{"id":135,"date":"2017-08-07T09:29:50","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T08:29:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.twdg.co.uk\/benches\/blog\/?p=135"},"modified":"2025-07-29T12:35:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T11:35:15","slug":"garden-bench-ultimate-care-maintenance-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardenbenches.com\/blog\/garden-bench-ultimate-care-maintenance-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Garden Bench \u2013 The Ultimate Care and Maintenance Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Garden furniture allows you to relax and enjoy the surroundings of your lush, colourful garden. Despite such a vast array of garden furniture, many people still enjoy the garden bench<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Informal and comfortable, the garden bench is a welcome addition to any garden. Use it in its basic format for half an hour watching the sun set or dress it up with comfy cushions and throws for when you have friends dining al fresco. The garden bench is a truly versatile piece of outdoor furniture.<\/p>\n

But, like most garden furniture, the humble garden bench will need some care and maintenance from time to time. Thankfully, none of these care and maintenance tips cost a heap of cash nor hours and hours of your time. Neither do they require specialist knowledge or skills and can, in the main, be projects for anyone with a smattering of DIY skills.<\/p>\n

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How to Secure Your Garden Bench<\/h2>\n

The great British weather is a constant source of conversation. Complaints about rain, wind, sun, ice and snow is an almost daily occurrence. The weather will, of course, impact on your garden bench, with everything from the sun to rain slowly eroding away at its strength and structure.<\/p>\n

However, we will go on to examine a number of ways in which you can slow the progress of time and the effects of weather on your garden bench but first, we must talk about securing or tethering your garden bench securely to a fixed, immovable object.<\/p>\n

Gales can damage your bench, pushing it and possibly overturning it if the weather is severe enough. But we must also talk about the possibility of person\u2019s unknown liking the look of your bench and deciding that they want it for themselves.<\/p>\n

Theft of garden ornaments, furniture and benches is sadly an all-too common an occurrence. Being the victim of theft is an uncomfortable experience, even if the item stolen is \u2018only\u2019 a garden bench, a plant pot or two or a garden sculpture.<\/p>\n

Your garden bench is a valuable addition to your garden thus, but securing it you minimise the possibility of storm damage and opportunistic theft.<\/p>\n

The answer lay in L-shaped anchor brackets that secure your garden bench to a hard surface. If your garden bench sits on a concrete platform, then this is the ideal solution. An L-shaped anchor bracket is securely fixed to the leg of your garden bench with four screws. The whole thing \u2013 bench and bracket \u2013 is then secured to the concrete plinth or platform via a heavy-duty bolt that will take a long time for anyone to remove, should they be wanting to make off with your garden bench.<\/p>\n

Inconspicuous, by the time the would-be thief has realised your bench is secured to the ground by these anchor brackets, they will have to leave \u2013 empty-handed.<\/p>\n

The brackets are also firm enough to hold your bench in place should an autumn gale or a winter storm rips through the garden.<\/p>\n

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How to Repair Your Garden Bench<\/h2>\n

Due to weather and continued use, there may be times that your garden bench is damaged. With a quality hardwood, however, your garden bench is unlikely to face too much damage as it is a material that stands firm in the face of all kinds of onslaught but when damage does happen, acting quickly stops the damage from becoming worse and also makes for a simple repair.<\/p>\n

With some garden benches, it is the slats that form the seating area and the back rest of the bench that can become weak or damaged. It may be possible to replace a broken slat but always use a hardwood intended for outdoor use. It may also be that it looks \u2018new\u2019 compared to the rest of the bench until it has weathered or been varnished etc.<\/p>\n

To repair a slat, measure from the length you will need and cut to size. Carefully remove the old slat and manoeuvre the new one into place. Fix securely into position.<\/p>\n

Avoiding damage is better than spending time repairing your garden bench and for more ornate garden benches, such as those with a shaped backed in the Luytens range or the Banana half Moon bench, this is by far the preferred option.<\/p>\n

Protecting your bench means protecting it by ensuring it cleaned, varnished and treated regularly, as well as protected from the worst of the weather, four elements which we will now examine in turn.<\/p>\n

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How to Clean Your Garden Bench<\/h2>\n

Hardwood is exactly that \u2013 a hard wood from a tree that is slow growing. Thus, when felled and cut, the wood is made into a delightful garden bench. Robust and long lasting, a hard wood bench is ideal for any application in the garden.<\/p>\n

Teak is possibly one of the best hardwoods to opt for. A slow growing tree found in Indonesian rainforests, it is a wood that is impervious to changes in moisture levels, heat and humidity, welcome news with the changeable British weather. With only the minimal amount of care and attention, the appearance of teak ages beautifully over time, another reason why so many people opt for a teak hardwood garden bench.<\/p>\n

But keeping it clean means there is less chance of it being damaged and eroded from the detritus and grime that sits on the surface of the wood. Keeping your garden bench covered will help minimise dirt but when your bench needs to be varnished or treated, you will need to clean the surface grime off it.<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s how;<\/p>\n

You will need;<\/p>\n