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:)

Monday, October 17, 2011

“NO BUMS ALLOWED!!!” *Garden Bench Tutorial*

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This Bench is my own creation! You have seen it a million times on here...and today it is the star of the show.

One day, as I was browsing around in the shops in the downtown of our city, I came across a shop that sells very high end benches. The one in the store was around $400.00! I almost passed out at the price! There is no way on earth that I would be caught dead paying an amount like that for something I could build myself.

Not having a cell phone with a camera at the time, and not wanting to look too obviously taking measurements, I used my body as a measurement. In fine Tootsie form, I made the measurements as follows: The top peak comes up to my boobs, the arm comes to just above the knee...you get the idea. I ran out to my car, wrote the "stats" on a napkin, and drew a quick diagram. I raced home, pulled the barn board that I had been saving for a special project out, and got to work! I made two of them...gave one to a lady that had become very special to me, and the rest is history.

A few days ago, I got an email from a lady named Betty with a special request. She wrote that she is a faithful follower of Tootsie Time, and that she has fallen in love with my olden bench that I built to hold my flowers. In the letter, she asked me if I knew where she could get her hands on some dimensions and/or instructions so that she could build one for her gardens.

This very thoughtful lady also suggested that perhaps I could do a post about this bench, so that not only she but all of the others who had fallen in love with my bench could have one too!

Well Betty…you are in Luck!!! I built that bench…it is the very first thing I ever made for my garden. I have photos…dimensions, and possibly some direction to offer you (and anyone else who might like them).

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This is the bench…sans plants…ha-ha

I used weathered old boards that were ripped off of an old barn that had fallen down. I have taken the time to measure in inches…instead of body parts, so I hope this works for everyone!

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I sure hope you can see the dimensions that I put on the photo…if you can’t…let me know. If you click on my photos, they will open larger for you to see…(just a tip)

I also thought it might be nice if I could offer some explanation…

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The back of the bench has five pickets cut to three different lengths. You will need to cut:

2-40 inch long pickets

2-44 inch long pickets

1 4 foot long picket (for the center)

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The peaks of the pickets were embellished to look like little bird house roofs. I cut one side at 6 inches and one at 5 inches. This allowed me to have them even when I put them together as shown above. You will need to cut:

5- 5 inch long pieces

6- 6 inch long pieces

…these will be screwed or nailed onto the top of the picket.

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I took one picket apart a bit to show you ….(and it needed to be repaired anyways…ha-ha) That is what you see on the bench.

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The “seat”, front, and the support piece across the back of the pickets are all 3 feet long.

You will need to cut 5 pieces to 3 feet long in total.

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The side of the bench and front of the arms are all 2 pieces cut to 2 foot lengths…you will need to cut 8 - 2 foot long pieces in total.

There is also the top of the arms that you will need to cut 2 pieces for. They are each 18 inches in length.

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That is all there is to my bench.

I started to construct the piece by cutting and putting together the pickets that make the back with the support that goes across them.

I then screwed each of the arms together.

I put the entire thing together by adding the seat piece by piece.

The bench is not flimsy, but it is not really all that strong. I didn’t make it to be sat on, but to hold plants. If you are planning to sit on it, you may want to use smoother wood…and make the cuts a bit neater…my version of this baby is very crude…as it was intended to look primitive.

I love the look of this bench with flowers on it.

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I use empty pots tipped upside down to add different heights to the position of the plants…and some decorative ones tipped on their sides for added interest. I also will add different things in and amongst the pots as decoration.

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Betty asked how on earth I get the old watering can to sit that way on the pickets. Well…it is propped on one picket and supported with another. There is a bit of gravel inside it for weight.

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Every summer it gets a bit different look.

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The bench itself hasn’t changed since I first made it. It is now about 8 years old.

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Considering how this bench was created…I am sure you don’t have to follow any specific instructions to make it…just do what I did…wing it! I wanted one soooo bad…that I figured it out. ha-ha.

Good luck with building one for your garden Betty!

I would love it if anyone who decides to build one of my garden benches would send me a photo!

If you have questions regarding this post, or any other post that you find on Tootsie Time…please feel free to contact me either via email or in the comment section of this post.

More photos of GARDEN ART that I have made are just a click away!!!

What are you building to add to your gardens???

Thanks for stopping by!!! See you again very soon!

Until next time…Happy Gardening!

*)*)*) to my very special three…"Love grows where trust is laid, and love dies where trust is betrayed."~Tigress Luv (trust after it is lost cannot be re-gained completely)

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

10 comments:

Sonia said...

Beautiful Tootsie! I love that bench!! All the different colorful flowers look amazing with it! Great job!

Miss Bloomers

Andrea said...

That is so ingenious of you to make that! I am amazed at the duration it can serve you. Here in the tropics it is good if it can stay up to 2 yrs or maybe 1 yr is enough. Maybe your wood is treated! Here our enemies are termites, fungus, bacteria, etc, etc which hastens decay. Even hardwoods succumb to them fast if always moist due to the water sipping thru the pots. But last weekend i also made a makeshift bench from remnant woods, i hope it will last a year.

Sue said...

Tootsie-it's a great bench and I'm glad you're sharing it with us!!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.

The JR said...

I luv it. I have one that's for decoration only.

sabri said...

LOVE IT !!! come over to my new blog and follow me...i lost you and my old blog to photo bucket...love ya!!

Alberta said...

How sweet of you to give us step by step directions in a manner that isn't intimidating! Now, how many plant benches will there be this time next year? Don't forget to count mine!!!!
Thanks Tootsie, you ♥♥♥ ROCK! ♥♥♥

CYNTHIA CRANE said...

Fabulous bench! Wonderful that you shared the how to and I can't wait to see the rest of your garden art. I used to have a great biz doing that, mostly birdhouses, during '90s but now I'm painting and potterying! Glad to have connected with you via Twitter and #gardenchat!

Cindy

Karen said...

Glenda, now I have another project to add to my long list of projects, lol. Love the way your bench looks and the way you took the initial measurements, hilarious!

siteseer said...

thanks for the tutorial. Don't know if I'll get to it soon, but I know where to come get the directions when I'm ready. Love it!