Creating a Simple and Stylish Garden Bench with Oak Sleeper
If you are looking for a new addition to your garden or outdoor space, a bench can be a perfect option. Whether you want a quiet place to relax, enjoy a morning coffee or read a book, a bench can provide a comfortable spot to do so. And if you have been looking for a stylish and practical bench for your garden, this article will guide you through the process of creating your own bench using oak sleeper.
For a long time, my wife has wanted a simple bench for our garden. We have an area next to the garage that we plan to spruce up very soon with a path and a seating area that will have a simple bench in the corner. So, in preparation, I decided to make the bench. In this article, I will share my experience and the steps I took to create a beautiful oak sleeper garden bench.
Preparing the Materials
To start, I used some boards and some old timber to make a mock-up and see what the bench would look like and how big I needed to make it. Based on that, I decided to make the bench out of one sleeper. Oak sleepers naturally come with some splits, live, or waney edges that need to be planned for and made sure that they’re not too prominent on this piece.
After scouting through the small stack my local builder jars had of oak sleepers, I found the most suitable one. Needless to say, picking it up was no mean feat as they’re heavy compared to softwood. So, I decided to cut it down to make it easier to get into the car. This is where cordless circular saws come in really useful, as long as you remember to take them with you.
Preparing the Pieces
The first thing I needed to do was to cut everything to length. Being optimistic, I thought I could use my miter saw to do that. However, that ended up being a disaster as the miter saw bench almost collapsed from the weight and the blade was nowhere near big enough to cut through the sleeper. So, I decided to use my circular saw from both sides instead.
As soon as I made the cut, it was clear it wasn’t vertical. Although the blade was at 90 degrees to the base plate, cutting this way around meant only a small section of the base plate was actually resting on the wood, which led to a lack of stability. So, after the second cut, I got two cuts that just didn’t line up.
Then, I spun the piece around so that the majority of the base plate was resting on the oak. What I didn’t realize, though, was that the motor of the circular saw was getting snagged on the quick clamp. So, on to plan D, I changed to my big corded saw that I’ve had forever and made the deepest cut I possibly could just following the line that I’d put on the surface. Then, I finished off by using a handsaw tight against the edge of the piece I wanted to keep. This worked out a lot better, and any small steps from the two cuts could be removed with a plane.
Carrying on, I cut all the members in this way. So, that’s the three main members cut to length. Normally, cutting things to length is an easy bet and takes about 10 minutes. But with these members being so big and not being able to use a miter saw and even a circular saw not going all the way through, it was a bit more of a challenge. The oak was also harder, which made everything harder as well. If I was using these for a raised bed in the garden, I’d probably use a chainsaw, but since I wanted these to be nice, accurate, 90-degree corners, I couldn’t use a chainsaw, because that would give me a rough finish, and it wouldn’t necessarily be 90 degrees in any particular direction.
Notching Out the Underside of the Seat
To get a tight fit, I left the cuts with the saw short, then offered up the leg and marked it using a Stanley knife. This oak is so dense that I couldn’t do my normal trick of using the Stanley knife to any sort of depth. So, I enlarged this line with a chisel.
As well as gluing in these legs, I’ll be screwing them in from the top as well and hiding the head of the screw with a dowel. This oak dowel that I’ve bought is 21 millimeters in diameter, and the nearest force on a bit I have is 20 millimeters. So, I needed to work out the best way of making it fit.
Sandpaper and Dust Collection
Using the plane worked but gave me lots of straight edges, which I wasn’t really happy with. Then I remembered I have my sander, which doesn’t come out that much but is a great piece of kit. So, I used this to remove the stains. I found the Trend Palm Sander to be great for finishing pieces of work, but it’s just not man enough against oak. Sanding hardwood produces extremely fine dust which can be harmful to your lungs. So having the right dust collection and wearing a mask is really important if you’re planning to do this type of work in a confined space.
Adding Details
For the finishing touches, I added some additional glue to the visible joints and then forced in some oak sawdust just to hide them. I also carved my logo, although I didn’t show you that in the video. It’s really just hand carving using a router, but there is an extra element in there that I didn’t really show you. If you ask for that, I might do a video showing you how I did that in the future.
The Final Touches
Finally, the bench was ready and I needed to move it to its new home. While I chopped it up in the timber yard to make it lighter to move around, I just spent the last day connecting it all back together, so now it was really heavy. Although the new home for the bench changed, my wife immediately wanted it in the kitchen rather than the garden, so this became its new temporary home for the next few weeks. I was really pleased by the way the dowels came out; they’re really flush. The bench looked stunning, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
Conclusion
Making a garden bench from oak sleepers is a great way to bring a stylish and rustic element into your garden or outdoor space. With some basic woodworking skills and tools, you can create a bench that not only looks great but also provides a comfortable spot for relaxation. I hope this article has inspired you to create your own bench and given you some useful tips and tricks along the way. Remember to wear protective equipment when sanding and cutting, and always prioritize safety. With a little patience and creativity, you can create a beautiful and functional garden bench that will last for years to come.