Wrought Iron Garden Benches
A forged bench is the piece of garden furniture people remember. We make classic park benches, curved Art Nouveau benches, corner benches, rustic and loft benches, and benches that are full metal sculptures.
Every bench is forged by hand and hot-dip galvanized, so it is fully weatherproof. Seats are usually hardwood slats, which stay comfortable whatever the weather.
Our forged garden benches
Benches for gardens and public spaces, in every style
We make benches for private gardens as well as hotels, restaurants, parks and town squares. One of our best-known is the Independence bench, made for the centenary of Poland regaining independence. Public benches can be bolted to the ground.
For formal gardens we add hand-forged acanthus; for modern and industrial spaces, rivets and studs in a loft style. Our most unusual benches, like the tree-shaped bench with a lamp, are sculptures you can sit on. For a full set, add a table from our forged tables.
Forged benches for gardens, hotels and towns
Our catalogue includes traditional garden benches as well as completely unusual designer benches, and some of them can be seen in person in our gallery in Dębica. Every bench, like all our forged products, is made entirely by hand with traditional blacksmithing techniques, which gives it a charm of its own and makes each one unique. We make forged benches for private clients as well as for companies, hotels, restaurants, public institutions, parks and town halls, and we can design a completely new bench to your brief.
For the most demanding clients we decorate benches with hand-forged blacksmith acanthus, and loft-style benches with blacksmith rivets and studs are becoming more and more popular.
Why our benches last
The most important feature of our garden benches is the material. They are made of hand-worked steel that is then hot-dip galvanized, which makes them extremely durable and very heavy. They are fully protected against corrosion, which we guarantee, and thanks to their weight the wind cannot move them. Backs and seats are often fitted with wood so that the bench is warm and pleasant to the touch; we use only hardwoods such as oak and ash, sealed with high-quality varnishes.
Every bench is made with the best techniques of artistic blacksmithing and metalwork, by hand, so each has its own look and character. To match, we make garden tables, chairs and complete sets of garden furniture. Metal garden benches vary enormously in quality and design depending on who makes them, so we encourage you to compare them in person: we are confident that a visit to our showroom will show you the difference.
Metal garden benches: which material?
Aluminium benches, and benches made from aluminium alloys, are mid-range products. They resist the weather, but their only protection is paint; aluminium does not rust, but it oxidises, and because the paint is applied at the very end of production it cannot reach many hidden places, which oxidise over time and weaken both the strength and the look of the bench. We do not make aluminium benches, because the material does not meet our quality standards and is not plastic enough for demanding designs; such benches are often imported flat-pack products for home assembly.
Foundry-made iron benches are probably the oldest type of metal bench and were very common in the 19th century, when moulded iron was quick and inexpensive to produce. Today they have lost much of their appeal: the moulding process limits their forms, many three-dimensional shapes are impossible, foundries of this kind are disappearing, and the iron can be protected essentially only by paint. Hand-forged benches are incomparably more beautiful, and we do not make foundry benches at all.
Steel benches are the most durable metal benches, but only if they are hot-dip galvanized after they are made; without it, even a strong steel bench will rust in time. Galvanized steel is therefore the best material, but steel benches themselves fall into several quite different types.
Forged benches
This is the type we make and the one you see in our range. These benches take a great deal of time, because every detail is a deliberate element made of steel using artistic blacksmithing and metalwork. They are spectacular and eye-catching, and they demand more knowledge and experience from the maker than any other kind of bench, so it matters that they are made by a professional blacksmith with years of experience and talent: every detail can look completely different in the hands of someone else.
The hardest method is not always the best one for every project. Some solutions look almost the same but take several times longer to make. A good example is riveting versus welding decorative parts: in skilled hands the visual difference is small, while a riveted bench takes several times more work. An experienced artist blacksmith knows which techniques to use to make a beautiful bench without wasting effort, and that is how we work.
Modern steel benches and bronze benches
Modern garden benches are made of steel with techniques other than forging, usually in simple geometric shapes suited to contemporary architecture, in plain steel or with a wooden seat. They take far less work than forged benches and are increasingly popular in public spaces, new residential developments and modern private homes. Bronze benches are the rarest: because of the material they are reserved mainly for parks, churches and public squares, and since a well-made forged bench can replace a bronze one for a fraction of its value, we make them only occasionally.
Custom benches made to measure
Any bench from our catalogue can be made in a different length, from an intimate bench for two to benches several metres long for parks and courtyards. We agree the seat height, the angle of the back, the type of wood and the patina colour so that the bench suits your garden, facade and other furniture. A coat of arms, initials, a date or a dedication plaque can be built into the back, as in our garden bench with a coat of arms MK1b.
Park benches
For parks, squares and public spaces we make benches from heavier sections and, on request, prepare them for fixing to the ground, so they stand firmly and are hard to move. The galvanized frame copes with intensive use for many years, and the wooden seats are protected with exterior oils, as on our park and garden bench MK14. The Independence bench, made for the town of Rozprza to mark the centenary of Poland regaining independence, is one of our best-known public benches.
Corner, curved and terrace benches
Not every spot in the garden suits a straight bench. For the corner of a terrace or garden we propose the forged corner bench MK16; around a tree, a pond or a fire pit, curved benches such as the arched garden bench MK9 work well; and narrower terraces suit lighter forms, such as the classic terrace bench. We adapt the radius and the length of the arms to the exact place.
Sculpted and artistic benches
For anyone looking for unique metal benches we create pieces in which the bench becomes a sculpture, with tree boughs, birds, acanthus or fairy-tale motifs. Carved forged benches, such as the bench with hand-forged acanthus MK4 or the forged tree bench MK83, are made entirely by hand, so every one differs in detail from the last. Matching tables, chairs and armchairs are shown in our forged furniture section.
Choosing the right place for a bench
A bench is used most where there is something to look at and a little shelter: facing a lawn, a pond or a flower border, with a wall, a hedge or a tree at its back. Think about where the sun will be at the time of day you are most likely to sit there, and whether you will want shade in summer or warmth in spring and autumn.
On paving or a terrace a forged bench simply stands on its feet; on a lawn we recommend small stone or concrete pads under the legs so that the bench stays level and the grass around it is easy to mow. Public benches and benches in places where they might be moved can be bolted down.
Benches that do more
A forged bench can carry more than people. We have made benches with lamps, like the tree-shaped bench with a lamp MK84, benches with planters, benches built around a tree trunk and benches that form part of a gazebo or a pergola. If you have an idea for a bench that combines seating with light, plants or sculpture, we will design it for you.
Benches for weddings and events
White and ecru benches with lattice and scrolls have become a favourite of wedding venues and event gardens, where they serve as seating for the ceremony and a backdrop for photos. Our white lattice wedding bench MK11b and the white wedding venue bench MK11 were made for exactly that purpose, and they can be made in a series of identical benches in any number, with seats in white-painted oak or in steel for venues where the benches stay outdoors all season.
Memorial and dedication benches
A bench is a lasting way to remember a person, an anniversary or an important event. We can forge a name, a date, a coat of arms or a short dedication into the back or fix an engraved brass or steel plate to it, and make the bench for a private garden, a churchyard, a park or a town square. Such benches are hot-dip galvanized so that the inscription stays legible for generations. Many towns order them to mark anniversaries, just as Rozprza did with our Independence bench.
A bench for every garden style
For formal gardens we recommend symmetrical benches with acanthus and scrolls; for cottage and country gardens, lighter benches with leaves and flowers; for modern gardens, loft benches with rivets or clean steel lines; and for gardens by the forest, sculpted benches with branches and birds. We are happy to suggest a bench from photos of your garden.
Garden bench FAQ
How long is a wrought iron bench?
Most of our benches are 150 to 200 cm (5 to 6.5 ft) long, seating two to four people, but any length can be made.
What wood do you use for the seats?
Usually oak or another hardwood, oiled or varnished. Other woods, aged timber or a full steel seat are possible.
Can I see the benches before ordering?
Yes. Several are on display in our gallery in Dębica, and we can send photos and videos of any model.
How do I look after the wooden slats?
Oak and ash slats only need a coat of exterior oil once or twice a year to keep their colour; the galvanized steel frame needs nothing more than an occasional wash.
Can a bench be made in a different colour?
Yes. Black, graphite, white, ecru, green and antique bronze are popular, and details can be gilded or highlighted in copper or gold.
Do you make custom wrought iron benches in larger numbers?
Yes. For hotels, parks and wedding venues we make series of identical benches, and we can add a logo, a crest or a town name to each one.