Cast iron legs for garden benches. Original ideas on how to make bench legs with your own hands

Production of cast-iron sidewalls of benches

Sidewalls for our benches are cast from cast iron. Why cast iron, or rather cast iron? The production of cast iron benches has deep historical roots and due technical requirements to products. We list the main advantages of cast iron benches:

Sidewalls of benches made of cast iron have high strength and almost unlimited service life. Even without painting, the bench can last for centuries, as cast iron is practically not destroyed by outdoor use.

The significant weight of the cast-iron bench gives it stability, the bench does not move, does not sway, it is almost impossible to overturn it by accident.

High decorative qualities of cast iron. The cast-iron sidewalls of the benches are made with a three-dimensional pattern, the design of the products is sustained in classical style. The form of cast sidewalls does not have such production restrictions as welded or forged benches.

Our benches are born in the foundry and go through several stages of processing before they reach the park, courtyard or manor. Casting of the bases of benches is carried out by casting into the ground according to ready-made models. The material of the sidewalls is gray cast iron of the grade SCH10, SCH15 according to GOST 1412-85. Since cast iron has the property of shrinkage when the casting is cooled, the model is made several bigger size than the future product. With the property of shrinkage of cast iron during cooling of the casting interesting point"copyright protection". The fact is that some foundries, when they receive an order for cast-iron sidewalls of benches, do not have the opportunity or funds for a very expensive and time-consuming production of a model, and they use a finished sidewall of a bench provided by the customer as a sample. In this case, the bench - copy is slightly smaller than the original. And if such copying is repeated several times, then the bench will already be noticeably smaller. To sit on such a bench was still comfortable, its height is slightly increased in the manufacture of castings. So at the ends of the legs appear height-increasing platforms, usually square. With the advent of modern digital technologies the process of making models no longer requires the highly skilled work of a specialist modeler, but alas, it does not become cheaper. As a rule in last years models are made on a coordinate milling machines but the preparation of a digital 3D model still requires a good knowledge of casting technology. When designing a model, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of easy removal from the mold after molding. Cross section of elements and three-dimensional drawing should take into account the possibility of filling the mold during casting. Qualitatively made models can be used repeatedly and serve for years, but the earth form itself is destroyed when the casting is removed and then re-formed in the flask.

For casting, flask molds split into two halves are used, filled with molding sand. The flasks have structural elements for precise alignment of their halves. In preparation for the casting of benches, the flasks are filled with "earth" - a special molding mixture based on sand and a binder. The flask is filled with molding sand, at the same time a model is placed in it and the mixture is compacted on a vibrating table and also with manual rammers. A gating system is formed - a funnel and technological channels for pouring molten iron, slag traps, channels for removing gases during casting. After compaction of the mixture, the model is tapped to separate from the molding sand and removed, leaving a cavity that exactly repeats the shape of the model. Then manually corrected possible defects molding and the process is repeated to prepare the required number of molds. Injection molds are left until the molding sand hardens, after which the cast iron is poured. During crystallization, cast iron expands somewhat in volume, and then the casting shrinks when it is cooled. If the mold is not made correctly, the cast iron may not fill it before solidification begins, the casting may be damaged by unremoved slag. When hardening, the casting can be deformed and even cracked, which is why it is so important to comply with technological requirements in the process of preparing molds.

After casting, the cast iron is uniformly cooled in the flasks. And after sufficient cooling, the molds are separated, the sand is broken and the castings are removed. In case of non-compliance with the temperature regime during casting, gray cast iron can partially “bleach” becoming extremely hard and brittle. This will not render the castings useless for making benches, but it will make machining much more difficult, making it almost impossible to drill assembly holes.

The blanks of the sidewalls of the benches extracted from the flasks are fed to the machining section. The sprues are cut off, after which the castings are processed by a shot blasting machine. Shot blasting machine removes molding sand residues, partially slag, flash and burrs. Then, with angle grinders, the flash is removed at the junction of the half-moulds and the places where the molding channels are cut off are leveled. With abrasive processing, it is possible to partially correct the consequences of inaccurate joining of the half-moulds and align the resulting step.

During the processing of castings, some of them are rejected and sent for remelting. Small defects in casting, shells and cavities are corrected with metal-filled putty. After drilling the holes required for assembly, the cast-iron sidewalls of the benches are sent to the powder coating shop.

Since our company is a manufacturer of cast iron benches, it is possible to take into account and fulfill some specific requirements of our customers at the production stage. A significant part of our benches is installed in municipal areas. In such benches, we provide for the possibility of their anti-vandal fastening. To do this, at the stage of casting cast-iron sidewalls, reinforcing bars are poured into the legs of the benches, which, when the bench is installed, are concreted into the ground. Thus, theft and arbitrary movement of benches becomes practically impossible. Each garden bench that you can buy from us will be delivered within Moscow and the Moscow region or by a transport company to anywhere in Russia. Wholesale orders are possible taking into account the wishes of the customer in terms of the color of the sidewalls and crossbars. Maximum length, which a garden bench of our production can have - 3 meters, with three supports, two sidewalls and one intermediate support.

In addition to beds, flower beds, landscape design elements in summer cottages, cottage plots, there are recreation areas. A classic or original do-it-yourself shop is convenient for gatherings, receiving guests, and relaxing. The structures are placed at the rear entrance, the central porch, on terraces, barbecue areas, gazebos, near garden paths, increasing the functionality of the site.

Regardless of the location, do-it-yourself materials for a bench can serve as:

• lumber - board, beam, log, trimmings from outbuildings
• improvised materials - used car tires, uprooted stumps, tree trunks, pallets, pallets from bricks, dismantled at the end of the construction of the forest, waste cutting roofing materials, vines from the forest
• rolled metal - corner, profile, round pipe
• stone, brick - supporting legs in combination with seats, backs from the above materials

The use of improvised materials provides a minimum construction budget, high originality of products.

Design features of benches

Garden benches are classified according to several criteria:

• material - wooden, combined
• support - on racks or cantilever
• mobility – portable, folding, stationary
• construction - with a back, detachable, one-piece connection of parts

The most simple design has a do-it-yourself shop made of two boards, logs. It is enough to make two sidewalls, add several horizontal boards for the seat, vertical elements for the back.

Fastening of individual elements can be carried out in a groove, half a tree, with self-tapping screws, nails. To protect against aggressive environments, all parts are varnished, painted or impregnated with wax compounds. If necessary, the wood is brushed and stained to increase the artistic value of the products.

Do-it-yourself log bench

The option is perfect for the owners of log cabins, since a do-it-yourself bench made of logs is qualitatively combined with the general architectural style of outbuildings.

For manufacturing, one deck split in half, loosened in the center of the log, is enough. To ensure stability, the half-log is either cut into the half-blocks with a lock, or wedges are placed under it, fixed with self-tapping screws. A pole, board, beam on wooden or metal racks can be used as a back.

Do-it-yourself bench from boards

The material for the do-it-yourself bench in the bottom photo is a board 15 x 7 cm, 6 x 3 cm, 7 x 2 cm.

To increase the ergonomics and artistic value of the design, most of the elements have a complex configuration. Therefore, a beam for this model will not work, you will need an electric jigsaw or a delimber, a grinder. Wooden parts are joined with wooden bushings in pre-drilled blind holes. The connection is impregnated with glue, becomes one-piece, provides the maximum resource of the structure. The bench turns out to be mobile due to its low weight.

Assembly is carried out in the following sequence:

• the armrest, the side of the seat, the lower jumper are attached to the curved part of the back
• the final rigidity of the structure is obtained after fixing the front leg
• further, the back is assembled from short planks
• a jumper is mounted between the elements of the seat frame, providing rigidity
• at the last stage, the structure is assembled together
• the top slats of the seat are stacked on top of the frame
• the front bar is fixed between the corresponding legs

The sharp corners of all parts are smoothed out before assembly, the material is impregnated with an antiseptic, flame retardant or fire-bioprotection, in which both components are present in the required proportions. Before installation at the place of operation, the bench is varnished, oiled or painted.

Combined garden benches

Folding structures are convenient when receiving guests, occupy a minimum amount of space in their absence, and do not require additional care. A variant of the transformer shop is shown in the bottom photo, manufacturing is available for a home craftsman.

The design consists of four pivotally connected nodes. The main difficulty of the assembly is the exact observance of the dimensions of all elements. The second version of the same transformer differs in the design of the benches - here they are the same, except for the distance between the legs.

In this case, the final assembly of the product is facilitated:

• two benches are made
• tabletop is going
• benches move close to each other
• the back-table is fixed at the required angle to the horizontal plane of the seats
• in place, the size of a long, short tie is measured, due to which the transformation occurs

In this case, it is necessary to arrange these jibs in different planes.

A short spacer is attached in the same plane with the bar of the tabletop base. The long jib is attached to the bar of the short bench from the outside, the bar of the table top from the inside.

Pig-iron benches are beauty, durability, durability. We cast supports for benches in our own production according to the developments of our design office and model shop, so we guarantee a stylish design of benches and high quality.

Why choose cast iron benches?

1. Cast iron benches are highly durable and reliable. The supports cannot be broken or deformed. One need only look at the cast-iron benches to be convinced of the above.

2. Suitable for almost any territory - for parks and squares, streets and squares, household plots.

3. Will last long years. You will not have to look for a replacement for cast-iron benches soon - they will be in good condition for quite a long time.

4. Attractive and interesting design. We cast beautifully shaped supports. Some of our bench models have exquisite patterns on the legs and armrests. Cast iron benches from the Hobbik factory will become a favorite resting place for the townspeople, they will decorate any territory.

Bench - the simplest subject furniture, consisting of a seat and legs, the legs are often connected by a stiffener, a drawstring. In more complex designs, there may be a back and sidewalls-armrests. Making a bench with your own hands is very simple, the most uncomplicated detail is the seat, it is usually made from one or more boards, slats, timber. There are much more options for making legs for benches, and a variety of materials are used for this purpose - wood, metal, concrete, less often plastic. In this article you will find some ideas on how to make a bench with traditional or original legs.

Bench leg options

The classic version is a wooden bench with X-shaped or U-shaped legs made of timber. Even simpler is a bench, the seat of which is made of one board, and the legs are made of short pieces of the same board, nailed or screwed closer to the edges of the seat. But you can make the legs for the bench yourself in other ways:

• weld or assemble on bolted joints from a profile steel pipe;
• to make figured metal elements using artistic forging, serving as seat supports, back supports, armrests;
• use pieces of logs as a support for sitting, or assemble a “wall” from several tiers of timber with a chamfer removed from 4 sides, rounded timber, thin logs;
• cut curly legs from a thick board.

Legs can be made from a variety of building materials:

• from concrete slabs, between which boards are inserted to form a seat;
• from hollow building blocks, into the cavities of which a beam for sitting is inserted;
• from boards folded in a “well”, stable and beautiful legs are obtained, which, despite their large size, do not look heavy;
• if balusters remain after the repair, or you have old furniture with carved wooden posts (bed, whatnot), they can be sawn into segments of the desired length (height) to make legs and back supports for the bench;
• the frame of a light mobile garden bench can be made from metal-plastic water pipes by connecting them with suitable fittings. The seat frame made of pipes is covered with a strong dense fabric, from which folding beds are made.

The legs can be wooden boxes in which flowers grow, or concrete, stone flower beds (mini-flower beds), located at a suitable distance from each other. The seat is made of a wide board, the ends of which rest on the edges of the flower girls, the length of the seat is equal to the distance between the flower beds (boxes). Massive round flowerpots can also serve as seat supports; in the seat closer to the edges, holes of a slightly smaller diameter are cut out than the top of the flowerpots. The edges of the bench will be decorated with live plants planted in flowerpots. Flowerpots for these purposes need very strong, because they will be loaded not only by sitting, but also by the weight of people sitting.

For a bench with a back, stylish original legs that serve as armrests at the same time can be made from wooden wheels. Only for stability and fixing the wheels in one position, you will need support-stands knocked down from boards or timber.

Parts can be used to make a bench old furniture, for example, a crib with curly backs. One back will serve as the back of the bench, and the other, sawn in half vertically and cut to the desired height, will serve as armrest legs. It is even easier to turn a shelf into a bench, then you can store different things under the seat. From below, it is advisable to fill the timber along the edges in order to raise the seat higher and avoid contact of the bottom with the ground, and put pillows of a suitable size on top. If there are old, but strong, not wobbly stools, a couple of stools can also be used as bench supports by stuffing boards of the desired length on top. Chairs are used in a similar way, only they turn around so that they turn from the back into the sides of the bench. For the armrests, they are a little high, but on such a bench you can sit with your legs stretched along the seat and leaning back on the sidewall.

Making wood legs

One option is to make straight legs from a bar or board 40-75 mm thick. Each leg is made up of:

• 2 vertical elements, the height of which is equal to the desired height of the bench minus the thickness of the seat;
• 2 horizontal crossbars that hold the racks together.

Horizontal elements are mounted between vertical ones, one is flush with the top edge, the second is at a distance of about 2/3 of the height from the bottom edge. The seat will rest on the upper crossbars. It is desirable to connect the lower crossbars with a stiffener, and if the bench is long, it will be useful to have one more stiffener between the upper crossbars.

Strong legs can be made from a 75 mm board, each consists of 2 vertical rectangular elements and 2 trapezoidal elements, which serve to connect the supports to the seat. In rectangular and trapezoidal parts, grooves are selected, as shown in the drawing. All parts are glued together, and the joints of the grooves are fixed with self-tapping screws. Furniture dowels are used to fasten the seat to the supports, the hidden connection looks neat.

You can make a bench with X-shaped supports so that the extension of one of the legs serves as a support for the back. Each support consists of 3 parts:

1. Short back leg.
2. Long front leg, turning into a back support.
3. The horizontal bar is the seat support.

Parts 1 and 2 are cut from a 50 mm thick board, the top and bottom are cut at an angle of 45 °. Between themselves, they are connected crosswise “in half a tree”, that is, in each board, a groove equal to the width of the other board is selected for half the thickness. They are folded and bolted together. Detail 3 of a trapezoidal shape is cut out of a beam (the ends are also sawn off at an angle of 45 °) and attached to a short support with self-tapping screws; it is more convenient to connect it with dowels with a long one. Behind the short supports are connected by a side, which plays the role of a stiffener.

Strong, massive legs are obtained from logs, different solutions are possible:

• for 2 trimming logs of the desired height, placed on the priest, a seat from the board is laid on top and fastened;
• a piece of log is sawn off, equal in length to the height of the bench and sawn longitudinally in half, it turns out 2 legs. They are installed with a cut inward, with the round side outward, from the side of the cut, an angular groove is selected to such a depth that the seat board lies in it. For such a bench, a very thick board is used;
• a log of large diameter is sawn lengthwise in half, 2 short fragments are sawn off, which will serve as legs. The legs are cut down, and the seat is cut up. For a more reliable connection, the top of the supports and the bottom of the seat at the points of contact with the supports, it is better to cut off a little to get flat areas.

An unedged board is most harmoniously combined with log legs. To connect parts of considerable thickness, metal pins are used, holes of a slightly smaller diameter are drilled under them than the pin itself. The pin is inserted into the lower part, and the upper one is mounted on it and nailed through a wooden gasket so as not to damage the wood.

metal legs

Elements of street benches made using the technique of artistic forging look very impressive, but only a blacksmith can make them on their own. Therefore, we will tell you how to make metal legs from pipes, everyone can handle this task.

The simplest option is to weld a rectangular frame from sections of a profile pipe, it can be strengthened by welding diagonal sections or transverse stiffeners. Another option is a U-shaped design with a cross member at the bottom. Such legs are covered from above with seat boards, which are fastened with bolts. You can make higher frames and weld jumpers at the height of the seat, on which the boards will rest, and the upper part of the frame serves as an armrest.

To make the frame look neater, the ends of the pipes are cut at an angle of 45 °, then after welding a structure without open cuts will be obtained. You can do without welding by bending the frame from a thick metal plate of sufficient width.

A slightly more complex design - the legs are trapezoidal, the trapezoid does not have a lower base, but its sides connected by a jumper at a distance of about 10 cm from the ground.

The main difficulty in manufacturing such a design is to fix the parts at the right angle so that they do not move during the welding process. For these purposes, there is a professional device - a positioner, but you can do without it. You need to take a wooden blank, attach the parts to be joined, outline them, drill a series of holes around the perimeter and screw threaded studs into them so that they fix the parts in the desired position.

Another interesting safety design made of metal and wood:

• 2 identical pieces of a round or shaped pipe are taken;
• they are bent so as to get U-shaped structures with a long cross-beam and short legs. The crossbar and legs are mutually perpendicular, but the angle between them is rounded;
• the board is cut into fragments of the desired length, in accordance with the desired width of the bench (approximately 40 cm). In places where the board will be in contact with the body, it is advisable to chamfer and round the corners between the faces;
• prepared boards are attached from above to two supports along the entire horizontal plane and to the upper part of the vertical racks, as a result, the edges of the seat smoothly bend down, there are no sharp edges. For fastening, bolts with flat caps are used, which are recessed into holes of a slightly larger diameter.

By the same principle, you can make a table.

Legs made of concrete products

To make a bench with legs from concrete slabs, you will need:

• 12 square plates 50x50 cm 50 mm thick;
• 5 two-meter boards 38 mm thick, 15 cm wide;
• 4 threaded rods M16 55 cm long, 8 nuts and washers M16 each;
• Drill with a drill for wood and a drill for concrete with a diameter of 18 mm.

In boards at a distance of 10 and 40 cm from both ends and on equal distance holes are drilled from the sides. 2 holes are drilled in each plate, retreating 7.5 cm from the top edge and 10 cm from the left and right. Boards are placed between the plates, aligning the holes. Boards must first be sanded, treated with an antiseptic, painted or varnished. Rods are threaded into the holes and, after assembling the structure, they are screwed on the ends of the nuts.

It is even easier to make bench legs from standard hollow cinder blocks with 3 rectangular cavities. For each leg, you will need 3 or 4 blocks, depending on the desired height of the bench. Blocks can be pre-colored in one or different colors to make the bench look more attractive. The blocks are stacked on top of each other so that the cavities are parallel to the ground, the adjoining faces are glued together with a special adhesive for cellular concrete. It remains only to insert the ends of the pre-treated timber of the required length and suitable section into the cavities of the upper tier, so that there are no large gaps between the edges of the timber and the walls of the cavities.

These are just some options for bench legs, you can take these models as a basis and make your own changes to them or come up with your own version of making legs from improvised materials.