Outdoor Dining Benches

There's always one more guest than there are chairs. A long lunch fills up, someone pulls over a stool, and the whole easy feeling of the afternoon wobbles. Outdoor dining benches fix that in one move, seating two or three people along a single side.

At Early Settler, our outdoor bench seats run from around 150cm to 300cm, so there's a length to suit a small balcony or a big table built for alfresco dining. Slide one in and your outdoor living area has room for whoever turns up.

An outdoor dining bench is long, weatherproof seating made to pair with an outdoor table, seating two or three people along one side. Most are backless benches, though some have a low back for extra support. Unlike a single garden bench meant for sitting on its own, or outdoor dining chairs that seat one each, a dining bench keeps a table social and easy.

Reclaimed teak and powder-coated aluminium last longest in New Zealand conditions, since both take on sun, rain and humidity without much fuss. None of our benches are upholstered, so there's no fabric to fade or soak up a downpour. Each material ages a little differently:

• Teak – Teak wood is a dense, solid wood whose natural oils resist moisture and UV, and our reclaimed teak benches are made from timber salvaged from old buildings and wharves, so each one carries real grain and history.
• Acacia – Acacia is a warm-toned hardwood, so these timber benches bring natural warmth and can be left to silver or kept oiled to hold their colour.
• Metal – Powder-coated aluminium makes our metal outdoor benches weather-resistant and light enough to move around.
• Stone and concrete-look – These wooden outdoor benches sit alongside heavier options in solid stone and concrete-look, which resist sun and rain and stay exactly where you put them.

Match the bench length to your table and the number of people you seat, leaving a few centimetres of clearance so it slides underneath when not in use. A rough guide of two adults per 100cm helps you picture it.

Here's how the lengths break down:

• 150cm to 160cm – This size suits a balcony or small courtyard, seating three people comfortably.
• 185cm to 220cm – This length is the everyday family pick, seating four along one side.
• 240cm to 260cm – This size fits a larger dining table, seating five with a little room to spare.
• 288cm to 300cm – This size handles big gatherings and pairs well with an 8-seater table for a full table of guests.

Our outdoor dining benches are built for seating rather than storage, so each one is a clean, seat-only design without a lift-up top. That keeps them simple to slide under a table and easy to move when you need to.

If you want somewhere to stash cushions, servingware or drinks close by, pair your bench with a separate piece instead. Early Settler's outdoor range spans the whole space, and our outdoor bar carts and cabinets give you proper storage without compromising the clean look of the bench.

Style an outdoor dining bench by pairing it with chairs on the opposite side of the table, which gives you a relaxed, communal look and frees up space on the bench side. Bench colour sets the mood too, and a few small touches turn a table into a proper outdoor living space.

Below are a few easy ways to make it feel finished:

• Mix bench and chairs. Bench one side and outdoor dining chairs the other so the table feels social, not formal. This also makes our benches easy to slot into existing outdoor dining sets.
• Lean into a mood. Sage, smoke green and reclaimed teak suit an Earthed look, while whites and blue haze lean Coastal Country.
• Soften the seat. Add outdoor cushions for comfort and colour, especially on a hard-surface bench.
• Layer the extras. A runner, a few plants and simple outdoor decor pull the setting together.

Keep an outdoor dining bench in good shape with a quick wipe-down and a little seasonal attention, matched to whatever it's made from. A few minutes here and there is all most benches ask for. Try these simple habits:

• Wipe teak and timber benches with a soft, damp cloth, then oil once or twice a year to hold the colour, or leave the timber to silver naturally.
• Clean aluminium benches with mild soapy water and skip harsh abrasives that can scratch the finish.
• Rinse and wipe stone and concrete-look benches, and lift rather than drag them when you move things around.
• Bring bench cushions undercover between uses, and store them off-season the same way you would cushions for your outdoor chairs.

We've helped families furnish their homes since 1985, and 40 years on we design our outdoor furniture in-house for everyday outdoor living. With over 60 stores across New Zealand and Australia, you can sit on a bench before you buy.

Once your bench is sorted, the rest of the space is easy. Pair it with our outdoor dining tables, then add side tables, bar stools and bar tables, outdoor coffee tables, outdoor sofas and outdoor accessories to finish the look.

Every piece comes with a minimum 12-month warranty, so you can settle in with confidence. Come and find yours.

Yes, outdoor dining benches are comfortable for everyday meals, and adding a cushion makes longer lunches even easier on a hard seat. Most of our benches have a smooth, flat seat, so a cushion is the simplest way to add softness for a long afternoon.

Most of our outdoor dining benches are seat-only, so they don't include a cushion as standard. A few styles do come with a cushion included, and you'll see that noted on the product page. For the rest, you can add separate outdoor cushions for extra comfort and a bit of colour.

Bench seats and chairs each suit different needs. A bench seats more people in less space and slides neatly under the table, which is ideal for families and big gatherings. Chairs give each person back support. Using both, a bench one side and chairs the other, works best.

Most outdoor dining benches comfortably seat two or three adults, and solid timber, teak, aluminium and stone-look builds are made to take everyday family use. Weight capacity varies by model, so check the specifications on the product page for the exact figure before you buy.

It depends on the bench. Many arrive ready to use with little or no assembly, while some need legs attached, which is a quick job with the included fittings. Check the specifications tab on each product page for assembly details before you order.