Make a Modern Concrete & Cedar Garden Bench

Stain the Western Red Cedar bench

Then apply two coats of oil-based stain and leave everything to dry overnight.

Staining the red cedar of the Garden Bench
Staining red cedar

Assemble the Concrete Garden Bench

To help with assembling the bench I mark the corner locations of the legs on a flat surface.

marking the ground to aid in assembly
Prepping  to assemble bench

I use a long straight edge and framing square for this. I set the legs in place while I slide the stretcher onto the bolts. Then add the seat planks and check everything for square. I add washers and nuts to the seat bolts just finger tight for now.

sliding the stretcher onto the cast concrete bolts
Sliding stretcher onto bolts in legs

I slide the flat washer and lock washer on the stretcher bolts.

setting the seat slats onto the carriage bolts cast in the concrete legs
Placing seat planks

Then thread the nut on the bolt and tighten with a wrench. Not too tight, just enough to pull the end of the stretcher against the concrete leg. And I do the same on the other end. I can now tighten the nuts on the seat planks with a socket wrench .

assembling the seat for the bench
Clamping ties to underside of seat

The ties are screwed to the seat planks from underneath. I use a scrap strip of wood and clamps to hold it in place while I run in screws. With the seat planks having only two attachment points, the ties are required to counter any twisting forces.
I realized that my center two pilot holes should have been offset as the driver was blocked by the stretcher. So I just drilled two more holes.

Rubber Gaskets

rubber gaskets from an tire inner tube make the wood last longer
Rubber gaskets

I forgot to add rubber gaskets to keep any wood from contact with concrete. Wood will wick moisture from concrete and cause rot. So a rubber gasket will help prevent this. I used an old tire inner tube and cut the gaskets with scissors.

rubber gaskets from an tire inner tube make the wood last longer
Gaskets laid on legs

When I move this bench out to the garden I’ll add the rubber gaskets then.
Please leave a comment with your thoughts or suggestions. I am amazed by the wealth of knowledge out there and I so appreciate everyone who has shared it.

Red Cedar and Concrete Bench

the final concrete garden bench
Concrete Garden Bench – DONE!!

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