Bench project #1

Remember back in February when I posted about the great bargain bench I found? It was marked down 80% because the finish was rubbing off. I had a simple plan for it when I bought it, and finally put that plan into action.

June is usually a great month for projects in the garden, but the hot, hot weather and travel for work really ate up my time for those. I had a few days off  from work after the holiday last week, and that gave me the breathing space I needed to tackle a few projects like this.

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I started with an "easy" project, as I already knew everything that had to happen to get this kissing bench into shape. Step one was getting it out of the garage. Step two was taking the back off, which was really simple as only four nuts held it in place.

I should point out that I was doing this project at 7 AM when the temperature was only 90ºF or so and the driveway was still shaded. No time to waste!

Here's the key to "refinishing" the bench:

As I mentioned in the first post, I love the finish the way it is and am just going to seal it so it doesn't rub off (on clothing or skin). I haven't used this product on metal before, so I'm not sure how well it's going to hold up -- especially since the bench will flex when somebody sits on it. I expect it will be fine though, and if it only lasts a year or two, well, that's better than letting the bench sit in the garage forever.

I protected the four bolt ends to ensure that the nuts will fit easily when I reassemble:

Then I just started spraying.

I always forget that there are six sides that need to be coated, which takes quite a bit of effort and time, especially with a detailed piece like this.

The spray got pretty thick in some areas, as it was difficult to determine which parts had been sprayed already -- one of the drawbacks of using a clear spray.

It goes on white when it gets too thick, but will dry clear.

I like how it brings out the richness in the finish:

After letting it dry for 30 minutes or so, I moved the pieces into the garage to cure for a few more days.

Not that it needs that much time to fully dry, but I'm still not sure where in the garden I want to place this ornate beauty. It has to be somewhere that has nice views in opposite directions.

Maybe by the pond?

The important thing is that the kissing bench is now ready for use in the garden. Hopefully it won't take me too long to actually use it somewhere!

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