Show Us Your Bonsai Benches

Japonicus

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Question...
Which better - 1x4 white PVC boards (actual .75" thick) , or 1x4 cedar (actual .6875" thick) in full Sun? I need to raise and get air under my pots on the deck=cooler and others off the railing.
The PVC being white maybe offset the heat that plastic absorbs? At least it's pre-finished and easy care. Cedar needs stain looks more at home, but will crack and perhaps warp.
Cedar probably more home to Springtails, a nuisance insect.
 

Forsoothe!

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I wouldn't bet that the plastic isn't going to sag, under load, over time. It would be greatly affected by the span between supports.
 

Japonicus

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I wouldn't bet that the plastic isn't going to sag, under load, over time. It would be greatly affected by the span between supports.
The plastic will be much, much hotter.
Glad I asked Thanks. Not going to go any extra miles with this, my deck needs replacing as it is and the only display area I have really.
So either cedar or treated decking...
 
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Here is my bench made of free materials. A couple of the boards are starting to sag a bit, but I could replace them, flip them or even flip and double them up for quick fixes. Longer term I wonder if I could cut up some cement board to use? I have seen some of the more eloquent wood slat type designs on this thread that would look nice and last longer.
Even before I address that I plan on moving the bench off the patio onto some “crushed marble” stones along with a mini French-drain dry well. When it rains we get a big puddle on the patio w/ mud as is.8A0EDE25-1936-4268-B1F7-F66F54CC5577.jpegC9F3081A-90C1-4287-8E36-F8B187BDA4CC.jpeg
 

Orion_metalhead

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The nicer, potted stuff is just sitting on the deck for now. I use the shadows cast throughout the day by the benches to regulate the trees shifting from shade to sun.
20190608_143650.jpg

The not-nice / still work in progress / not big enough for it's own pot yet stuff is on a an old wooden picnic table to the side. Ignore my mess. The potted Japanese maple in the green pot is getting it's first few days of more sun on the corner of the table. It goes onto the deck soon:

20190608_143702.jpg
 

eryk2kartman

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Very nice, you seems to be at very similar stage as me :) Your seedlings look really good, my JM all seems to be very weird, none of the leave are normal all kinda twisted, not happy with it at all :(
I have a lot very similar trees, im collecting and planting whatever i can :)
Defo i need my own tread :)
Best of Luck!
 

parhamr

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Here’s my five benches and greenhouse. This yard is my best setup of the eight years in which I’ve been doing bonsai.

39115612-697B-4E0B-8F4C-6152ABABE7B0.jpeg

The sun is full, the latent pest and disease load is low, and the windbreak is good
 

Thomas J.

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In 2002 I had a new house built in a new subdivision so that meant no shade from trees anywhere. Six months later after moving in and still not making accommodations for my trees I was hit with three hail storms in one night while I was at work. Had it not been for my son who was at home at the time and moved all my trees indoors while getting plummeted with those large hail stones, I would have lost my entire collection. Drastic measures had to be taken for future hail storms so the planning and building was on.

benches-3 jpg.jpg

The planning had to include something that would cover the trees in every direction and be strong enough for large hail. I decided to use doors on the front of the stands which would provide protection all around. The doors and the top would be covered with strong galvanized steel mesh, doubled up on top of the units.

ben 2-22-1 jpg.jpg

Looks kind of cagey but here in Texas you have to take those hail storms serious. :)

DSC04800.JPG

As I mentioned this was a new neighborhood being built with no trees anywhere for shade and my tridents were really suffering so shade cloth was the next step in trying to prevent sun damage.

benches-001.jpg

The doors would remain open during periods when the sun was not shining on the trees directly and when no storm warnings were issued.

benches-01.jpg

It's been many years since I first moved here and now the doors have been removed because I now have a nice tall shade tree. Back then I wasn't working with JBP and didn't need full sun as I do now. The one thing that hasn't changed though is the hail storms, they still come as you can see by this pic , luckily I'm retired now and was home and knew this one was coming but didn't quite expect it to be this bad, all trees were under cover when this one hit and I might add that the wire mesh on top held up perfectly. :)

13015282_1709906015952710_8955772791741896730_n.jpg
 

Hartinez

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In 2002 I had a new house built in a new subdivision so that meant no shade from trees anywhere. Six months later after moving in and still not making accommodations for my trees I was hit with three hail storms in one night while I was at work. Had it not been for my son who was at home at the time and moved all my trees indoors while getting plummeted with those large hail stones, I would have lost my entire collection. Drastic measures had to be taken for future hail storms so the planning and building was on.

View attachment 247397

The planning had to include something that would cover the trees in every direction and be strong enough for large hail. I decided to use doors on the front of the stands which would provide protection all around. The doors and the top would be covered with strong galvanized steel mesh, doubled up on top of the units.

View attachment 247398

Looks kind of cagey but here in Texas you have to take those hail storms serious. :)

View attachment 247399

As I mentioned this was a new neighborhood being built with no trees anywhere for shade and my tridents were really suffering so shade cloth was the next step in trying to prevent sun damage.

View attachment 247400

The doors would remain open during periods when the sun was not shining on the trees directly and when no storm warnings were issued.

View attachment 247401

It's been many years since I first moved here and now the doors have been removed because I now have a nice tall shade tree. Back then I wasn't working with JBP and didn't need full sun as I do now. The one thing that hasn't changed though is the hail storms, they still come as you can see by this pic , luckily I'm retired now and was home and knew this one was coming but didn't quite expect it to be this bad, all trees were under cover when this one hit and I might add that the wire mesh on top held up perfectly. :)

View attachment 247403
Wtf...😧
 
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