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 2x6, 2x8 and 2x10 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 1/4x3.

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.