Warmer, No, Hot Bench

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I teased you all with the bench refinishing process yesterday.  You’ve waited long enough.  Feast your eyes on a sanded, stained, sealed, upholstered bench that nearly required more labor than my kids.

The fabrics are from Joann, so nothing crazy or expensive.  This way, when I change my mind, I won’t feel bad.  Though, I did choose a neutral fabric for the seat so I could change the pillows out to go with a different color scheme.

I found the ceramic stool at Ross a few weeks ago for $30.99, marked down from $45, but originally $95.  Score for a 68% discount.

The seat is a few inches taller than the cushions, because I used a 3/4 inch thick plywood and added another inch of foam.  One long cushion makes the piece look more like an outdoor bench than a couch, in my opinion.   And, the plywood base is much more sturdy than the sagging canvas.

Surprisingly, the trellis pattern wasn’t difficult to keep straight.  Perhaps because it is a small-scale?  Speaking of small-scale, I want to add another set of larger pillows to beef things up and add comfort.  Maybe 18 inch square ones?

Overall, I think this was a great transformation.  A little time-consuming, not too expensive, but I worth it.  Last night, Ben finally admitted he said he thought the bench was ugly so he wouldn’t have to help with it.  He thinks it looks cute now and said he saw the potential from the beginning.

Just after I finished upholstering the seat and setting it in place, I plopped down to enjoy it.  Then, Vincent sat down with a bag of tortilla chips.

 

For a more dramatic before and after, how about a side by side?

Now, for a cost breakdown:

Bench: Free

Sander and paper: Already owned

Stain: Left over from another project

Clear Protective Finish: $19.99 for a quart, with tons left over for another project

Cushions: Reused from original bench

Mattress Topper: $12.49

Fabric: $25.79, including two yards for the seat, two yards of vinyl, and one yard for pillows

Pillow forms: Living room forms displaced by new World Market pillows

Grand Total: $58.27  

Not bad, especially when I checked prices of similar benches I liked.  Like this one for $289.00 or this teak Smith and Hawken bench for $649.00.  That is a savings between $230.73 to $590.73.

The process was fairly simple, but time-consuming.  Nothing a patient DIYer couldn’t handle, though.  What do you think of the change?  Was it worth the time, effort and money?

Outdoor Bench Refinishing

Published on by Our Humble Abode16 Comments

You know that free couch turned outdoor bench I shared several weeks ago?  And the desperate please-give-me-some-love shape it was in?

I finished refinishing it.  Before we get into the details, here are a few more before photos of the worn finish.  This was at the front edge, where the cushions rest.

And on the back support.

The back was in the best condition.

Here’s the play by play on how the sanding, staining, and upholstering happened.

Of course sanding had to happen before I could do anything else.  It’s gotta get worse before it can get better, right?  I used an orbital sander with 220 grit paper to sand all of the flat surfaces.  If you’ve never sanded something and have concerns, use a high grit paper (this will prevent removing anything too quickly) on a hidden area until you get a feel for it.  I started with the arms and the top rail.

For rounded areas, I used a combination of the orbital sander and good old fashioned sand paper.  Again, this is much easier with a high grit paper.

After an hour of sanding, I had the back and the top pieces sanded.

Then came the front and the detail work.  Sanding between the slats was a pain the my butt.  But, that afternoon, I had the entire bench sanded and ready to stain.

Well, I skipped the under side and the back bottom slat because the cushions cover that up.

See, you wouldn’t know if I didn’t show you.  I’m really that lazy.  So, that was day one of my bench project.  It’s looking Scandinavian a little pale for the summer.  Day two consisted of staining to give it a Brazilian tan.

As planned, I used stain (Minwax Dark Walnut) left over from the bookshelf I refinished last summer.  We keep old shirts to use as rags.  Along with rubber gloves, I applied a coat of stain with one rag and wiped it off with another seconds after applying.

Better, but not as dark as I had in mind.

I let the stain set overnight and applied a second coat the following morning.

 

Day four, I bought a quart of Minwax Clear Shield Exterior Oil Based protective satin finish.  The oil based clear coat protects the wood from heat and moisture.  To apply, I used a Purdy paint brush.  I don’t work for Purdy and I’m not getting paid to say this.  Purdy brushes really are great.  One even coat and another day of dry time.  Then, another coat and 24 hours of dry time, which completed the wood refinishing stage.

I decided to upholster the cushions for several reasons.  One, the cushion base was simply stretched canvas, which sagged.  Two, I wanted one cushion, not three.  Three, I didn’t want/don’t know how to sew three fitted slipcovers with zippers.  Four, I’m cheap and wanted to buy half the fabric.  I’m not an upholsterer, but I’m definitely not a seamstress.  Disclaimer: I’m sure I did many things that a real upholsterer would cringe at, but it worked for me.

I had Ben cut a piece of old plywood to size to use as my base.  A new piece of 4 inch thick foam would have cost about $80, so I decided to reuse the old cushions.  I bought a full-sized foam mattress topper to cover the cushions for a seamless look.  I also bought two yards of clear vinyl table cloth for a water barrier.  Then, I gathered a staple gun, staples, scissors, and my fabric.

With my supplies ready, I prepped the cushions for upholstering.  First, I stapled the cushion pads to the plywood to prevent shifting.

For a seamless look, I covered the seams with a strip of foam.

Followed by another layer of foam.  I placed the foam smooth side down, with the cushion covered plywood on top.

Starting on the long sides, I stapled the foam at the center.  Then, pulled the other side tight and stapled again.  I stapled the entire length and then started on the corners.  For a straight, smooth corner, I pulled the foam tight.

Then stapled straight out from the corner.

Pull the outer folds and staple down tightly.

Staple inside for a tight grouping.

Cut the excess foam and repeat for all corners and materials.

Honestly, the foam was much easier than the vinyl.  The vinyl is less pliable and creased more.  The fabric was easy in comparison though.  And, here’s a tip:  If you’re not using an upholstery grade material, buy extra fabric to fold over several times to keep the stapled areas from tugging free and fraying.

That was my process, we’ll share the finished bench tomorrow.  For now, I’m wondering if you’ve refinished or upholstered furniture?  Have you sewn tailored cushion covers?  Got any refinishing/upholstering tips you’ve learned along the way?

Early Father’s Day

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On Saturday, I bought two small canvases for the boys to paint for Father’s Day gifts for Ben.  Ben left to work out, so I put the boys in painting clothes (yes, our kids have painting clothes) and we trucked outside with our supplies to get our paint on.

Inspired by this idea, I let Vincent and Everett choose a paint color.  Vincent chose lime green and Everett chose charcoal grey.  Oddly enough, these colors definitely represent their personalities.  V is bright and loud while Ev is the shy, quiet one, not screaming for attention, but noticeable.  Then, I helped the buys practice placing their hands on the canvas while I pressed down.  Both passed with flying colors, keeping their hands still.

Gather your handy helpers (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse reference) and ask for one clean hand.

Squirt a blob of paint on the hand.

I thought that would be enough, but it barely spread a thin layer over his hand.

So add more paint.  Then, hold the helpers hand and bring the canvas to the hand, not hand to canvas.  Gently push in place and remove.

Do you see the light hand print behind?  That’s why you need more paint.  If you mess up, while the paint is still wet, you can wipe it away with a damp cloth to start over again.  I was distracted, so I didn’t get to.  With Vincent’s painting drying, I started on Everett.  I squeezed a glob of paint to his hand and immediately, he clenched his hand shut and oozed paint through his fingers.  That got a chuckle.  After unclamping his hand, I spread the paint over and brought the canvas to him.  Hand placed perfectly, then he yanked it away, dragging across the canvas.  Time for plan B.  I wiped the wet paint away and decided on an abstract painting from Ev.  I picked our palette.

With Picasso on my lap, he painted.  He was hesitant to touch the paint, so I helped show him.

Eventually, he did, but only twice.  I loved watching his chubby hand work.

He wanted a paint brush.  Ev was so determined, just look at his face.

While Ev was painting, so was Vincent, on our paper drop cloth.  Then, I noticed he painted on our drying hand canvas.  Gah!  So, I painted his canvas white so he would make an abstract painting, too.  When I turned back to Ev, I saw the was sitting, sucking his thumb.

 

Even though I wasn’t painting, I didn’t get away unscathed.  Ev painted all over my hands, legs and even took a quick swipe at my face.

For those requesting more pictures of me, I’ll make an effort.  This is a start.

And, we’re ready for the big reveal.  Everett’s painting:

Restrained, yet stunning.

And Vincent’s:

Not as restrained, but equally stunning.  I actually had to stop him because he would have blended everything together until it was a brown mess.

And, here’s a side by side:

I can’t wait to hang them up!  Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why this Father’s Day gift is early.  Two reasons.  Number one, Ben came home earlier than I thought and caught us painting.  The jig is up.  Number two, I seriously thought Father’s Day was yesterday.  So, you get to benefit from my apparent inability to read a calendar.  So, go to Michael’s to pick up a few 5 inch square by 1 1/2 inch thick canvases while they’re 40% off  (they’re $4.80 each after the discount, originally $7.99 for a grand total of $9.60) and put the kiddos to work.

Dads, what was your favorite father’s day gift?  Ladies and kids, what was your favorite gift to dad?  Is your dad easy to shop for?  Neither Ben or my dad are easy.  No ties, technology or candy for them.  So, something personal fits perfectly.

Gimme a Giveaway: Ello There

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***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries, Thank You!***

We spruced up our master bedroom with a new art print I ordered from Ello There, a charming Etsy shop with oodles of wedding goodies.  But wedding items shouldn’t be limited to weddings.   Such fantastic designs double as art, wedding or anniversary gifts, too.  In honor of our five year wedding anniversary, we’re lucky enough to offer up one 11 inch by 17 inch original Ello There Wedding Poster with three designs to choose from.

Just Married


It’s a Start

And Record Player

All posters can be completely customized with your names, information, and matching colors.

The Goods: One 11 inch by 17 inch customized wedding or art poster from Ello There, a $75 value.

To Enter: Subscribe to follow Our Humble A{Bowe}d, if you’re not already.  To subscribe, click the “Sign Me Up!” button under “Be the first to know.”  Once you’ve subscribed, leave a comment, which can (but doesn’t have to) include our Just for Fun question.

Just for Fun: Tell us your favorite romantic song, or which song you chose for the first dance at your wedding.

For additional entries:

1. Add Ello There to your Etsy favs, come back and leave a comment telling us what your favorite item is.

2.  Follow Ello There’s blog, and leave another comment.

3. Like Our Humble A{Bowe}d on Facebook, come back and leave another comment.

Contest Closes: Thursday, June 16th at 11:59 pm, central time.

Number of Winners: One!

Ships: Anywhere in the U.S.

Other Info: We will select the winner using random.org and announce on Friday, June 17th.  Good luck!!

All  images found via the featured Etsy seller’s listing as linked above.

Five Years Ago: Detail Oriented

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You’ve seen our invitations, the location, and our flowers.  Now, we’re going to share the miscellaneous details and finishing touches.  Let’s start with the bridal party attire.  I found my wedding dress on my first trip out.  It is simple, off white (I look horrible in bright white) with an overlapping top and satin ribbon.  The train is short, but not too formal for an outdoor wedding.

The hairdresser I used to babysit for created the updo, a modern french twist with flowers along the right side.  As a wedding gift, she also style the bridesmaids’ hair, too.  The bridesmaids wore strapless black tea length dresses with a satin ribbon.

{From left to right, my cousin Jenna, Aunt and owner of the home, Mershawn (we call her Shawnie), my mom, my older sister Ashley, me, my younger sister Andrea, my cousin Mallory, and high school friend, Amanda}

Oddly enough, the other important ladies in my life also wore black dresses.

The men wore black tuxedos with black bowties and vests.  Ben, being the special groom, wore a silver vest and tie.

{From left to right: my dad, Ben’s youngest brother Joseph, Ben, Ben’s younger brother Nick, Ben’s older brother Luke and Ben’s dad, Robert}

By the way, my dad is a mechanic, so he is never in a suit.  Doesn’t he look handsome?!?

We got hungry while taking pictures, so we had a cheesecake snack.

Ben and I both love cheesecake, so we chose vanilla cheesecake with chocolate, strawberry or raspberry toppings.  Here is our special wedding cake, we had others too.  Sure, it’s not the prettiest, but it tasted goooooood!

For some reason, we don’t have pictures of our food, but it was delicious!  My mom’s friend, a caterer made and served the food.  To please everyone, we had penne pasta with the choice of marinara and meatballs or Alfredo sauce and grilled chicken.  Caesar salad, fruit salad, and dinner rolls completed the buffet style meal.

Guests had a sweet treat inside the gloss black favor boxes.  A mini roll of Rolo chocolate caramels wrapped in pretty paper, mints, Hershey kisses, personalized M & Ms and a string of jingle bells.  We had to use plastic dinner plates, so guests could jingle the bells if they wanted us to kiss.

We decided on a modern guest book of floral printed white card stock and white envelopes stamped with the floral stamp.

After writing a message, guests placed their message in the glass vessel, usually used for trifles.

After the wedding, I made a book to hold the cards using the leftover paper from our wedding programs.  Double sided tape holds the envelopes in place nicely.

Our wedding programs kept the same floral stamp theme going.  The outside was a piece of white linen textured card stock with two printed stamps at the top with our names and ceremony info at the bottom right corner.

The vellum printed inside sheet had the bridal party and ceremony order.  We tied the two sheets together with the same waxed string used for the favor boxes.

Just for fun, here are a few random details about our wedding:

The wedding started at four in the afternoon because the reception followed right after.

Three of Ben’s brothers served as groomsmen while both of my sisters and my cousin were bridesmaids.

Our bridal party walked out to Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.  I walked out to Canon in D by Pachelbel played by a violin duo.

Ben and I were super hungry, but barely got to eat during dinner.

The first song Ben and I danced to as a married couple was Carried Away by George Strait.  The second dance with the wedding party was When You Say Nothing At All by Keith Whitley.

My dad’s name is Keith and I didn’t have a father daughter dance.  I wish I would have.

I made more money than Ben in the dollar dance.

My uncle, who was really stressed about the wedding in his backyard, let loose at the reception and spun around the tent pole, bending it.  Too funny.

We still have my favorite vases from our wedding.  The candles that lined our head table are in our bathroom now.