I did it! A bench,

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 05/25/2017 - 05:41

I've been doing only little projects here and there, so when I got an order for a bench, I was a little apprehensive, but of course I said YES!  I immediately started scouring the web for ideas on how to, and what the cost would be to build.  I came across Ana White's modern bench design and knew this was the one.  I priced out all the materials and gave my customer a quote which she, without hesitation, accepted.  The next day, I took a trip to the local lumber yard and purchased all I needed.  Now, here's where I messed up a bit. Like I said, I priced everything out before purchasing.  Well, I priced out the wrong 1x6s which threw me almost $35 over my original budget.  Womp womp, right?  I still made a little profit.  But this bench cost me $100 to build.  The customer ordered this bench for her garden and wanted it to be stained rather than painted.  So, the wood, the decking screws, waterseal, and the outdoor waterproof stain and sealer was my purchase for the build.  Totally worth it!  The bench turned out great!  I am delivering it to her in a couple of hours from now and I cannot wait for her to see it.  I think it turned out beautiful especially for my first!  Thank you, Ana, for making the design so easy to follow! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
1 qt of BEHR Premium Padre Brown Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Stain and Sealer. I used a 2.5 inch stain/ paint brush to apply one coat. After 24 hrs, I then sprayed a coat of Thompson's WaterSeal Waterproofing Wood Protector on the entire bench.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner