Well is was a good day for working outside. A little cloudy, a little sunny, a few drizzles, but nothing to make it unbearable.
I failed to take pictures of the straight bench being made, but, here it is.
The seat is 14 1/2” wide (4 – 1X4’s) The straight bench was designed as 5’ long, but then trimmed to final fitting. So it’s a little longer as sitting here. The legs are 2X4’s 17” long with a 3” rail at top and bottom with 1 1/2” tenons on each rail. So all 28 legs have mortises on each end and 28 rails were made 6” long with a 1 1/2” tenon on each end. The shoulders were cut on the table saw and the tenons were trimmed with the bandsaw. They were glued together with Gorilla Glue. The aprons on the bench were 2X4’s screwed to the legs with 3” screws. The legs on the straight section were 18” apart. Giving 4 legs covering most of the straight section of the bench.
Now on to the curved bench:
I wanted the bench to have the same curve as the deck. Which was 22’ radius. I just layed the board on top of the deck and drew a line to give me the first curve. The seat slats were 1 X 4 on the straight bench but I started with 1 X 6 on the curved bench. The curve turns out to be a 1 1/4” movement in a 4’ section. So with the deck just touching the edge at the 2’ mark the ends are marked at 1 1/4” in. I cut the 8 slates needed for the two curved benches ending up with a curved 1 X 4, really a 1 X 3.5”. The 4 boards ended up being the same as the 14.5” of the straight bench. The curve was cut on the bandsaw.
The aprons on the curved bench were also made curved. I put the appropriate marks on the edge of a 2 X 4 and cut then out. I then glued and screwed them to straight 2 X 4’s
They are then changed placed and you end up with this.
I then started putting the legs in place.
I then carried it to the deck and placed it in position so that I could identify the cut lines.
The piece of the curved apron was cut off and the bench repositioned.
I then layed the curved seat slats on the bench. I knew that I needed some long seat slats and some short seats slate. Here you will notice that I installed and trimmed them in the wrong position.
Easiily fixed. trim another 1 1/2” off the length of the curve bench.
A little clean up.
and
AS of right now they are not screwed to the deck, but they are quite stable because the L sections are screwed together.
1 straight section already made, 1 more curved section to go.
Have a great night. Were ordering Pizza.
-- Karson retired in DE e-mail karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
13 comments so far
GrandmaT
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3221 posts in 387 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 215 days ago
Well Karson to be honest all the “building talk” goes right over my head, but I sure like what I am seeing with your porch, lights and now the benches. Really nice seating area!!
-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b
mbulla
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162 posts in 525 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 215 days ago
Great idea with the curves Karson, It looks better than straight bench.
-- Michal, http://gardentenders.com
MsDebbieP
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3811 posts in 509 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 215 days ago
oh wow
the curved bench is really going to take your deck ‘over the top’.... awesome job
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Bon
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1741 posts in 289 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 215 days ago
Nice job Karson.It’s really coming together and looking good.
-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more
bullseye
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475 posts in 331 days
posted 213 days ago
Nice job Kars. I am looking to build a floating deck under this pergola. We were going to do stones there, but opted out for now
Any advice on how to go about this using deck bricks and 4×4s for the base?
We will like something like this but with no curves
http://gardentenders.com/members/Karson/blog/260
-- Hooked on Gardening.....Ontario zone 5b
blooz
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268 posts in 231 days
posted 213 days ago
Well done Karson. You are quite the craftsman. Wood underfoot is so much warmer than patio slabs. Love those light fixtures!
-- blooz 5b - You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~author unkown
bullseye
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475 posts in 331 days
posted 213 days ago
Horses for causes! Blooz…you know what? You are so transparent really, and although you might have gone as “Talar”, it seems now that you are back as “Blooz”, you just can’t change your ways in the way you antagonize and come right after my every post.
This thread has been here a while and you never came along to comment on what a good job Karson did, until I posted and mentioned patio stones.
You are one hell of a stalker!
-- Hooked on Gardening.....Ontario zone 5b
blooz
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268 posts in 231 days
posted 213 days ago
What are you speaking of? Confusing indeed. I HAVE patio stones …. and I particularly do not care for slabs …. but at least it keeps the dampness away. Please no nasty comments from you. Extremely rude and ignorant. To what its worth … I have been following Karson’s posts.
-- blooz 5b - You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~author unkown
Bunting
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601 posts in 233 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 212 days ago
You are quite the carpenter
That’s a bench I called, with loads of personaliy
Very very nice
-- NS Zone 5B 200 KM East of Halifax cheers Bunting------Having a place to go – is a home. Having someone to love – is a family.
Karson
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52 posts in 387 days
posted 212 days ago
Thanks for the comment and the “Main Contractor” (wife) seems to like it also. She makes me breakfast and we sit out the and enjoy the outdoors.
-- Karson retired in DE e-mail karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
poisoncontrol
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20 posts in 232 days
posted 212 days ago
Your “Main Contractor” is quite lucky!
This is a beautiful place to have breakfast!
And I agree with blooz :”Wood underfoot is so much warmer than patio slabs.”
-- poisoncontrol, there is to much poison in the world: let's eradicate it!
blooz
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268 posts in 231 days
posted 212 days ago
The “Sub-Contractor” is a lucky fella …. having breakie served on the deck by the “Main Contractor”. ;-)
-- blooz 5b - You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~author unkown
Bunting
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601 posts in 233 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 212 days ago
lol,lol
lucky indeed.
Does any one know a free sub contractor. I;d make a darn good breakie to for a deck like that, maybe a few, lol,lol
-- NS Zone 5B 200 KM East of Halifax cheers Bunting------Having a place to go – is a home. Having someone to love – is a family.