I took this strawberry bed that I built but never used and converted it to something that I use nearly every day. The bed was build using 2×6, 2×8 and 2×10 lumber. Everything was resawn into 2x4s and run them through the planer to give the section the same dimensions. The seat boards were reduced even further to 1 1/4×3.
A bench that was originally on the front porch but, I built another bench for the porch and moved this one to the side yard. I have severe spinal stenosis and need to stop and rest my back. This gives me a chance to rest and watch the traffic go by.
This was the first bench that I built. It was really a learning experience. Since completing this one, I have built 5 others. Each one is a bit different than the one before it and improved upon its predecessor.
After building the 2nd bench for the front porch, I cleaned this one up, filled the screw holes with epoxy and stained with Defy Ultra Natural Pine Semi-Transparent Stain.
The stain protects against damaging UV rays that causes fading and graying. The stain also seals the wood to protect from the damaging effect of water penetration. I added a second coat which highlights the wood grain and provides a beautiful long-lasting finish.
I also removed the 3 screws holding the seat top. They had cracked the wood and were just plain unsightly. I added epoxy to seal the cracks and used smaller screws from the back to secure the top. The result is a cleaner looking seat back.
Model: My lovely wife, Brenda. Besides adding her grace and beauty to the images, she is also my gopher and assists me in the construction of my projects.
