I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

How about if I put a brick under each leg? Do they make bricks with
square cut-outs, like 1/2" deep, that might keep the leg from
wandering until it falls off the brick? If they don't, could I
chisel out a piece of the brick myself to have this? It would also
keep the whole bench from moving.

2) IIRC only ACE Hardware had benches to try out. If you want to
look:
http://www.acehardware.com/search/in.../12550829&sr=1
especially, which I would buy if I knew how long it would last, and I
could keep it from sinking:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...uctId=12602648
Interesting, fwiw,, more expensive on ebay than at Ace Hardware. I
like Ace Hardwa
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIVING-ACCEN...em416354 b40b

Some were more comfortable than others and all of theirs were more
comfortable than some I've sat on. The seat curves down a little at
the front. But they don't say much about the wood slats, except that
they are hardwood, or how long they will last if left out all year
long in Baltimore, which can have a warm day in any month (plus one
never see park benches in real parks covered for the winter) ..

Must I buy an all-metal bench? Most are not as comfortable. Should I
make my own somehow out of treated 2x4's, that will weigh a ton?


And oh yeah, I don't want to spend more than 200 dollars, although
maybe I would, but surely not the 700 I've seen for some.

Thanks a lot.

Micky

FTR, from http://www.dcamerica.net/faq.htm
11. What does my warranty NOT cover?
Q: Storm damage and damage from exposure to the elements is not
covered by our exclusive warranty. Please use caution to safeguard
your furniture from harsh elements and inclement weather."

And t his elusive FAQ:
14. What can I do to protect my furniture and make it last longer?
Q: With proper care and maintenance, your product should give you
years of enjoyment.

"micky" wrote in message
...
I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

How about if I put a brick under each leg? Do they make bricks with
square cut-outs, like 1/2" deep, that might keep the leg from
wandering until it falls off the brick? If they don't, could I
chisel out a piece of the brick myself to have this? It would also
keep the whole bench from moving.

If you want to go cheap get a post hole digger and dig 4 holes one under
where each leg of the bench will rest.

Use any combination of the following.

A treated 4X4 however long you want (we've use 3-4 feet) and surround with
sand and small rocks (think pea gravel).

You can use cement but that's a bit of over kill or you can skip the wood
and go for only rocks/sand. Much depends on the sub surface soil.

Last. Look into those concrete pads you can buy for the outside unit of
HVAC systems. One big one or two small ones will work nicely.

On Jul 28, 9:29*am, micky wrote:
I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. *In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

How about if I put a brick under each leg? * *Do they make bricks with
square cut-outs, like 1/2" deep, that might keep the leg from
wandering until it falls off the brick? * If they don't, could I
chisel out a piece of the brick myself to have this? * It would also
keep the whole bench from moving.

2) * IIRC only ACE Hardware had benches to try out. * If you want to
look:http://www.acehardware.com/search/in...=park%20bench&...
especially, which I would buy if I knew how long it would last, and I
could keep it from sinking:http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...uctId=12602648
Interesting, fwiw,, more expensive on ebay than at Ace Hardware. I
like Ace Hardwahttp://www.ebay.com/itm/LIVING-ACCEN...N-HARDWOOD-VIV...

*Some were more comfortable than others and all of theirs were more
comfortable than some I've sat on. The seat curves down a little at
the front. * But they don't say much about the wood slats, except that
they are hardwood, or how long they will last if left out all year
long in Baltimore, which can have a warm day in any month (plus one
never see park benches in real parks covered for the winter) ..

Must I buy an all-metal bench? *Most are not as comfortable. *Should I
make my own somehow out of treated 2x4's, that will weigh a ton?

And oh yeah, I don't want to spend more than 200 dollars, although
maybe I would, but surely not the 700 I've seen for some.

Thanks a lot.

Micky

FTR, fromhttp://www.dcamerica.net/faq.htm
11. What does my warranty NOT cover?
Q: Storm damage and damage from exposure to the elements is not
covered by our exclusive warranty. *Please use caution to safeguard
your furniture from harsh elements and inclement weather."

And t his elusive FAQ:
14. *What can I do to protect my furniture and make it last longer?
Q: *With proper care and maintenance, your product should give you
years of enjoyment.

A brick under each leg should spread the weight nicely. Keep the wood
finished, recoat every year rather than waiting for signs of damage
and then recoating.

micky writes:

I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

They make pavers about 12"x6".
Commonly used under above ground pools to support ladders etc.
You want 4 of them.

Don't worry about the bench sliding around on the pavers.

--
Dan Espen

micky wrote:

I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

I like a pressure treated 2x4 'ski' under each side. We're all tall
folks, so we appreciate the extra 1 1/2". I put a bit of a 45 on
each end so when I mow it slides out of the way easily.

Most legs have holes for screws so you can screw it fast tot he 2x4.

Jim

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:15:03 -0500, "NotMe" wrote:



If you want to go cheap get a post hole digger and dig 4 holes one under

My house came with a post hole digger, so that works out well (I think
the prior owner used it to plant bushes.)

where each leg of the bench will rest.

Use any combination of the following.

A treated 4X4 however long you want (we've use 3-4 feet) and surround with
sand and small rocks (think pea gravel).

Maybe from the front leg to the back, on each side.

You can use cement but that's a bit of over kill or you can skip the wood
and go for only rocks/sand. Much depends on the sub surface soil.

Last. Look into those concrete pads you can buy for the outside unit of
HVAC systems. One big one or two small ones will work nicely.

Too big.

Thanks a lot.

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:22:53 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:


And t his elusive FAQ:
14. *What can I do to protect my furniture and make it last longer?
Q: *With proper care and maintenance, your product should give you
years of enjoyment.

A brick under each leg should spread the weight nicely. Keep the wood
finished, recoat every year rather than waiting for signs of damage
and then recoating.

I'm not very good at regular maintenance. But since I posted I went
to HDepot where they had only two benches on display, outside, but one
looks pretty good
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/two-per...l#BVRRWidgetID
The webpage doesn't give the price and when I click Local Store
Pricing, it doesn't work, but at the store they said 150 marked down
to 120 . I maybe should go buy it now, but I'll wait until tomorrow.

All aluminum with some sort of bronze finish

(Will that wear off? It comes painted black, too. That I could
repair.)


A little narrower than most, 43 inches, but that will look better in
my situation.

And t he seat was comfortable. The back could have been more
comfortable but it was still good. It's not like I will sit there for
hours. If I could find something like it with a different pattern, I
wouldn't be able to sit in it before ordering. .

4.9 out of 5 on 7 ratings, a lot higher than all the other HD benches.

Thanks.

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:39:30 -0400, Dan Espen
wrote:

micky writes:

I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

They make pavers about 12"x6".

I don't think I knew about that. I only remember 12x12 Thanks.

Commonly used under above ground pools to support ladders etc.
You want 4 of them.

Don't worry about the bench sliding around on the pavers.

Okay, thanks.

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:02:11 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

micky wrote:

I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

Eveyrone gave such good advice. Thank you all.

It's too hot right now to do more than put it down, but when the
weather is better....

I like a pressure treated 2x4 'ski' under each side. We're all tall

This sounds good. I'm not tall, so I may bury the 2x4. Since it's
not a brick, I can drill a hole for each leg if I find it's moving
from side to side. Plus I have some scraps of 2x4 and 4x4 lying
around

folks, so we appreciate the extra 1 1/2". I put a bit of a 45 on
each end so when I mow it slides out of the way easily.

Most legs have holes for screws so you can screw it fast tot he 2x4.

Some of them don't though, I noticed, including the one I've almost
decided on, and the one I prerferred before today that was at Ace
Hardware. . I didn't look that close at the bottom of this one.. I
think it's all cast aluminum, so I'll leave it alone, but I may bury
most of the 2x4 after I run some black insulated wire around it and
around the ball-like parts at the bottom of each leg.

Jim

On Jul 28, 4:15*pm, micky wrote:
On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:02:11 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

micky wrote:

I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. *In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

Eveyrone gave such good advice. *Thank you all.

It's too hot right now to do more than put it down, but when the
weather is better....

I like a pressure treated 2x4 'ski' under each side. * We're all tall

This sounds good. *I'm not tall, so I may bury the 2x4. *Since it's
not a brick, I can drill a hole for each leg if I find it's moving
from side to side. * Plus I have some scraps of 2x4 and 4x4 lying
around

folks, so we appreciate the extra 1 1/2". * * *I put a bit of a 45 on
each end so when I mow it slides out of the way easily.

Most legs have holes for screws so you can screw it fast tot he 2x4.

Some of them don't though, I noticed, including the one I've almost
decided on, and the one I prerferred before today that was at Ace
Hardware. . *I didn't look that close at the bottom of this one.. *I
think it's all cast aluminum, so I'll leave it alone, but I may bury
most of the 2x4 after I run some black insulated wire around it and
around the ball-like parts at the bottom of each leg.



Jim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

To prevent it from walking off with some kids some night???

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 17:03:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:22:53 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:


And t his elusive FAQ:
14. Â*What can I do to protect my furniture and make it last longer?
Q: Â*With proper care and maintenance, your product should give you
years of enjoyment.

A brick under each leg should spread the weight nicely. Keep the wood
finished, recoat every year rather than waiting for signs of damage
and then recoating.

I'm not very good at regular maintenance. But since I posted I went
to HDepot where they had only two benches on display, outside, but one
looks pretty good
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/two-per...l#BVRRWidgetID
The webpage doesn't give the price and when I click Local Store
Pricing, it doesn't work, but at the store they said 150 marked down
to 120 . I maybe should go buy it now, but I'll wait until tomorrow.

All aluminum with some sort of bronze finish

(Will that wear off? It comes painted black, too. That I could
repair.)


A little narrower than most, 43 inches, but that will look better in
my situation.

And t he seat was comfortable. The back could have been more
comfortable but it was still good. It's not like I will sit there for
hours. If I could find something like it with a different pattern, I
wouldn't be able to sit in it before ordering. .

4.9 out of 5 on 7 ratings, a lot higher than all the other HD benches.

Thanks.

Any of these is much better than digging holes or pouring concrete.
That's for public parks and to keep them from being stolen.
I've had one similar to the one on top of the page for about 5 years.
Slats are weathered and starting to feel weak, but it's comfortable
enough. Might make new slats, or just buy another one.
All-aluminum avoids that.

--
Vic

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:42:19 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:


Some of them don't though, I noticed, including the one I've almost
decided on, and the one I prerferred before today that was at Ace
Hardware. . *I didn't look that close at the bottom of this one.. *I
think it's all cast aluminum, so I'll leave it alone, but I may bury
most of the 2x4 after I run some black insulated wire around it and
around the ball-like parts at the bottom of each leg.


To prevent it from walking off with some kids some night???

I'm going to tell mysel and others that it's so it won't blow over in
the derechos we suddently have.

Probably not kids, I think. I think the kids are okay. Any crime
around here is probably by people over 30 with a car who do it full
time. I have a convertible, but they probably can't get the bench in
their car.

Actually, the first summer I was here, someone kicked in my front door
while I was out for dinner for about an hour on a summer Sunday. He
didn't take anything.**

About 10 years later, someone stole two lawnmowers. I'd worked on both
for hours and hours trying to get even one to start. I was happy to
be rid of them.

Then about 10 years later, someone stole a bike I had gotten out of
the trash. I had the seat and post out while I looked for a longer
post. But because it was a cheap bike, no bike store sold a 1"
post. Sort of happy to be rid of it, too.

**He didnt' take the new car radio on the bench in the basement; he
didn't take the new bag of cookies on the kitchen table, and he didn't
take the new burglar alarm, still in its boxes spread over my bedroom
floor. I stayed home the next day, fixed the door and finished
installing the burglar alarm.

So 3 tries in 29 years and nothing good taken yet

"micky" wrote in message
...

I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

Measure the "footprint" of each pair of legs and buy (from a
garden supply store) a pair of concrete slabs just large enough
to support a pair of legs. The amateur builder of my house liked
decks but did not know how to build them right, so they sag --
and I shored them up with extra pillars (6x6 timber) standing
on 18" slabs, and they now are stable. (For geological reasons
surface slabs are more stable than sonotubes just here.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 16:44:59 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 17:03:40 -0400, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:22:53 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:


And t his elusive FAQ:
14. *What can I do to protect my furniture and make it last longer?
Q: *With proper care and maintenance, your product should give you
years of enjoyment.

A brick under each leg should spread the weight nicely. Keep the wood
finished, recoat every year rather than waiting for signs of damage
and then recoating.

I'm not very good at regular maintenance. But since I posted I went
to HDepot where they had only two benches on display, outside, but one
looks pretty good
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/two-per...l#BVRRWidgetID
The webpage doesn't give the price and when I click Local Store
Pricing, it doesn't work, but at the store they said 150 marked down
to 120 . I maybe should go buy it now, but I'll wait until tomorrow.

All aluminum with some sort of bronze finish

(Will that wear off? It comes painted black, too. That I could
repair.)


A little narrower than most, 43 inches, but that will look better in
my situation.

And t he seat was comfortable. The back could have been more
comfortable but it was still good. It's not like I will sit there for
hours. If I could find something like it with a different pattern, I
wouldn't be able to sit in it before ordering. .

4.9 out of 5 on 7 ratings, a lot higher than all the other HD benches.

Thanks.

Any of these is much better than digging holes or pouring concrete.
That's for public parks and to keep them from being stolen.
I've had one similar to the one on top of the page for about 5 years.
Slats are weathered and starting to feel weak, but it's comfortable
enough. Might make new slats, or just buy another one.

Thanks. That's just what I was worried about.

All-aluminum avoids that.

So they opend at 8 and I was there by 8:35 and I bought the one I saw.
It turns out there were 3 at another nearby store and 8 at another
(and 0 at all the others) but this was already assembled and 30
dollars off to boot. They even had all the protective caps on the
screws that pointed backwards. I plopped it on my convertible, where
the window folds in, and just stayed between 10, for bumps, and 20
mph, where the road was smooth, on the way home, so that was no
problem. And it looks nice.

When it was upside down, I saw there were parts where the bumpy bronze
paint was scraped off and the shiny aluminum showed. If I scratch it
with a beltbuckle or something, I can get bronze spray paint, or
bllack.

IT TURNS OUT THAT the round buttons at the bottom of each leg screw
in**, so I can probably take them off and screw the 2x4's to the
legs. **No mention of that in their description.

One of the raterrs, probably the son of the guy who manufacturers or
imports these, says "I purchased 3 of these 4 years ago, they have
been outside in the Arizona heat 24/7 they are still like new, no
defects, corrosion or problems, I will be buying 3 more of these to
set up around more areas of my property."

Thanks again to all.

On 7/28/2012 4:15 PM, micky wrote:

Some of them don't though, I noticed, including the one I've almost
decided on, and the one I prerferred before today that was at Ace
Hardware. . I didn't look that close at the bottom of this one.. I
think it's all cast aluminum, so I'll leave it alone, but I may bury
most of the 2x4 after I run some black insulated wire around it and
around the ball-like parts at the bottom of each leg.

Have you considered buying a glider instead of a simple bench? I find
gliders to be more relaxing, myself.

On 7/28/2012 10:29 AM, micky wrote:
I wanted to get a two-seat park bench for my yard, but I don't want
the legs to sink into the ground, and I want it to last a long time.

1) I don't have patio space to put it and don't want to make more, so
I want to put it right on the grass or in the bush/ivy bed. In either
place won't it sink fairly quickly (an inch or two a year) into the
dirt?

How about if I put a brick under each leg? Do they make bricks with
square cut-outs, like 1/2" deep, that might keep the leg from
wandering until it falls off the brick? If they don't, could I
chisel out a piece of the brick myself to have this? It would also
keep the whole bench from moving.

2) IIRC only ACE Hardware had benches to try out. If you want to
look:
http://www.acehardware.com/search/in.../12550829&sr=1
especially, which I would buy if I knew how long it would last, and I
could keep it from sinking:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...uctId=12602648
Interesting, fwiw,, more expensive on ebay than at Ace Hardware. I
like Ace Hardwa
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIVING-ACCEN...em416354 b40b

Some were more comfortable than others and all of theirs were more
comfortable than some I've sat on. The seat curves down a little at
the front. But they don't say much about the wood slats, except that
they are hardwood, or how long they will last if left out all year
long in Baltimore, which can have a warm day in any month (plus one
never see park benches in real parks covered for the winter) ..

Must I buy an all-metal bench? Most are not as comfortable. Should I
make my own somehow out of treated 2x4's, that will weigh a ton?


And oh yeah, I don't want to spend more than 200 dollars, although
maybe I would, but surely not the 700 I've seen for some.

Thanks a lot.

Micky

You can use large pavers with river rock filler between them and
landscape cloth under all...not that much work to putting in or
removing. Level.