Here is a free woodworking plan for making a sturdy seating set designed for your backyard or garden.
It consists of a table, a bench and a stool. All three pieces of furniture are made according to the same principle, i.e., they have the same construction and differ only in dimensions. Such a seating set is very useful, and it also looks nice in the garden/yard, on the terrace, etc. The table is of a size that allows 6 people to be seated comfortably (two on each bench and one on each stool) who will enjoy having their coffee or drinks. Table dimensions are not intended for serving big meals, rather mini-meals or snacks. In case you have to attend to more than 6 people, and under the condition they are a size ‘S’ or children, three people are seated per bench. If you need to adjust the table and bench dimensions to your needs, it will be very easy to do so after you study the drawings a little.
Table: 945mm (37.2'') x 1500mm (59.06'') x 794.5mm (31.28'')
Bench: 470mm (18.5'') x 1500mm (59.06'') x 470mm (18.5'')
Stool: 470mm (18.5'') x 470mm (18.5'') x 470mm (18.5'')
The construction is simple and looks slightly rustic; if you like, you can additionally decorate it with a chip carving. It should be noted that the bench and the table are quite heavy, so at least two people are required to manipulate it. All pieces should be well protected against adverse effects of weather conditions. Exposure to strong sunlight may be a problem if you have used insufficiently dried wood, and in winter the entire set should be placed in an ancillary room, on the porch or under some kind of overhead roof/structure that provides shelter. In this way, you will significantly extend the life span of all the pieces. Do not keep the seating set in a place exposed to the sun all day long, but rather place it in the shade if possible, or where the sun shines only for a short period of the day. This will provide additional protection, you will feel more relaxed and there will be no need for a sun umbrella.
If you are a beginner who wants to build this backyard seating set, be practical and try with a stool first, just to see how it is going. If you make a mistake, this way you will spend the least amount of material. As we have already mentioned, the construction is simple, but the woodworking joints demand more experience to achieve quality end results.