Outdoor seating is essential to hosting parties, BBQs and backyard games. Instead of purchasing generic patio furniture from stores like Target or Costco, create unique DIY cinder block pieces yourself for less. Doing this can save money and add flair to your yard!
These rustic pieces of outdoor furniture are simple and straightforward to build, using either cinder blocks alone or combined with wood to craft modern bench designs.
Cinder Blocks
Cinder block patio furniture is an economical way to add seating to your outdoor area, easy to assemble and provides a striking focal point in your yard. Customize it to match the style of your home for even more seating – gather materials then follow this tutorial’s steps to build one today!
Cinder blocks are economical, hard, and long-lasting building material – the perfect combination to construct concrete garden benches and tables that will last for years. Cinder block benches look natural in any landscape design scheme while painting them can add color or contrast.
Your cinder block bench can also include a comfortable and attractive wooden seat for additional comfort and aesthetic value. Constructing this type of bench is quick and straightforward – simply require some simple tools and some time!
Before embarking on any project, make sure you’re wearing appropriate safety gear. Protective gloves should always be worn when working with cinder blocks as their rough texture can damage skin easily. Steel-toe boots provide added foot protection from falling debris. And always remember to use a dust mask when dealing with concrete and masonry products!
Once you’ve assembled all your materials and secured the proper safety equipment, begin by stacking cinder blocks into a pile. When they have been arranged to your satisfaction, put down a tarp or plastic to protect against paint splatter.
Once your bench has dried for at least four hours, begin painting! Simply sand the cinder blocks until they are smooth, removing any labels or sharp corners to make staining easier later in the process. Once complete, start painting it!
Once your bench has been painted and sanded, assembling it should be straightforward. Begin by stacking vertical cinder blocks at one end, followed by horizontal ones on either side – repeat this pattern until your desired height for your bench has been reached.
Wood
Wood is an organic material with many appealing attributes, making it the perfect material to craft patio furniture from. When treated properly, it can also be extremely durable – offering many design possibilities and customization. When selecting wood patio furniture it is important to take all aspects of its material into consideration: durability, weight, grain pattern, color options etc – this will ensure it can withstand Mother Nature over years of use and weathering.
Teak wood is one of the most widely used options for patio furniture, due to its extreme durability, stain-resistance and insect-repellency qualities. Maintenance requirements are minimal with this choice of material while it remains warp or rot-proof over time. Ipe and Cedar also provide similar advantages but at more reasonable costs while coming in lighter tones than teak.
When considering wood options for decorative uses, it is also essential to take into account how much decorative detail will be included in the piece. If intricate carvings are desired, tight grained woods like pine and oak would be better choices as their tighter grain typically provides greater wind resistance compared to lighter woods such as pine and oak. Weight should also be taken into consideration, since tight grained woods typically weigh more and thus resist wind more effectively than light options like pine and oak.
Once you have decided upon the type of wood that will be used, it is advisable to perform a dry fit using cinder blocks and 4x4s to make sure all pieces fit together evenly. Once everything has dried out completely, wood pieces may be adhered together using construction adhesive; to prevent paint splatter, however, we advise laying down a plastic tarp beneath any pieces before glueing begins.
Once glued, it is recommended to wait 24 hours before testing out your bench seating and testing out how comfortable it sits. After giving the glue time to fully set up, add seat cushions or decorative pillows as extra comfort or aesthetic appeal if necessary.
Concrete Adhesive
Concrete adhesives are glue materials designed specifically to adhere to concrete, block, stone and other masonry materials such as pavers. Commonly applied using caulk tubes, they form stronger bonds than mortar when it comes to attaching materials together. Concrete adhesives are suitable for many projects including bonding metal to concrete surfaces or carpet to them as well as filling cracks in sidewalks, driveways and patios – often more so than mortar patches! They’re often more cost-effective solutions and suitable for high traffic surfaces that need repairs quickly.
There are various types of concrete adhesives on the market, each offering their own advantages and uses. Your choice will depend on your project size and weight; selecting an effective concrete adhesive will help ensure its success as well as ensure you create something strong and long-lasting – saving both time and money along the way!
Structural adhesives are highly versatile products that can be used for an array of applications, from bonding concrete, metals, woods, plasterboards, foam materials and glass together to providing water resistance and heat curing capabilities. Common uses for structural adhesives include bonding concrete, metals, woods, plasterboards, foam materials and glass together in assemblies. Common applications involve adhering materials like concrete, metals, woods, plasterboards foam materials and glass together using thick liquid adhesives that cure by absorption by substrate absorption or chemically reacting with materials being bonded together – typically applied thick liquid adhesives that cure over time in various ways allowing good resistance to water resistance as well as heat curing capability allowing fast bonding between substrates when bonding multiple materials together – such as the latter providing reliable bonds when bonding elements in structures such as frames for construction projects – making structural adhesives highly versatile products capable of being applied as thick liquid adhesives can also provide good resistance against water as well as heat curing capabilities when heat curing is possible; finally providing great water resistance with regard to curing using heat as it cures quickly enough.
To get the most out of your structural adhesive, it is important to follow all manufacturer’s instructions precisely and have an experienced professional apply the adhesive on your behalf to reduce errors which could compromise its strength and durability.
Securing patio furniture to a concrete surface provides stability and security, as well as helps protect it against storms or external forces that might otherwise cause damage. There are various methods you can use to anchor it securely to the concrete, such as using screws, adhesives, straps and anchors; to make the most out of its lifespan it’s also vital that regularly inspect and maintain these anchors to make sure that they remain undamaged and securely fastened.
Paint
Refreshing patio furniture by adding color can be one of the easiest ways to customize it to match your home. Staining is another option, although painting offers quicker and easier results as well as increased protection from ultraviolet rays than stain. If opting for stain, look for one with rust inhibiting properties; when using water-based stain, clear sealant may help strengthen its protection from moisture and sunlight.
If you plan on painting furniture made of plastic, use a spray can designed specifically for plastic; general-purpose paints may not adhere as effectively. Roughen up the surface using an abrasive sponge or cleaning pad in order to increase adhesion. Spray painting can be messy so choose a day when wind will not be blowing too heavily and cover any nearby surfaces with a tarp before beginning your painting job.
As with any DIY project, take time to carefully plan out and procure all of the tools required. Visit your local hardware store and don’t forget gloves, masks (for spray painting or brush paint respectively), dust masks (if using brush paint), and tarps to cover your workspace. It is also advisable to start this project during fall or winter as paint dries too quickly in summer heat; foam paint brushes can come in handy for reaching into tight corners of furniture.