Bench Seat Installation

Here's how I installed a 2100mm sandstone bench seat as a retaining wall. I found it at the local hardware as a discount piece with broken legs - it was $80 marked down from $399. First, I prepared the site by measuring the layout of the bench seat, and putting that in place over the site intended for it. Since the site is on a slope, and would be working as a retaining wall also, it had to be back filled with well draining material. I put down a base of 3 dozen bricks and broken roof tiles, then backfilled this with six bags of blue metal screenings - small gravel. On top of this I spread three bags of sand to give a soft base for the bench seat to rest in.

Putting the sand on top will fill in all the little cracks and gaps so that there is no movement after settling in.

Getting the bench seat to the site was a job in itself - I made a stretcher type set up and carried it along like a sled, dragging the base along the ground. It worked pretty well and I only needed help to position the bench seat into place.

Once in place it was just a matter of settling in. I have since moved more rocks around the edges to protect the site from my scratching chickens, who can excavate amazingly well when they have time. I will post more updates of the garden as I have planted more palms and grasses too.