40 Creative Outdoor Bench DIY Ideas and Tutorials

Outdoor sitting areas come in all shapes and sizes. Some people have full dining and sitting areas in their backyards, others prefer to enjoy the outdoors from their porches and others still will opt for an outdoor bench placed strategically to enjoy the view or the shade, for instance.

Outdoor benches are somewhat different from other kinds, but they are essentially made the same way. You can build one from reused materials, carve it out of the wall, landscape or even start from scratch – it all depends on the end result you’re looking for.

Building a bench is, in most cases, pretty much a beginner level project, so we expect you to be able to bring whatever your vision is to life. We have, however, decided to provide some examples for inspiration.

Here are 40 Creative Outdoor Bench DIY Ideas and Tutorials which should be quite helpful when you tackle the task of building your new outdoor bench.

Recycled Headboard Bench

An old bed frame is excellent material to build a bench from, as it already features a back piece – the headboard – as well as four legs. The secret here is to keep the headboard pretty much intact, then work with the bed’s front to create the seat and side. Paint it all gray so it looks carved from stone and your bench is complete. via ruggydiy

Outdoor Convertible Coffee Table Bench

This project is quite interesting, as it serves a double purpose: when closed, it is a beautiful outdoor bench, but you can collapse the top part to turn it into a table, using the back as support for the expanded area. The main part can be made from pallet wood with a hinge in the middle, while the back and bottom are made from scraps, which were installed in a geometric pattern. You can choose to paint it like you see here or leave the wood as is. via handmade-haven

DIY Concrete Block Bench for Outdoor

This project isn’t complex, but it is quite unique, as you’re almost building a couch mixing two different materials. The back and sides are made from sturdy concrete blocks, which you can choose to buy or make yourself, depending on your needs and skill, but then the seat is pretty much a large and thick shelf. You can add some couch cushions like you see in the example for added comfort. via contemporist

DIY Hexagon Cedar Tree Bench

This is another quite unique outdoor bench idea, as it was built around a cedar tree, creating a hexagon shape that is wider on the floor and narrower towards the tallest area, which surrounds the tree. It’s not the most comfortable or practical bench idea, but it definitely looks very impressive. via addicted2diy

French Bench from Repurposed Barstool Legs

This long, oval bench almost looks like an ironing table, but it works perfectly. The barstool legs have been repurposed expertly to create the supporting structure for the wooden top, which includes a large “X” connecting all four legs. All the imperfections of the materials were left showing, giving the bench a more authentically DIY look. via mylove2create

DIY Crate Bench

Making a bench from crates is the easiest project you can take on, especially when doing it this way. You have three identical crates perfectly lined up with the opening facing forward and connected by a long piece of smooth dark wood, which serves as the top. You can use the openings at the front for storage or decoration, if you want. via hometalk

DIY Outdoor Bench with Arbor

This bench is embedded in a vintage-style arbor, partially shielding occupants from the elements. It is made from regular wide pieces of wood, installed closer together at the seat but farther apart at the back. The sides are two large lattice boards, which you can buy to save some effort and the top is easy enough to make, as you only need two pieces of wood the same size as the bench to connect both sides and then smaller ones to place perpendicularly throughout, creating a sort of roof. via ana-white and sunset

Cement Blocks And Wood Garden Bench

This colorful garden bench is actually quite simple to build. The sides are made of cement blocks stacked and joined together while the seat and back were crafted from wide slats of smooth wood which have been painted red to achieve the colorful look. via ehow

DIY Wood Pallet Garden Bench

Pallets are great for any project because they are easy to use whole as well as take apart. This incredible outdoor bench installed around a fire pit uses a bit of both. It was built as three identical benches, two of which only had their outer legs, so that they could be installed in that sort of semicircle. Once joined, the full bench was painted white and decorated with several colorful throw pillows. via 1001gardens

DIY Bench From A Metal Headboard

Making a bench from a metal headboard isn’t that much different from a wooden piece. You can use the actual headboard to make a beautiful back, and take advantage of the legs as well. The only thing you actually need to build from scratch is the wooden seat, which you will then paint to match the frame of your beautiful bench. via southernrevivals

DIY Sturdy 2×4 Bench

This bench is as traditional as it gets. Both the seat and back are made from your standard long and wide pieces of wood, put together leaving a small gap in between and supported by perpendicular pieces at the reclined back. Thinner pieces make the box-style, solid frame. The whole piece was whitewashed. via thecreativemom

DIY Rustic Garden Bench With Logs And Reclaimed Wood

This bench, which sits right against the wall, is as simple as they get. It has two large logs for legs as well as a long, wide piece of reclaimed wood as the top. The whole piece was left in its natural state, giving it a rustic charm. via thediymommy

West Elm Bench Knock-off

This piece definitely has the modern look you find at high-end department stores, but it can be easily replicated. You only need a wide, smooth top and six identical pieces of your chosen materials to create the hollow triangle legs. Paint those black and the top white, if that’s not how you get them, mount the bench and it will be ready for use. via homemadebycarmona

Rustic Stone Garden Bench

Stone benches may appear simple, yet this one is anything but. It features a smooth charcoal top, much like you would expect from a counter top, which is supported by layered-looking legs. It may take some work to build, but it looks stunning. via popularmechanics

DIY Wooden Slat Bench

This wooden bench is once again quite traditional and has a vintage charm to it, thanks to its taupe color and textured slats. It has quite a solid, sturdy frame, which features an extra brace for the legs and seat, yet the back is quite open and it has no arm rests. via myrepurposedlife

Easy Modern Wooden Bench

These modern-looking benches may sell for big bucks, but they are actually cheap and easy to make, as they are nothing more than plain wood. You can make it with large and wide slabs, or you can build it using several smaller ones. The key is to create completely clean lines and treat the wood so the piece appears completely seamless. via diycandy

DIY Rustic Bench With Crate Storage

This rustic bench has quite an interesting concept. The top is natural, smooth wood, but the supporting structure, which was painted white, was divided into sections and features triangle legs. It also features a sort of shelf which holds various crates for storage. via lifestorage

Classic DIY Outdoor Bench

This is, once again, your classic, simple outdoor wooden bench. It was entirely built using thick slats of wood, which give it quite a uniform look. The thick legs were installed more towards the middle than the edges, which gives it that traditional look. via cherishedbliss

DIY Rustic X-Bench

Here’s a bench with a similar concept yet a different look. Like the one with crate storage, this one has a smooth top and is structured into two sections. The big differences are the “X” shapes at the ends, the rich, dark wood color and the wicker baskets that replace the crates from the previous example. via diyhuntress

DIY Double X Bench

This bench also features “X”, but it looks very different. It has the basic bench structure, but with wide double legs at each end, as well as a double X-brace running through the middle. It was painted completely white except for some streaks, which give it a rugged and distressed look. via theidearoom

DIY X Brace Bench

This section is all about the X-brace benches, and while it is quite simple, you can’t deny how stylish this one looks. The top is pretty much your usual wood slat seat, but the X-braces at the ends, which are connected by a long, thinner piece of the same kind of wood, give this bench an incredibly elegant look, enhanced by its dark color. via rogueengineer

DIY Patio Block Bench

This bench looks like it is supported by two towers of stone garden pavers, which is quite a good idea because those are easily accessible and create quite a textured look. The seat itself, however, is made from a thick, wide slat of light smooth wood, which gives the piece a modern twist. via lowes

Stone and wood bench is a simple accent for the garden

Again, we see something similar in concept, yet very different in aesthetic. This bench has a smooth piece of treated wood for its top, which is supported by two identical stone columns placed below each end. The natural stains on the stone make this look just right in the middle of the garden while the wooden top adds a clean edge to it. via livinator

DIY Corner Bench with Built-In Side Table

These two benches, which round out a corner, are pretty simple with their mahogany tops and ivory legs. However, they are not joined at the corner. A matching little table was built there instead, allowing users to set their drinks or personal objects there while socializing. via remodelaholic

DIY Recycled Chair Garden Bench

Turning chairs into a bench may seem silly, but it looks quite nice if you choose good chairs. The process is similar to repurposing a headboard – you will keep the backs of the chairs and discard the rest, then build a rectangular structure for your seat. Build a second one below it for stability, fill in your seat and paint the whole piece to complete your project. via anoregoncottage

Stacked Blocks And Capstones Bench

This is pretty much a perfect garden bench because the stone looks like part of the natural scene. It was made by stacking several blocks, as you can clearly see, then using slimmer and smoother stones at the top to create the seating area.

Sardinian Stone & Wooden Slab Bench

Here’s another great example of a bench that mixes materials but looks simply gorgeous. The legs are made from three Sardinian stones stacked up, while the top is a thick, light-colored wooden slab, which fits right in with the stones. via linapalandet

Recycled Pallet Wood Bench

You can’t immediately tell this beautiful bench is made from reused pallets at first sight. Each of the three seats was made from a recycled pallet, which was lightly treated at the top to look smoother and classier. From the side, you can see some open space under the seat, as well as distressed dark wood drawers at the bottom that work well for storage. The placement in the corner looks quite cool and means you don’t need backs for this bench. via pallet-projects

DIY Storage Bench

This bench is definitely very stylish in its modern color scheme, but it is also quite practical, because the seat is a big box which can be opened to store items. The box itself is easy enough to make, but then you have a detailed back, with an open geometric pattern to worry about, as well as the armrests and legs, since the bench is suspended. Once your structure is complete, you should add a removable mat and some pillows on the seat for comfort and decoration. via jenwoodhouse

Solid Cherry Garden Bench

This may look like your traditional garden bench, but the details make all the difference. While it has a thick wooden slab as a seat and two thinner ones as legs, both have rounded edges and a brace connects the legs, which sets it apart from others. via front-porch-ideas-and-more

DIY Garden Bench From A Bed

We’ve proven time and again how easy it is to turn an old bed frame into a bench, and this one is no exception. You will use the headboard for the back, take advantage of the legs and use the bed posts for the armrests. The rest you will use to build the seat, which you will complete with some pallet wood before painting everything a classy white. via littlehouseinthesuburbs

Rustic $15 DIY Bench

This rustic bench is not only cheap to make, but also looks really different, as it mixes the distressed wood with modern, clean lines. The top is quite typical, but it features double legs on each end, which are connected by a triangle shaped brace that supports the bench right at its center. via thehappierhomemaker

DIY Outdoor Concrete And Wood Bench

This is another example of a bench made from mixed materials. The legs are two large and thick blocks of concrete placed at the ends, while the top is made from three long slabs of light wood, which create a great contrast. via instructables

DIY Planter Box Bench

Here’s a bench that is both modern and cool, but also classy. It features tall wooden planter boxes at each end, which frame the seat crafted from similar wood, making it all look seamless, while having the subtle contrast of the boxes’ edges. via shanty-2-chic

DIY Outdoor Bench With Table

This bench is quite interesting because it looks more like two chairs with a table in the middle – except it doesn’t have any legs there. The bench was built as two individual seats with matching backs, as well as outer legs and armrests. The two are connected by a raised hollow box that serves as a table. via myoutdoorplans

DIY Farmhouse Outdoor Glider Bench

This bench is actually more complex than it might look. You have a regular wood slab seat, but then there is a second, ladder-like structure below it, connected by the armrests and legs, which were both built as hollow squares. The back is quite simple, but it features two different patterns: “X” on the sides and a number of parallel vertical slabs in the middle. via buildsomething

DIY Storage Bench

This is another bench/storage chest hybrid, as the seat can be opened and used as a storage box. The back has a ladder style which mixes two colors of wood, bringing in some color. The same accent color was used on the front of the box. via thehandymansdaughter

DIY Pottery Barn-Inspired Primitive Bench

This bench may look like a basic box at first, but it is quite different, as the box has a trapeze shape that is wider at the top and narrower towards the bottom. The structure is also supported by quite thin wooden panels with double triangle legs, which add to its unique look. via woodworkingtimex

DIY Concrete Garden Bench

This bench is absolutely basic: it is made from three slabs of solid, thick concrete, which were joined together to create this clean, modern piece. via instructables

DIY Planter Bench

This planter bench is quite similar to the one we’ve looked at before. Each end features a wooden planter box, which is reinforced at the top and bottom and has a large opening for the plants. These boxes are connected by benches made of the same kind of slabs, giving it a double purpose. via myoutdoorplans