There’s no point in designing the perfect landscaped garden if you don’t have the seating to appreciate it. Even those on a budget can create incredible seating areas in the garden. From sourcing and repairing antique finds to building your own furniture with disused timber, these garden seating ideas will save you money and make a statement.
Homemade seating with incorporated raised beds
If you’re feeling up to the job, you can create your own bespoke wooden seating, and even incorporate raised beds, above and behind the long seats, or even in the corners, between the bench lengths. Not only does this allow you to fit your seating into your space, but it’s a clever space-saving hack to add yet more green to your garden. When you make bespoke wooden furniture you need a bit of carpentry know-how. But remember, you can always make joining easier by using a no-nails option. Just be sure to fully treat all the wood to prevent weather damage and rot.
Make a garden room
If you’re feeling very adventurous you could try and adapt your shed into a garden room, or even build your own. This requires time, and a bit of money, but is well worth it. Make it more snug by adding plasterboard walls. Do this with a simple no more nails formula, the ultimate solution for making DIY easier.
Find Antique Bargains
If you want to create a heritage-style garden, then antique garden furniture can be a striking choice. Check out salvage yards for old benches, as well as cast iron tables and chairs. In order to grab a bargain, you may need to do a bit of work to bring these items back to their former glory. Staining any wood, sanding flaky paint, repainting, and treating rust might be necessary.
Tree Stumps
Old tree stumps have a huge variety of uses. At their most basic they can double up as garden side tables or stools. But if you fancy being a bit more adventurous, you can even try and carve out a little seat. If you hear of anyone chopping down a large tree then they might well have a stump to spare. If not, get in touch with a local tree surgeon and see if they can help.
Pallet Seats
Upcycling with pallets was all the rage a decade ago, but this totally sustainable and virtually skill-free way to build seating deserves a comeback. There are countless guides for doing this online, with enough to choose exactly what you want. You’ll even find guides to making corner sofas!
If you don’t like the look of the pallets themselves, you can use a large outdoor cushion to cover the seat and staple or nail a thin sheet of fibreboard to the back. You can also paint the seating with durable outdoor paint.
Low Benches
These benches are perfect for adding a little extra seating in a way that blends with the rest of the garden. They’re ideal for putting in front of low stone or brick walls, or even along shrub beds. You can make your own low bench using the leftover boards from your decking, which not only saves money but creates a seamless coordinated look too.
Pub and Restaurant Seating
When pubs and restaurants buy new garden furniture, they often get rid of old items, simply because it doesn’t match the new stuff. But that doesn’t mean it’s not in a good enough condition for your garden. If you find out that your local pub or restaurant is upgrading, see what you can get hold of. Apply a layer of wood protector and maybe add a vibrant colour and you’ll have yourself a striking new seat. Most of these bench-style tables also have space for a parasol. Once you’ve painted the table and seats and added a new shade, the table can be a striking new addition to your garden.
If you’ve no joinery skills at all then finding old pub benches or antique finds might be your only option. but if you do know your way around a saw and a drill then creating your own garden furniture is a truly satisfying job. Once you’ve added your new, upgraded, or upcycled garden seating, why not add homemade fairy lights for that finishing touch? Then it’s just time to invite your friends and family around for a bbq.
