Choosing a Garden Bench

There is a vast amount of choice when it comes to choosing the right bench, with many aspects to take into consideration.

What Type of Material is Best for Garden Benches?

Benches have been around since Ancient Greek times, where they were crafted from stone for those properties rich enough to afford a garden.

As time has gone on the choice of material has changed. Wood has been the go to choice in the UK for garden benches for a number of years throughout the 20^th and 21^st Century. Today though, there is more material choice than ever, each with their own advantages and differing styles.

• Wood: As a material, wood has many selling points, none more so than the natural look and feel of timber in general. When maintained a good wooden bench can last for many years. Most timber used to make benches are lightweight, making them easy to manoeuvre around your garden.
• Plastic: If you’re looking for something that requires no maintenance, and your budget is looking to be as limited as possible it is well worth considering a plastic bench. These are waterproof and lightweight. Plastic is a very versatile material which results in some visually interesting designed seating.
• Stone: Whilst they tend to be on the more expensive end of budgets, a lot can be said about stone as a material for benches. Requiring very little maintenance, stone benches certainly catch the eye and can be a focal point of a garden design. These do tend to be heavy, so are not easy to re-locate in your garden.
• Aluminium/Metal: Offering a more contemporary look, metal or aluminium benches in the right location can look fantastic. Most include powder coating or similar to prevent rusting, making them easier to maintain than wood.

Which Wood Is Best for a Garden Bench?

The decision on which wood to go for comes down to two types of timber, hardwood and softwood.

Thanks to having natural weather and rot resistance, hardwood makes a fantastic material for benches. Being a dense and incredibly durable material, hardwood requires minimal repairing over time.

Softwood on the other hand requires more regular treatment than hardwood in order to keep it looking at its best. Natural softwood has a wonderful natural beauty, so it is no wonder that it is popular timber for garden furniture.

Name of Timber	Type of Timber	Durability
Roble	Hardwood	Up to 25 Years
Mahogany	Hardwood	Up To 10 Years
Acacia	Hardwood	Up To 10 Years
Pine	Hardwood	Up To 10 Years

Choosing the Right Style and Size

Before rushing out and buying a new bench make sure you have an idea of where you would like to locate your bench in your garden. Some styles, such as aluminium, look great when positioned on patios, whereas a wooden bench would look right at home surrounded by plants and trees.

Ensure you shop with the space in your garden in mind. Use a tape measure to work out how big your garden bench can be to fill a space. You’ll want to avoid purchasing too large of a bench which will look out of place. Other considerations include the amount of sun that part of the garden receives or any nearby shade.

Sitting Comfortably

If you find your using your new bench a lot we would recommend looking at outdoor cushions for additional comfort, whilst also adding to the appearance of your bench.

Look for any cushions or seat pads which are weather resistant to ensure they are hardy enough for outdoor conditions.