Garden Bench

Description

1×4 garden bench plans: a five-foot bench with an angled back and arms

I wanted a proper garden bench, the kind with an angled back and real armrests you’d actually sit and stay a while on, without paying garden-catalog money for it. So I designed one around the cheapest lumber the store sells: the 1×4. Nine 1x4x8 boards, about $45. No hardwood, no expensive hardware, no fancy joinery. Just straight cuts, a few repeated angles, pocket screws and glue. The back legs are two-layer laminations with a built-in lean, which is what makes it comfortable and keeps the frame rigid without extra stretchers.

Watch the build

What you get

• Printable PDF plan, instant download
• Choose your edition: Imperial (inches) or Metric (mm, UK lumber sizing)
• Full dimensions
• Cutting diagram for all nine boards, with every angle marked
• 19 illustrated steps, from the back leg profiles to the seat slats
• Finishing guide, FAQ and troubleshooting
• Tools and materials shopping list

Specs

• Overall size: 61″ wide x 32-1/2″ tall x 22-1/2″ deep
• Seat: 18-1/2″ high, 55-1/2″ wide, seats 2 to 3
• Build time: 1 day
• Skill level: Intermediate
• Estimated lumber cost: about $45

Lumber you’ll need

• 9 boards, 1x4x8′ (every part of the bench)

Hardware and supplies

• About 40 1-1/4″ pocket screws
• About 24 1-1/4″ wood screws
• About 8 1-1/2″ brad nails
• Exterior wood glue
• Exterior finish (I used Cabot Semi-Solid in Dune Gray)

Tools you’ll need

• Circular saw
• Jigsaw for the inside corners on the back legs
• Pocket hole jig (most joints rely on pocket screws)
• Drill/driver
• Brad nailer
• Clamps
• Sander
• Speed square and tape measure

Common questions

What wood should I use? Any 1x4x8 works. Standard pine or whitewood is what the plan is built around. For a bench that lives outside, cedar, cypress or redwood hold up better; primed and sealed pine is the budget route.

Do I really need a pocket hole jig? Yes. Most joints in this bench rely on pocket screws, and a Kreg-style jig makes the build go quickly and keeps the fasteners hidden.

Is it a beginner project? It’s a good intermediate build. Every cut is straight or a simple repeated angle. The one place it can bite you is the back legs: they’re mirror images, so lay them out as a left and a right before any glue goes on.

Want to see the build first? The full walkthrough is on the blog: DIY garden bench. Prefer a more traditional slatted look? See my English garden bench plans, or compare all our outdoor bench plans.