Content
- 1 Pros and cons of a transforming bench with a canopy
- 2 Types of transformable benches with a canopy
- 3 What is needed to assemble a transforming bench with a canopy
- 4 Drawings and dimensions of a transformable bench with a canopy
- 5 How to make a transforming bench with a canopy with your own hands
- 6 Decoration of a transformable bench with a canopy
- 7 Conclusion
A folding garden bench, which can easily be converted into a set of a table and two benches, will come in handy in a summer cottage or garden plot. A transforming bench with a canopy is convenient, practical, and with proper design it can become the “star” of landscape design. There are relatively simple models made from wooden boards and timber. A more complicated option involves using a metal frame and polycarbonate for the canopy.
Pros and cons of a transforming bench with a canopy
A garden bench is an indispensable attribute of most garden plots. It's nice to relax on it after working in the garden or doing chores around the house. But for your favorite outdoor gatherings with barbecue, one bench is not enough; you also need a table. And here the problems begin: even in large areas there is not always room for a permanently installed table.This is a rather bulky piece of furniture, it interferes with the passage, and takes up useful space that can be planted with flowers or vegetables.
When folded, a set of furniture consisting of a table and two benches turns into a compact garden bench
One of the options for solving the problem is a transforming bench. This is a folding bench that, when unfolded, turns into a whole set of furniture: a table plus two benches. And if you install a canopy on top of the collapsible structure, then neither rain nor sun will interfere with your pleasant stay.
The advantages of a transforming bench include:
- Economical. There is no need to allocate a separate place for the table.
- Mobility. The bench can be installed anywhere, instantly turning any corner of the site into a place for a pleasant rest.
- Compactness. When folded, the transforming bench will not take up much space; it can even be stored in a barn or other utility room (if the canopy is removable).
- Protection. The canopy will protect vacationers from precipitation or strong sun, and will protect the dishes placed on the table from moisture or spoilage.
The disadvantages of a folding bench are closely related to its advantages:
- Instability. The canopy has a large windage. In regions with strong winds, the entire structure may overturn. Soft soil in the place where the bench is installed can lead to the same consequences. This entails the need to install the transforming bench permanently, which deprives it of mobility.
- Lack of comfort. In order for a transforming bench to be truly comfortable, all its parts must be carefully processed and fitted to each other.The slightest discrepancy in size, angles, or lack of fasteners will lead to problems during assembly and disassembly, inconvenience of the seating area, and deviation of the table surface from the horizontal. To create a truly comfortable bench you need certain knowledge and skills.
Over time, the movable joints of the transforming bench can become loose, which makes its use unsafe and inconvenient. In addition, benches and a table that are rigidly mounted together will not allow you to sit down and stand up easily. To sit at the table, you will have to climb over the bench each time, which is not particularly convenient for elderly or not very healthy people.
Approximate dimensions of a folding bench
Types of transformable benches with a canopy
The most popular type of transforming benches is a folding structure that, when unfolded, turns into a set of two benches and a table. Stationary awnings, as a rule, are installed above the transforming bench.
The remaining types of transformers look very original, but are inferior to the previous version in functionality: when unfolded, some form only a set of seats or a seat and a small table. Types of transformers of unusual design:
- Transformer constructor. Wooden elements are attached to a frame made of metal pipes, which can be freely rotated.When folded, the furniture is an ordinary garden bench; when unfolded, it is a set of two wide seats, a wide chair and a small table or a set of narrow chairs and a table between them.
- Transformer “flower”. The design principle is similar to the previous version - the wooden elements rotate freely on an axis. When folded, it is a long bench without a back; when unfolded, it is a comfortable bench with a back that can be secured at any angle.
As a rule, unusual transformers are not equipped with built-in canopies, but they can be installed anywhere, including under a stationary canopy. The advantage of original designs is their decorativeness and mobility. Such furniture is installed not only outdoors. The absence of a bulky canopy allows you to turn these benches into furniture for a country house or country house.
What is needed to assemble a transforming bench with a canopy
The purchased product is assembled in accordance with the instructions. You only need tools (screwdriver, screwdriver). It is much more difficult to make a collapsible transforming bench yourself. To make a transforming garden bench with a canopy with your own hands you will need:
- drawings with exact dimensions;
- tools, fasteners;
- boards, beams or pipes.
Woodworking tools
Measurements are made using a tape measure, square, plumb line or level. To work on metal, you need a welding machine, a hacksaw, and a pipe bending machine.
To make the table top and seats, choose a 20 mm thick pine board.
It is better to choose metal pipes for the frame of a transforming bench with a square section with a protective galvanized coating. A 20 mm thick pine board is suitable for the table top and seats.If the frame is also supposed to be made of wood, then you need timber made of hard wood (oak, beech, larch).
Square pipe increases the stability of the structure due to the presence of stiffeners
Drawings and dimensions of a transformable bench with a canopy
Optimal dimensions of the transformer bench:
- table height 75-80 cm;
- table width 60-65 cm;
- seats 30 cm;
- length 160-180 cm.
Wooden slats for the seat are attached to the metal frame
The reverse side of the back of the bench when unfolded forms the outer surface of the tabletop
For wooden structures you will need auxiliary materials: wood glue, screws, wooden dowels
The frame is made of wooden blocks
How to make a transforming bench with a canopy with your own hands
In addition to consumables (board, pipe, fasteners, emery), to make a transforming bench with a frame made of curved metal pipes you will need a welding machine and a pipe bending machine. And for a polycarbonate canopy - special equipment for cutting and bending. Seat upholstery can be made of boards, plywood, textolite.
In addition to furniture bolts, during assembly it is necessary to use washers and nuts
There is no single assembly scheme. Each master makes his own changes to the original drawing: he adds additional stiffening ribs, changes the angle of the backrest, the width of the table, seats, the shape and angle of the canopy. It is more practical to first study a ready-made transforming bench from friends, neighbors, or find it on sale.
The most successful model of a transforming bench with a canopy
An all-wood bench looks a little bulky and requires strong wood for the frame. The bench, made entirely of metal, is very heavy and difficult to move and disassemble.In addition, it is impossible to create a reliable, attractive design without skills in working with metal and tools. The best option for a transforming bench is a combination of metal for the frame, wood for the seats and table, and polycarbonate for the canopy.
The width of the seats can be changed, but this will entail changes in the overall dimensions of the bench when assembled.
Transformable bench with a metal canopy
The transforming bench is 160-170 cm long, the seating area is about 50 cm wide. When unfolded, six people can easily fit in. You can make a canopy from wooden slats yourself, but it is better to purchase a ready-made arched structure made of polycarbonate (it is too difficult to manufacture). The canopy posts are welded to the legs of the “main”, stationary bench, which when folded will be closer to the back.
Necessary materials:
- square pipe with a side of 25 mm;
- furniture bolts, washers;
- wooden beam or board;
- welding machine;
- grinder, drill;
- hacksaw, saw, screwdriver, level, plumb line.
It is more convenient to purchase a profile pipe already cut into pieces of 2 m (4 pcs.) and 1.5 m (2 pcs.). Before starting work, the pipes should be cleaned of rust (if any); in the finished product it will be more difficult to prepare them for painting.
The optimal profile for the frame is a square with a side of 25 mm
The pipes are cut into blanks in accordance with the drawing, then connected with tack welds. At the fastening points, holes are drilled for furniture bolts and the entire structure is mounted. Install pre-prepared wooden parts and check the bench for stability and comfort.If everything is satisfactory, the structure is disassembled again, welded with permanent seams, cleaned, sanded, painted with enamel or metal paint. Metal plates can be welded under the legs of the bench for greater stability. The wood is sanded and coated twice with exterior paint.
The board for the table must be perfectly flat, of the same thickness, so that the structure can be easily folded and disassembled
Transformable bench with a wooden canopy
The wooden parts are connected using self-tapping screws and a metal corner. It is advisable to drill holes for self-tapping screws in advance to make the work look neater. The heaviest load during assembly and disassembly falls on the moving units.
Furniture bolts allow moving parts to rotate freely
All wooden parts of the folding transforming bench must be sanded with sandpaper or a sander
The wooden structure must be coated with varnish or paint to protect the wood from precipitation and drying out.
Decoration of a transformable bench with a canopy
The easiest way to decorate a transforming bench is to choose bright paint or combine several contrasting colors in one product. The natural structure of wood can serve as decoration in itself. To do this, it is enough to coat the wooden parts of the bench with varnish.
The canopy can be made of wooden planks, thick fabric, or polycarbonate panels. When choosing colored polycarbonate, you should give preference to shades that do not distort natural colors. Under a canopy of bright red or orange, all objects and faces will take on frightening reddish hues.
A set of two folding benches forms a table with two benches
The warm tone of natural wood creates a contrast with bright greenery
A translucent polycarbonate canopy turns the transformable bench into a design element
Conclusion
A transforming bench with a canopy is not only a convenient piece of furniture. With proper design, a folding set of two benches and a table can become the center of a garden design. Whether to create a transformer with your own hands or purchase a finished product is up to the home craftsman to decide. If you have confidence in your abilities and proper equipment, then a bench with a canopy will serve as a source of pride for the owner for a long time.
