There are a couple of second-hand warehouses in my town. You can find a lot of treasures there for a small price. During one of these visits, I got my hands on my garden bench legs. It was perfect, because we didn't have enough space to sit or put our groceries in front of the house. I decided to renew the bench.
Idea to renew an old bench
The purchased legs turned out to be cast iron. Each of them weighed several kilos. After washing, removing unnecessary paint, old screws and pieces of wood, I wondered what color to paint them. In the original they were black, but I found that although it is a classic color, it does not show beautiful details.I chose the gray color, which made all the decorations visible and drew their subtle charm from the old legs.
Woodwork selection
The next step was the selection of woodwork. I was wondering what kind of wood to make the seat from.I chose a reliable oak, because it is hard, does not bend under weight and is resistant to weather conditions.I bought 120x4x5 cm square timbers at a nearby sawmill, and my carpenters have planed and milled them. Rounded edges provide greater seating comfort.
Wood impregnation
Then I got a dark brown wood preservative. After applying a few layers, it turned out to be too dark and did not match the rest. My brother gave me the idea to add white to contrast the gray. I decided to apply a layer of white oil paint using the dry brush technique. Thanks to this, the bench acquired an antiquated look. I screwed the boards with the legs together with the bolts so that they would not pinch.In the middle and on the sides of the seat, flat bars are screwed, which additionally stabilize the whole.
Joanna Domańska
