10. A Sturdy Brick Garden Bench
Every garden needs a quiet place to sit, contemplate, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. A sturdy brick garden bench provides a permanent, weather-resistant seating option that looks like a natural extension of your home’s architecture. Unlike wooden or metal benches that rust, rot, or require annual staining, a brick and timber bench is virtually maintenance-free and ages beautifully, developing a lovely patina of moss and lichen over the years.
To construct this inviting seating nook, you will build two solid brick columns to act as the supports, with a thick, comfortable wooden slab spanning between them. Excavate two small, level areas for the columns, filling them with gravel for drainage. Build the two columns to a comfortable seating height (usually about 18 inches), using mortar or heavy-duty outdoor construction adhesive to secure the bricks. For the seat, select a thick, weather-resistant piece of timber, such as cedar, redwood, or reclaimed barn wood. Treat the wood with a protective outdoor sealer, then secure it to the top of the brick columns using masonry anchors. The combination of warm, organic wood and cool, solid brick creates a stunning, inviting contrast.