Outdoor Storage Benches

Running cushions between outdoor furniture and the garage becomes tiresome quickly. Shorten the trip with the addition of a storage bench or deck box. Why stop at cushions? Find a new home for pillows, gardening tools, pool toys, and lawn care accessories. Storage size—often measured in gallons—ranges from the low 20s to huge, 129-gallon solutions.

Find Your Dual Purpose

In one of those rare instances of win-win, storage benches offer space for your stuff plus additional seating for spontaneous get-togethers. If extra seating is a prime consideration, the path to your bench is clear. If one purpose is more than enough, a deck box delivers on its sole promise of space for your stuff.

Aesthetic Choices

The materials make the look. You'll find kiln-dried teak, eco-friendly shorea hardwood, and FSC-certified eucalyptus, among other varieties. Louvered panels allow air to pass through the storage space, eliminating the musty smells that can afflict fabrics. In line with the environmental credibility of select woods, there's recycled plastic to consider. It maintains its color over time and is immune to warping, rotting, and cracking. Last but not least, there's the perennial favorite: resin wicker. This synthetic wicker is designed to survive harsh climates with a minimum of maintenance.

Hardware & Assembly

Even the most reluctant handyman is more than qualified to assemble these storage benches and deck boxes. If you come to the table prepared with a flat and Phillips screwdriver, a hammer, and a rubber mallet, you've already planned for every scenario. Some of the plastic options even sport tool-free assembly to make things really easy. All the hardware you'll need is included. Safety hinges deserve a special callout because they do more than prevent pinched fingers. They keep lids propped open, should you need to stash all of your outdoor cushions in a hurry to protect them from a fast-moving rainstorm.

Maintenance

Wood products will weather to a nice and natural shade of grey if they're left untreated. If the au naturel look isn't for you, just apply a coat of linseed oil each season.

Reveling in the Results

Introduce a storage bench or deck box and you'll suddenly unclutter your outdoor space and cancel tedious back-and-forth trips between the house and cushioned furniture. If you pursue the storage bench route, chances are you'll enjoy both tidiness and comfort.