First stab at bonsai bench

[AppleBonsai]

For a "first stab" I think you killed it! Nice job! And having the kids involved in our weird hobby is priceless!!

 

[Pattik]

Nice job. My husband and I have been trying to figure out how we could do something on our fence and this has given me some great inspiration. So glad you shared this.

 

[Chad D]

You might want to add at least a foot more width. As it is now, they're kind of crammed against the fence. That can lead to weak foliage on the fence side. Also makes the shelf useless for any larger bonsai you get in the future (and you probably will get more ;-).

Good idea. Thanks! I have about 10 larger trees that won't fit up there due to the width as you mentioned and they would stick up over the fence line. I had to make the bench high as I have to keep my bullmastiff out of them as she loves the poo cakes (or any organic solid fertilizer for that matter)

I'm going to make a few more benches that I can move. I'll make them wider/deeper. What width do you recommend ? It's 20" deep/wide now if I remember correctly. I'll check again tonight.

 

[Chad D]

So I started to sand to restain the front to match the fence and actually like the distressed look it created. I'll just sand the middle 4x4 section within my lazy version of a torii gate design and slap a flat sealant coat on it I think.

 

[JudyB]

I like 25" deep myself.

 

[Chad D]

Thanks Judy. I'll make the next one 5" deeper

Applied the same stain of my fence. I just can't leave it alone . It's like killing trees with too much love.

I think I like the addition of reddish brown fence stain better than my previous pic to make it more subtle and not distract too much from the trees. I might do the same with the 4x4's on the ends to tie the torii gate like design together . Thoughts?

 

[GrimLore]

Thanks Judy. I'll make the next one 5" deeper

Applied the same stain of my fence. I just can't leave it alone . It's like killing trees with too much love.

I think I like the addition of reddish brown fence stain better than my previous pic to make it more subtle and not distract too much from the trees. I might do the same with the 4x4's on the ends to tie the torii gate like design together . Thoughts?

I think it ties it all together well without jumping out at you, looks natural

Grimmy

 

[lordy]

I always tried to get the most out of the lumber I found/bought/repurposed. Typically, 8 footers give you 4 pieces at 24". Mine are generally 4 feet tall (two 8' 4x4 for legs), 8' long or 12' long (2x4x8' or 12') and 24" deep. I used 1x4 or scrap 2x2 or 2x4 for the bench top, but I dont screw them down to the horizontal rails, just to make it more adaptable to whatever I put on that particular bench.

 

[rockm]

FWIW. I bought 12" wide coated metal shelf braces from Home Depot, mounted them on each fence post three or four feet up, then laid deck boards over them to make the shelves. I can get bigger trees on the set up and the longest run (about eight feet can support 100 lbs of trees. Cheaper than building wooden shelving...

 

[jeanluc83]

Landscape timbers make good legs. They are a bit smaller than 4x4s but cost mush less.

 

[Chad D]

Almost done. Just need to apply the same brown rustic stain on the 4x4's on each end and stain the rest of the 1x2's on the top black

 

[ColinFraser]

So I started to sand to restain the front to match the fence and actually like the distressed look it created. I'll just sand the middle 4x4 section within my lazy version of a torii gate design and slap a flat sealant coat on it I think.

I dig the distressed look too.

 

[Joedes3]

I use pressure treated boards and cinder blocks. Very inexpensive and quick.
Joedes3