Wooden memorial benches, made by hand
A memorial bench is a place to sit with someone. Most of the ones you will find online are cast stone, granite or powder-coated steel, built for parks by the hundred. I build mine one at a time in wood, for one person and one place, and if the family has a tree that meant something, the bench can come from it.
A bench from your own tree
Because I mill and dry wood myself, a tree that had to come down can come back as the bench that stands where it grew. My first memorial benches are under way now, one of them from a friend's family tree that is waiting for its wood to dry.How a piece from your own tree works.
What a memorial bench costs
Every bench is quoted on its own, so there is no price list. What moves the price:
- Size. A two-seat garden bench and a long backed bench for a family are different builds.
- The wood. Some woods cost more and some last longer outdoors. Your own tree changes the sum again.
- Back and arms. A backless bench is the plainest build; a backed bench with arms takes more wood and more joinery.
- Lettering and details. Carving, engraving or a plaque add work.
Woods that last outside
- White oak resists rot and moisture, which is why it was used for barrels and boats.
- Black locust is one of the most rot-resistant woods that grows in Maryland.
- Cedar is light, naturally resistant and turns a soft silver grey.
- Walnut and cherry are beautiful, but they belong on a covered porch or indoors, where they last for generations.
Outdoor benches get a water seal or spar urethane finish. Plan on a fresh coat about every two years, sooner in hard sun and weather.
How to personalise it
- A name and dates, carved by hand or laser engraved into the backrest or seat edge, or set in a brass or bronze plaque.
- A branded mark, burned into the wood with an iron.
- A short line: a phrase they used, a place they loved.
- The shape: a bench sized for two, curved around a tree, or built to match a garden.
- The wood itself, from their tree, their barn or their old house.
How long it takes
Four to six weeks from wood I already have dried. From your own tree, longer, because the wood dries first. If you need the bench for a dedication on a set date, tell me the date at the start.
Indoor and porch benches
Not every memorial bench lives outside. An entry bench like the one in the photograph, in walnut or cherry, can hold the same meaning in the house.
Questions people ask
- How much does a memorial bench cost?
- Every bench is quoted on its own, so there is no price list. Size, wood, a back and arms, and any lettering all move the price. Tell me what you have in mind and I will give you a number.
- Where can I get a memorial bench made?
- From someone who builds it, rather than a catalogue that ships a stock model. I build mine by hand in Baltimore, deliver across central Maryland and Washington DC, and can ship anywhere in the country by trailer or freight at your cost.
- How do I personalise a memorial bench?
- With a name and dates carved by hand or laser engraved, a brass or bronze plaque set into the wood, a branded mark, a short line they used to say, or wood from their own tree.
- Can you put a memorial bench anywhere?
- On your own property, yes. In a park, a cemetery, a church ground or a school you need permission first, and many places have rules on size and materials. Ask them before ordering and send me their rules so the bench meets them.
- How do I look after an outdoor wooden bench?
- I finish outdoor benches with a water seal or spar urethane. Plan on a fresh coat about every two years, sooner if the bench sits in hard sun and weather.
Start a bench
Tell me who it is for, where it will stand, and whether there is a tree it should come from.
Start a commission(443) 534-7457tyler@oakleafcustomwoodworking.com