There comes a time in life when everyone needs a tree bench, preferably one with a great view or in a place where you can sit and watch the world go by or supervise the kids from a distance! Luckily, a tree bench is pretty to build, and you don’t need to be a furniture making genius to make one. How to build a tree bench is pretty easy as long as you have the tools and the tree to build around.
Building a Tree Bench in Steps
First up, you need some good quality lumber. Your planks should be straight with no visible flaws such as cracks or decay. Cedar is a good choice, because it is very hardy but any other weather resistant wood will be fine and will save you time on maintenance in the future.
How to build a tree bench will depend upon the size of the tree of course and the sort of plan you are following, but in general it is much easier to build a hexagonal shaped tree bench rather than circular. This is because you can build a hexagonal bench in sections with leg supports spaced out to avoid any tree roots and simply assemble it when it is in place.
First, plan the hexagonal tree bench so that it fits around the tree without impeding any future growth. The six sides of the hexagon mean you have six sections, so first cut the six inner boards. You need to set your miter saw for a 30 degree angle.
Lay two planks parallel to the inner seat board and using the same 30 degree angle, cut these so that these middle and outer seat boards are straight and at the same angle. Because this is a hexagon seat, you need to repeat the process for the six sets.
Join two seat sections together by adding the wooden supports. The supports are made up of two legs each, sandwiched at the top by a cross brace and you need six of these. You fix the seat board section to the supports with bolts.
Once you have fitted two sections together, you can put it against the tree. Fix the other two sets together and also fit them against the tree. Because at this point, the bench is in sections you can make any changes if necessary, such as leveling the ground or moving the sections around so that the leg supports are not over tree roots.
Once the bench is in the correct position, you can screw it together. It is important to leave about a quarter of an inch at least between sections to allow for wood expansion. Finally, treat the wood with a protective sealer so that it will stay looking good all year long.
This is the only way to build a tree bench. We have seen many different ideas and plans, so it is certainly worth looking through plans and ideas so that you can find the best design for you.