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Most homes have ample interior storage space. Everything from closets and cabinets to attics and garages is there to organize your life. But when it comes to outdoor storage, there aren’t the same kinds of resources available. Certain types of garden bench come with built-in storage compartments so gardeners and backyard entertainers can keep their tools out of sight but within easy reach.
Of the many options for a storage garden bench, the construction material is exactly the same as other types of outdoor benches. Seats can be made of wood, wicker, resin, and more. Obviously, heavier materials like stone and concrete won’t work as well to house some sort of interior compartment, but even with these you can have, for example, a bottom shelf under the bench seat.
Many of the storage benches designed specifically for this purpose and for outdoor use are made of extremely strong plastics and rubber, such as those from the Rubbermaid brand. These materials will keep your goods more protected than anything else against moisture, insects, mold and more. However, rubber is something of an eyesore. A classic choice for outdoor furniture, wood also works well outdoors and is quite attuned to the elements. For example, cedar and pine, if maintained with regular oil, are quite hardy. However, the best wood money can buy would have to be teak. The so-called “king of hardwoods” produces natural oils that protect against rot, insects and more, making teak furniture almost maintenance free.
If you choose to go with a wooden garden bench, the design options are almost endless. Some banks have low endorsements, others have no endorsements. Many benches have armrests, many do not. Still others, especially indoor benches, have soft cushions for added comfort. From a functional point of view, the top of the bench does not matter at all. It’s what’s underneath where the similarities lie. To be classified as a storage bench, a seat must have just that; some kind of space for storage. And there’s virtually nowhere else to put things except under the bench seat.
Depending on the model of garden bench you buy, the storage compartments vary in how they look and function. On one side is the hinged bench. These benches open like a piano bench, from the top or from the front like a set of cabinets, operating on a hinge, revealing a recessed space inside. These benches work best indoors unless you’re sure their hinges are made of rust-resistant hardware. These types of benches are roomier because it is one large space that covers the entire area under the seat to the floor, rather than separate compartments.
There are also drawers, trays and baskets that pull out or slide out. Some models of garden benches have sliding drawers that slide on a rail, like the drawers in a dresser. The types of storage bins that are not attached to the bench generally rest on a lower shelf below the seat. These compartments can be pretty woven baskets or sturdier wooden cubes, the latter of which matches the bench itself. The convenience of bins that rest on a shelf below the bench, rather than a sliding mechanism, is that they can be pulled out and moved more easily than the attached drawers. Also, when separated from the bench, wooden baskets and bins can look good on their own. If you prefer to have a bench indoors, the best places to keep one are in the entryway, bedroom, and breakfast nook, or wherever you need a little extra storage.