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" Few things refresh the human spirit so thoroughly as simply sitting outside on a beautiful day. It&amp;#039;s even more satisfying if you sit with somebody, and if the seat is something you&amp;#039;ve built, well, so much the better. We&amp;#039;d like to help by suggesting your next project\u2014this garden bench. Start with seven pieces of lumber and a handful of hardware. Spend a couple of free afternoons cutting and boring. When you&amp;#039;re done, you&amp;#039;ll have fine seating for one or two\u2014in fact, three kids could even rest comfortably on it. It&amp;#039;s built to last, with a slatted top made from 2 \u00D7 4 lumber turned on edge, bolted to stout 4 \u00D7 4 legs. We recommend using Western red cedar, which is naturally rot resistant. Build a bench now, and you&amp;#039;ll be ready for that first warm day this year and for years to come. Classic Garden Bench Plans (PDF, 10.1MB, requires Adobe Reader)   2 x 4 x 8 ft (5 pieces) 1 x 4 x 4 ft (1 piece) 4 x 4 x 8 ft (1 piece) 3/8-in.-dia x 36-in. threaded rod (2) 3/8-in. hex nuts and washers (4 of each). Note: Outside diameter is 9/16 in. 1-in.-dia. woodern dowel (1) 1 5/8-in. decking screws (1 box) Polyurethane glue 1 1/2-in. (4d) galvanized finishing nails (1 box)  Step 1: Make the Shoulder Cuts  With a power miter saw or a circular saw and a crosscut guide, cut four legs, nine seat boards, and 12 spacers to length. Cut the tenon into the top of each leg with a table saw. Make a shoulder cut into opposite sides of each leg. Clamp a small stop block to the rip fence, and adjust it so the outside of the blade is 3\u00BD inches from the stop block. With the blade set to 1\u215C inches high, butt the leg against the stop block, and use the miter gauge to push it across the blade. Step 2: Pare to Perfection  Flip the leg over and make the second shoulder cut. Repeat for the other three legs. Move the fence to the side and, while holding the leg against the miter gauge, make repeated passes over the blade to remove the bulk of each tenon. Pare away slivers of wood with a razor-sharp chisel. Step 3: Add the Spacer Blocks  Blocks \u00BE inches thick and 3\u00BD inches square must be nailed to six 2 \u00D7 4 seat boards as spacers. Using polyurethane glue and 1\u00BD-inch 4d galvanized finishing nails, fasten a block with the outer edge 3\u00BD inches from each end. Step 4: Attach the Legs  Use the glue and 1 5/8-inch galvanized decking screws to fasten a leg at each end of two seat boards that don&amp;#039;t have spacers attached. Mark center points on the two outer seat boards for the counterbored holes for the nuts and rods that hold the seat together. On these points, drill a \u00BE-inch-deep hole with a 1-inch-diameter spade bit. The counterbored holes will receive a wood plug to hide the hex nuts on the ends of the threaded rods. Step 5: Bore the Rod Holes  To drill the 7/16-inch-diameter holes for the rods, make a plywood jig and bolt it onto a drill guide. This ensures that the hole through each piece is accurately positioned relative to the board&amp;#039;s end. Hold the jig against the end of each seat board, then drill through the board and spacer block. Step 6: Clamp the Parts  Glue and clamp the parts together on a workbench. Hacksaw each threaded rod to a length of 19 inches. Thread a nut onto the end of each rod, then remove the nut, to clean up saw damage. Feed each rod through its hole; use light hammer strikes, if necessary. Step 7: Finishing Touches  Place a washer and nut on the ends of each rod, and ratchet tight with a 9/16-inch socket. Step 8: Finishing Touches  Glue a dowel plug into each hole and cut it flush to the face of the seat board. Step 9: Finishing Touches  Smooth surfaces with belt and orbital sanders, using 80- and 100-grit sandpaper, respectively. Use a clean brush to remove sanding dust, and apply a clear wood preservative. This should provide sufficient protection for the wood, but to preserve the finish, keep fallen leaves brushed off (tannins will stain it), and store the bench indoors in winter. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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