Benches

Typically made of wood, Garden benches are a long seat on which multiple people may sit at the same time to socialise or relax.

Wooden garden benches allow you to enjoy the surroundings of your lush, colourful garden. Informal and comfortable, the wooden garden bench is a welcome addition to any garden.

The wooden garden bench is a truly versatile piece of outdoor furniture which you will find in most peoples garden this summer.

Although wooden garden benches tend to be found in gardens, they can also be used in other various locations such as parks, front gardens, pathways, food courts and restaurants.

Size and the amount of timber in it, mostly. Our 2 seater bench is around £112.32 and the 3 seater is £207.88, nearly double because the frame and slats scale up with it. Beyond size, the timber section thickness, the species and whether the joints are bolted or screwed all affect both price and how long the bench lasts. A picnic bench costs £276.56, as it is a table and two seats in one frame.

Grass is fine, though the legs will sink slightly over a season and the grass beneath will thin out. Move the bench every few weeks in summer to let the lawn recover, or set a pair of paving slabs under the legs to spread the load and keep them out of the wet. Avoid gravel, which shifts under the legs and leaves the bench rocking. Soft, waterlogged ground will rot the leg ends over time. 

Pressure treatment is what does most of the work. The preservative is forced deep into the wood rather than brushed on top, so rain and insects cannot get a hold. Good design helps too. Slats should be spaced so water runs off instead of sitting on the seat, and leg ends should stay clear of wet ground. No timber bench stays weatherproof on its own, though. Ours need re-treating every two to three years, sooner if the bench sits somewhere exposed. 

Go by the space more than the headcount. The 2 seater at £112.32 fits a small patio, a porch or a path-side spot where a longer bench would dominate, and it is light enough to move around the garden to follow the sun. The 3 seater at £207.88 suits an open lawn or a dedicated seating area and is far more comfortable for two people with room to spread out. 

Our rectangular picnic bench seats six comfortably, three a side, and eight at a squeeze. The round picnic table seats four to six depending on the bench arrangement. Allow around 600mm of bench length per adult when working out what you need. Rectangular suits a long garden or a space against a wall, while round takes up less room overall and makes conversation easier across the table. 

A garden bench is seating only, with a back to lean against, designed for sitting and relaxing. A picnic bench is a table with fixed bench seats either side in one frame, designed for eating, and has no back support. Garden benches suit a quiet corner or a view; picnic benches suit family meals and are far heavier to move. If you want both, a garden bench plus a separate table gives more flexibility. 

A relaxer is a single wooden garden chair with a reclined, laid-back seat and a sloping back, made for sitting in rather than sitting at. Ours is £92.52 as a single pack, so you buy as many as you need rather than a fixed set. They suit a patio or a sunny corner where you want individual seating you can angle as you like, and they take up less space in storage over winter than a bench.