{"product_id":"school-playground-buddy-bench","title":"School Buddy Bench — Hand-Carved Oak, 2–3 Seater","description":"\u003cp\u003eA hand-carved oak buddy bench for school playgrounds — with “Buddy Bench” carved into the backrest, leaves painted along the seat rail, and your school’s chosen motto or message at the centre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe buddy bench system works because it’s visible. Any child who needs company sits here; other children know to come and ask. It works not because it’s a rule but because it’s a place — and places need to feel right. The painted leaves, the carved lettering, the natural grain and colour of the oak make this bench feel like it belongs to the school rather than arriving from a warehouse. Every version is made with the school’s own details, and the bench becomes the kind of thing that gets photographed for the school newsletter and celebrated in assembly in a way a flat board on metal posts never quite manages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Schools can order on a purchase order. \u003cstrong\u003ePrices include VAT.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolid oak throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“Buddy Bench” carved and painted text on the backrest\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeaf detail and school motto or message painted along the seat rail\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCustom text and design worked out with your school\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChoose your finish\u003c\/strong\u003e — supplied unvarnished as standard, or add three coats of Epifanes yacht varnish for lasting colour and sheen (+£50)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo to three seater, 150cm wide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdeal for school playgrounds, gardens and outdoor classrooms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHandmade in Mid Wales\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDimensions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eW150 × D60 × H120cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeat height approx 45cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eYour Version\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe work with schools on the design — the motto, the colours, any additional carving. Schools can order on a purchase order; we’ll invoice once confirmed. Typical lead time is 4–5 weeks. \u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/pages\/contact\" style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eGet in touch to discuss your school’s version.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFinish\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis piece is supplied \u003cstrong\u003eunvarnished\u003c\/strong\u003e as standard. Left natural, solid oak slowly weathers to a soft, silvery-grey — completely normal for outdoor timber, a graceful way for a piece to age, and with \u003cstrong\u003eno maintenance needed\u003c\/strong\u003e. If you’d prefer to bring out the grain and warm, honeyed tones, choose the \u003cstrong\u003evarnished\u003c\/strong\u003e option (+£50) and we’ll hand-apply three coats of Epifanes, a premium marine yacht varnish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\n\u003csummary style=\"cursor:pointer; font-weight:bold;\"\u003eMore about the two finishes\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-top:8px;\"\u003eOutdoor furniture takes a real beating from sun and weather. Left natural, an unvarnished piece simply silvers over time and asks nothing of you. A varnished piece keeps its rich sheen for a couple of years; after that the varnish may begin to flake or patch, at which point you can simply re-coat it, or let it weather back to that natural silvery-grey. Either way, your oak is fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e","brand":"FreeRangeDesigns","offers":[{"title":"Unvarnished","offer_id":53500146549111,"sku":"FRD-BEN-WD-1281","price":2180.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Varnished (+£50)","offer_id":57213712335223,"sku":"FRD-BEN-WD-1281","price":2262.4,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0267\/7673\/1729\/files\/school-playground-buddy-bench-2-3-seater-8720972.jpg?v=1759412235","url":"https:\/\/freerangingdesigns.com\/en-fr\/products\/school-playground-buddy-bench","provider":"FreeRangeDesigns","version":"1.0","type":"link"}