Glider benches last for a long, long time, some models so long that they got named Lifetime Glider Benches! But nevertheless, nothing lasts forever and before you can bring a new bench into your garden or porch, you have to get rid of the old one. First of all you have to determine if your glider bench could simply find a new home with somebody else. If it is still in a reasonable state and working order you could put it up on Craigslist or similar and see if you get any takers. If it definitively beyond further use you have to look into proper recycling for it. What you can and can’t do depends mainly on the material your gliding bench is made from and on the facilities of the town you live in. Lets look at the last one first:
Many towns and cities have nowadays proper recycling places to where you can bring things you don’t need anymore and they get professionally recycled. Some even offer pick-up services for big and heavy items such as outdoor furniture. So, all you need to do is to check your yellow pages for the next recycling facility and off goes your bench!
If you don’t have such a place nearby, you need to dismantle it yourself and place the pieces in the correct recycling bins. Glider benches are mainly made from metal, plastic and wood and generally easy to take apart. Whilst metal and plastic go simply into the appropriate bin, the wood you can “recycle” yourself by using it in your fireplace or by making a bonfire. Make sure the treatment used on the wood (varnish etc.) doesn’t smell bad or produces a lot of extra smoke that could harm your chiminea or breathing when burned. Try a small piece first, if all what you can smell is wood smoke, you are good to go to saw up the rest and use it in your fireplace.
Please, never, ever, try to burn plastic, the smokes and fumes that are produced are very harmful for you and for the environment! Always recycle your plastic benches properly!