Let's build an outdoor garden bench! #woodworking #asmr #diy | Ep. #27

My wife asked for a bench near her vegetable garden. "Something simple," she said. "Something modern," she added. "Something that won't rot in 6 months," she emphasized.

I decided to build a Slat-Style Bench with Waterfall Legs. This design looks like a continuous ribbon of wood that folds down the sides. It’s clean, drains water perfectly (essential for outdoor furniture), and is surprisingly comfortable.

Material Selection: The Outdoor Trio

When building for the outdoors, you have three main choices:

Teak/Ipe: The gold standard. Lasts 100 years. Costs a fortune. (I am too cheap for this).
Pressure Treated Pine: Cheap. Lasts forever. Looks green and ugly. Full of chemicals.
Cedar / Redwood: naturally rot-resistant, smells good, turns a nice silver-grey, and is moderately priced.

I chose Construction Heart Redwood.

Material & Tools

4x4 Posts: For the internal structural legs.
2x4 Redwood: For the slats.
Deck Screws: Polymer coated or stainless steel.
Spar Urethane: For UV protection.

The Build Process

Step 1: The Frame

The "Slat" look is actually an illusion. Inside the bench, there is a sturdy frame made of 4x4s.

I built two "U" shapes for the legs and a connecting stretcher beam. This provides the strength to hold 500+ lbs of people.

Step 2: Milling the Slats

The 2x4s from the store have rounded corners. I wanted a modern, sharp look.

Ripping: I ripped (cut lengthwise) 1/8" off each side of the 2x4s. This removed the rounded corners and made them perfectly square 3" wide boards.
Sanding: I sanded them to 120 grit before assembly. It's much harder to sand the gaps later!

Step 3: The Waterfall Cladding

This is the design feature.

Top Slat: I laid a slat on top of the bench.
Leg Slat: I laid a slat running down the leg.
The Joint: I mitered them at 45 degrees where they meet at the corner.

Result: The grain appears to "flow" over the edge and down the leg (like a waterfall).

Step 4: Spacing

Uniform spacing is key.

I utilized 1/4" plywood scraps as spacers.
I clamped each slat, pre-drilled, and screwed it to the internal frame.
Hidden Screws: I screwed from the underneath or countersunk deeply so the top surface is clean wood.

Finishing: Fighting the Sun

The sun is the enemy of wood. UV rays break down the lignin (the glue that holds wood cells together), turning it grey.

The Finish: I used Helmsman Spar Urethane. It is designed for boats. It has UV blockers and is flexible (so it expands/contracts with the wood in rain/heat).
Application: 3 coats. Sanding lightly between coats. It gave the redwood a deep, glowing red color.

Conclusion

It sits among the tomato plants, looking sleek and architectural. The wide slats are great for holding a cooler or a garden basket. And because it's Redwood, I don't have to worry about termites or rot.

Cost: ~$120. Timeto Build: 6 Hours.