How to Make a Bench Out of 2 Repurposed Chairs

Behr sponsored this blog post. The opinions and text are all mine.

I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do with this chair bench…marry the formal lines of the chairs with a “welcome friends” feel.  I also knew I wanted this bench to live on my porch so I could stage it for the different holidays. With a plan in place, it was easy for me to select the color…red  with black glaze.     

There is honestly nothing more satisfying  than taking something that has been discarded as trash or is being sold at a garage sale for next to nothing and transforming it into something unexpected and amazing.  That is exactly what happened when I saw these chairs at a garage sale for $2.00 each.  I snagged them up and turned two of them into a Chair Bench.

 

Have you ever painted with red paint?  It can be extremely frustrating.  One of my  first  painting jobs, 15 years ago was a red dining room.  It took SIX COATS OF PAINT!  That was almost my last painting job. lol

Since then, I always gauge the paints I use by how well the deeper, darker colors cover.  You can buy a separate primer and have it tinted close to the color you are using but that is an extra product I have to buy plus another brush and roller I have to clean.  Seems like a lot of extra work and expense.

After researching the new paint options on the market, I opted to try BEHR MARQUEE® Exterior Paint & Primer.  It is a paint & primer in one.  What does that mean?  It means I can use the paint as my primer first.  For example, if I am painting over raw wood, I can apply 1-2 coats of the BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Paint & Primer as my primer and then apply the same BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Paint & Primer product as my paint.  Umm…hello?  Why not buy a paint & primer in one to save time and money?

Because this bench would ultimately be going on my porch, I selected an exterior semi-gloss enamel finish.  It is formulated to create a  hard, durable finish  to withstand wear, and resist moisture, fading and stains.

Okay…here we go…

 

Chair Bench Supplies:

• BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Paint & Primer in color and sheen of choice  (I chose “Red My Mind” in semi-gloss exterior enamel)
• Good quality paintbrush
• TSP (tri-sodium phosphate)
• Good quality mohair roller and roller cage
• Paint tray
• Drill or screwdriver
• 3/4″ stain or paint-grade plywood
• Jigsaw
• 220-grit sandpaper

Chair Bench Instructions:

1)    Use a drill or screwdriver to remove the screws from underneath the chair.  This will release the chair cushions from the frame.  Save the screws.

2)    Sand the chair frames with 220-grit sandpaper to etch the surface.

3)    Clean dust and grime with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) and a damp rag.  

4)    Wipe once more with a clean damp rag and water. Let air dry.

5)    Apply one coat of BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Paint & Primer as the tinted primer coat. (This step is typically necessary when painting with the deep-tone colors).  Let dry one hour.

6)  Apply 1-2 more coats of the same MARQUEE Paint & Primer depending on coverage desired.  (Let  dry one hour between coats)

7)  Put the 2 chairs together to get an accurate measure for the bench seat.  I took my measurements with me to the hardware store and had them cut the plywood while I was there. (They won’t round the corners for you but I took care of that when I got back to the shop.

8)  I took my jig saw and rounded off the corners for my bench seat.

 

9)  Apply one coat of paint to the bare wood to seal the wood.  Let dry one hour.

10)  Apply 1-2 more coats of the same paint depending on coverage desired.  (Let dry one hour between coats)

 

11)  Place bench seat on top of the 2 chair frames.  

12)  Grab the screws that were used to secure the cushions.  Screw them into the wood from the bottom using the same holes.

13) After 24 hours, I glazed it with a black wash to give it that aged, worn look.

 

This post is brought to you by BEHR. Color that’s True to Hue. If you feel it, you can find it. Visit True to Hue.