Woodcraft UK, Handcrafted Wooden Garden Furniture

15/09/2026

How do you make a curved bench when the curve isn't actually uniform?

That was the challenge presented by a private customer in Chiswick, London.

The existing garden wall changes direction and radius, so an ordinary straight bench — or even a conventionally curved one — wasn't going to work.

The customer drew the shape they wanted full-size on the ground, and we used that as the starting point for a completely bespoke hardwood bench.

The result follows the garden rather than asking the garden to accommodate the furniture.

They were pleased enough with it to place a second order.

The cat appears reasonably satisfied too.

14/09/2026

No two wooden benches age in quite the same way.

When we recently photographed some of the Woodcraft benches at Chanterlands Crematorium in Hull, we found a fascinating range of finishes.

These benches range in age from around nine years to almost thirty. Some have been left untreated and have gradually weathered to the familiar silver-grey of outdoor hardwood. Others have been treated or refinished over the years and have retained very different colours.

Sunlight, rain, exposure, maintenance and the finish applied all play their part.

But there's something else these photographs have in common: years — and in some cases decades — after they were made, they're still there.

Good outdoor furniture doesn't have to remain looking new to demonstrate how well it was made.

11/09/2026

Would you restore this bench?

This is an original Woodcraft garden bench from 25 years ago. Its original finish is long gone and the hardwood has weathered naturally to a silvery grey. But look beyond the surface and there's still a substantial piece of furniture underneath. So we're interested to know what you would do.

Would you restore it or leave it exactly as it is?

Let us know in the comments — we'd genuinely like to hear what you think.

04/09/2026

When does a Woodcraft bench stop being simply one of our designs and become your bench?

Perhaps it's when we engrave a name into the timber, add a symbol, family crest or logo, change the dimensions or adapt the design to fit a particular location.

Over the years we've made countless variations on our established designs – as well as completely bespoke pieces created for individual customers and spaces.

Our latest post looks at some of the ways a handcrafted bench can be made that little bit more personal.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/making-it-personal-when-a-bench-becomes-your-bench

Make a Woodcraft bench your own with bespoke sizes, engraving, plaques, symbols, logos, curved designs and custom adaptations handcrafted in Yorkshire.

01/09/2026

From York to Beverley, Scarborough to Helmsley… our bench collection has a distinctly Yorkshire flavour.

And that's no coincidence.

Many of our designs were named after places in our home county – names that have since travelled all over Britain and beyond on furniture handcrafted here in East Yorkshire.

Our latest post takes a look at the story behind the names. See website

Discover why so many Woodcraft benches carry Yorkshire names, from the flagship York and Beverley to Scarborough, Helmsley, Staxton and Wykeham.

28/08/2026

Another York bench finds its place in East Park

Mike was back at one of our most familiar Hull locations recently to install this new 6ft York memorial bench beside the boating lake.

Over the years, many Woodcraft benches have found homes around East Park. Freshly installed, this one has the lovely warm tones of new timber, ready to gradually mellow and weather naturally as the years and seasons pass.

Another bench out of the workshop and into the landscape it was made for.

View more:

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/another-york-memorial-bench-east-park-hull

25/08/2026

Some of these benches have been sitting here for around 35 years.

A walk around Chanterlands Crematorium and Northern Cemetery in Hull revealed more than sixty Woodcraft benches throughout the grounds, many of them more than two decades old.

They don't look like new benches anymore – and that's precisely what makes them interesting.

Some have been treated and preserved, while others have been allowed to weather naturally, their timber turning silver-grey and becoming home to moss and lichen. But perhaps the most touching thing is how many are still surrounded by fresh flowers, photographs, notes and keepsakes left by families.

The timber has aged. The memories haven't.

We'll be taking a closer look at some of these remarkable old friends in our latest post.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/memorial-benches-chanterlands-crematorium-36-years-on

30/07/2026

Some products quietly become part of everyday life.

These handcrafted timber community notice boards were installed in Hedon several years ago and continue to serve residents every single day, displaying local events, council notices and community information.

From medieval market town to modern community, it's rewarding to see quality craftsmanship still doing exactly what it was designed to do years later.

Sometimes the best compliment is that people simply expect it to be there.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/notice-boards-still-quietly-serving-the-community

27/07/2026

A new 6ft York bench has been installed at Hedon Road Cemetery in Hull.

Although commissioned by a private customer, the location itself has a fascinating history. Hedon Road Cemetery has served the city since the 1870s and is also home to Commonwealth War Graves Commission burials from both World Wars.

Like the two York benches recently supplied to Souda Bay War Cemetery in Crete, this latest bench has found its place in surroundings where people naturally pause, reflect and remember.

This particular bench also carries a beautifully engraved Eye of Horus — a timeless symbol associated with protection, healing and remembrance.

It's another example of how a handcrafted bench can quietly become part of people's stories for generations to come.

https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/another-woodcraft-bench-finds-its-home-at-hedon-road-cemetery

24/07/2026

Some places become part of a person's story.

A favourite walk.
A peaceful view across the water.
A place where memories are made.

This handcrafted York memorial bench has been installed in Hull's East Park in loving memory of David Patrick Sullivan (1979–2025).

Over the years, Woodcraft has supplied many memorial benches throughout East Park, each one telling a unique story. Together, they have quietly become part of the park itself, offering somewhere to pause, reflect and simply enjoy the surroundings.

It is always a privilege to create a lasting tribute that will be used and appreciated for generations to come.

Read the full story https://www.woodcraftuk.co.uk/news/2026/some-places-become-part-of-a-persons-story?token=0uL8IYkAK4kYJLvXmnVGiMLi9mwC9aix