Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Anyone have easy plans to build a tree bench?

I would like to build a simple bench around an apricot tree in my yard, but haven't been able to find any plans that aren't too difficult.

Anyone have easy plans to build a tree bench?
I don't have any plans, but if I were doing it, I would start out by laying 5 boards around the tree in a octagon fashion. Let the boards overlap. Adjust them so that they intersect,(cross each other), then measure the inside distance. Keep adjusting them until all 5 boards measure the same. You will have made a perfect octagon. Now draw a line where each two overlap.



Cut the boards on the line. To see if they are all the same, stack the 5 boards on top of each other. Adjust the lengths if you have to.



Now, take them outside to a flat open area, Or the garage floor, and form the octagon. Weigh them down or tape them together so they dont move. Repeat the process with 5 more longer boards, leaving about a 1/2" gap between them . When the octagon is about 24 to 28 inches from inside diameter to outside diameter, nail two 1x 4 x 24 inch to each of the 5 segments to hold them together. The seats are finished.



Now you are ready to start the supporting base. I would use 2 x 4 treated lumber and build 10 squares, 2' x 2', with the 2 x 4's flat! If the ground is not level because of roots, just shorten the inside of the squares as needed so that the top is level.



There will be no back on the bench and so the bench is ready to assemble.

Use regular deck screws. Screw one of the squares to one of the edges of a seat, splitting the width of the 2 x4 so you can screw the next seat to the same 2 x 4. Now put another 2 x 4 square to the other end of the same seat, the same way. On the other 4 seats, put only one square on one end only.



If you plan on painting the bench, do it now.



Going around the tree; Put the seat with the two squares in position next to the tree. Put the next seat with only one square on it next to it with the free end resting on the first and put only two screws in, now do the same with #3, #4 and #5. Pull the sections together to form the octagon, then finish screwing then together as a unit.



You don"t need any further bracing because the angle of each braces the other.



Basically that's it. good luck and enjoy.



OOPS, I meant a HEXAGON and it's SIX sides, but you can go five sides if you want. Just omit the word octagon. Sorry.


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