DIY, DIY Furniture, DIY Projects, Painted Furniture, Repurposed Furniture, resale finds, The Garagemahal

Building Benches from Beds is Sort of Like a Strategy Game

We had a beautiful Saturday to work on turning headboards and footboards into benches. It was my plan to get all five of the benches made as far as possible. We were up and at em’ early so that meant it was a chilly start. We heated the garage and laid out all four beds. You would have laughed as we carefully checked each bed to come up with an attack plan. It sort of felt like we were strategizing for a big game.
headboard and footboard
All the headboards lined up in the Garagemahal.

headboard and footboard for bench
I call this one the curvy bench. Each section of the headboard curves slightly. It is a very comfortable bench.

Headboard for bench
The headboard is really plain but the footboard has a sort of ornate bottom. I am guessing this set was from the 50’s or 60’s. I snagged it for four dollars recently and decided this set would be for my front porch.

Headboard for storage bench
We have had this monster for over a year, hanging out in the Garagemahal. We found it for $25.00 online. It is big, tall, heavy and is going to make a beautiful bench.

Footboard for storage bench
The footboard is just as heavy as the headboard. The posts are four inches square.

headboards into benches
This one is for a friend, Shahana.

It looked like the hardest of all of them was going to be the curvy vintage bed so of course that was where we started. Why? Well … we don’t do easy at our house. The bed headboard curves at the back and has a center support that does not extend to the floor and there was an ornate bottom panel on the footboard only. We knew it would be a problem piece but we dove in.
making a bench

making a bench frame

We decided to make the seat fit around the legs. I knew I wanted the front to look something like the ornate bottom of the footboard that are now the sides of the bench. In my hoard I had a French provincial footboard that I bought for $ 2.00 at a thrift store. After cutting off the legs and cutting it down to size it got attached to the front. It does not match exactly but I think it works.
making a bench (2)
Here it is with the plywood seat.
IMG_6592

IMG_6593

IMG_6594
The next one we attacked was one I am making for a friend, at her request. I can already see this one finished in my head. Dark red with a slatted seat that is stained. I want it distressed and glazed. I ran out of 1 X 4 slats or this one would be done. It did not fight with us.
norma bench

IMG_6586-001
Everything lined up pretty easily.
norma bench (2)
The slats are going to be evenly spaced once we get them all cut. This is an old solid maple frame. It is heavy and has beautifully turned wood posts.
norma bench (3)
This is all we have left. boo.

After watching HGTV Saturday morning I totally knew what I wanted this beauty to be. It is going to be a storage bench seat painted my sea salt paint with dark gray glaze and a pretty heavy distressing. We got the headboard cut down 6 inches in height and the footboard cut into arms. I need to get plywood, make a raised panel, and piano hinge.
Headboard for storage bench

The final bench we got underway is for Shahana. It is going to be turquoise. I will bet it ends up with a red seat and leopard pillows because that is how she rolls.
IMG_6602-001

IMG_6601-001
We got this far on Shahana’s bench. Next weekend we will get the plywood on the top.

IMG_6607-001

IMG_6606-001

The twin bed you saw in the first photo did not get started. Hubby and I could not figure out how to fix the problems it had so we are thinking on this one.

One bench ready for sanding, wood filler, primer and paint. Two benches ready for seats then sanding, wood filler, primer and paint. One bench will take construction of a box with a hinged top then sanding, wood filler, primer and paint.

All in all it was not a bad weekend’s work.
Have a wonderful week.
Karen

DIY, DIY Projects, Repurposed Furniture, resale finds, rescuing damaged furniture, Thrifting

A Benchy Weekend Ahead

Well now that my third antibiotic seems to be killing the super nasty bacteria that moved in and won’t leave, I am ITCHING, dying, ready to get some work done this weekend. We have 4, count em’ f-o-u-r, headboard/footboards to turn into benches (one of them may become a swing) this weekend. I figure “In for a penny, in for a pound.” No way we will get to painting, but I am hopeful we will get the benches constructed.  I am busy looking for inspiration for my benches.  Here are a few of my favorite sites with awesome tutorials.

For the swin I found the Rustic Pig.  I am loving this one.  It only uses a headboard and not a footboard so I have to see if I have one that will work for this.
http://www.therusticpig.com/2013/06/16/summer-back-porch-headboard-swing/

20140326-192201.jpg

Gail at My Repurposed Life is a master at repurposing beds into benches.  I got the idea to turn the dresser into a bench from her.  I love that she took the time to write me when I mentioned her inspiration.    Her site has a number of different headboard benches so there is a lot of inspiration.

http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2009/09/headboard-bench-tutorial.html

20140326-192635.jpg

Brittany at Pretty Handy Girl has a great site with simple instructions.  I love her blog header : empowering you to complete your own DIY project.  Thanks, Brittany for the great drawings and pictures.

http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/2010/07/turning-craigs-list-bed-frame-into.html

20140326-195241.jpg

As I said, we have four headboards.  I just counted and we have FIVE.  Shhhh.  I am going to see if Hubby reads this to see that I have more than I thought.  I bought one set  over a year ago for $25.00 but can’t find a photo, I got the three below stacked all together for $12.00.  One of them is my favorite.  It is a curvy vintage double bed that will make a cool and very comfortable bench.

 

20140326-195439.jpg
Hard to believe there are three future benches in this pile of wood huh? The curvy one is mine. I just love it. It is going to be either rustic red or black. Feel free to chime in on the color. The twin is going to my friend, Trenda. Final one may become the swing. I think it will work for what we want.

20140326-205436.jpg
This bed is going to be a bench for my buddy Norma. I bought this one at Canton. I liked the look and the solid back. It is going to be a beautiful rustic red when done and have stained slatted seat I am very excited this one.
.
20140327-185228.jpg
This one is going to my buddy Shahana. We found this one at the HAAR (Humble Area Assistance Resources)  thrift store for $10.00. I will show you the awesome chicken she painted for me on my Facebook page this week. Be watching for it FB friends.
I think I just counted and we may have six future benches.  We will see if my husband actually reads this post.  If so, I think I could be in trouble.