The bench is finished!

Linking up with the Shanty2Chic sisters  ....

 

Once upon a time we had a railing around our back porch.  And then we dog sit for our daughter a few weeks ago.  I put the dog on the porch for a while, didnt even latch the gate, and she knocked the gate completely off the hinges.. I guess she didnt want to be put on the porch.  Well then!  A few days later we decide to just take the whole railing down, Tyler took it down.  The boards were a grayish/blueish color and old and worn out already.  Jeff piled the wood up with plans to burn it.  I had another idea in mind.  I had just seen a bench that Gail at My repurposed Life made for her daughter and I knew I could use some of the scraps to do something similar.  Believe me mine doesnt compare to hers.  She does some amazing repurposing of all kinds of found items.  

 I  used one of the 2x4 and cut into two equal pieces (40 inches long i think) and two pieces for the end that measured 14 inches.  I removed what seemed like a billion little nails from the slats and cut them into 18 in long pieces.  I wasnt real sure about how to  make sure the thing was square but Jeff checked it for me after I screwed it together and it was only off by 1/8 of an inch,, that sounded good to me.  Experience carpenters everywhere are fainting as they read this.. ha ha.   I'm sure this explanation of my bench is just clear as mud so here are a few pictures to help visualize.. 

Made a box first and then used a little board ( 2x2? maybe) in the center for support. 
BEFORE

Cutting the small boards for the seat. 

Spacing to get somewhat of an even arrangement.. there are small gaps but I think its just adds character.  I used the nail gun to put these on. 

All the small boards are on and ready for a little bit of sanding.  Pay no attention to the pile of trash in the background. 

Tyler helping his mama with the sanding.  He said it was one of the best things I've worked on  and was impressed that I actually finished something. 

I used some 4x4's for the legs that my brother had given me. Thanks Robert.  They were going to be used to make big candle sticks to sit in front of the fire place but I never got  around to it.  And the dresser that the bench is sitting on is another unfinished project.. kind of stuck on what to do next.  But it'll come to me one day. 

Screwing in some more reinforcement.. dont want a wobbly bench. 

And here she is .. ain't she purty?   And she's very sturdy. 

AFTER

If you look closely in these pics you can see several unfinished projects. (dont look closely, ha )