniture craftsman, creating rustic work produces unique items. Rustic furniture makes attractive garden accessories or eclectic pieces for a contemporary interior. Turn a bulky log into a sturdy, attractive backless wood patio bench with a few tools and some spare over a long weekend.
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Tear the log in half with a rip saw, and cut one piece down to 3 feet long. Optionally, have this done at a lumber yard.
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Sand the slab with a power sander, using 80-grit, then 100, 120, up to 200-grit sand paper. Finish sanding by hand with the 320-grit paper, bringing out the natural beauty and grain of the wood.
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Shape the edges of the sanded slat with a draw knife. Soften and smooth the edges, working with the grain of the wood, not cutting against it.
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Cut the ash or sapling tree into 4 pieces that are 20 inches long.
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Use the draw knife and woodworking chisel to trim one end of each leg into a 1 ½-inch spindle, a tapered end to insert into routed holes that you will drill.
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Turn the slab onto the side that will be the bottom, and measure and mark 3 inches in from each side to place the legs.
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Use the power drill and router bit to drill a 2 ½-inch depression for the legs to fit into at each leg mark on the slab.
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Cover the spindle ends of the legs with carpenter’s glue and insert them into the leg holes. Tap them with the rubber mallet for a tight fit. Allow the glue to dry for a day.
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Apply tung oil if the bench is for outdoor use or a light varnish for indoor use and let dry thoroughly.
If you do not consider yourself a handyman or a DIY-er, then just buy yourself a rustic bench. There are so many rustic-inspired benches online that should fit your budget. Check out these examples.
Mason 3-Seater Backless Bench by Anderson Teak
Unlike most benches with backs, the lowest point of the curve of the Mason 3-Seater Backless Bench by Anderson Teak is directly in the center, allowing you face in either way. This bench can also be used for seating at a rectangular table area. Add a planter box or two for a farming, nestled effect.
Deluxe Sauna Bench by All Things Cedar
The Deluxe Sauna Bench by All Things Cedar is a free standing deluxe cedar bench with handy lower shelf for the shower room, sauna or by the pool side. It is made from clear Western Red Cedar with routed edges and a sanded finish, finished with zinc plated hardware.
European Café Folding Coffee Table/Bench by Furniture Designhouse
A well-crafted and unique folding bench, the European Café Folding Coffee Table/Bench by Furniture Designhouse was designed and hand-forged by Old World artisans. The drawn steel frames are treated for rust-resistance, and finished with scratch resistant exterior furniture grade powder coating.
