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Gold-Plated Hammers – Yes, Really!

crib to bench

Posts

crib to bench

#1

crib to bench

Gary Smyth


I was recently given a crib. I thought that I would make a garden bench from one arched top side and shorten the two ends. (The dipped opposite side (rear) I'll leave for a different project.) What is left to do is brace for the seat and a new front .

All will be painted and (undercover) outdoors year round. I looked into redwood, cedar, pressure treated pine and the expense and/or finish leaves me less than enthused and ready to look for other suggestions. New, similar (decent) garden benches are priced from $80-$150. I'd rather not spend more than that on a repurposed item. Would composite decking material be a reasonable alternative? I can rip 1 x 3 slats for the new “dished” seat and perhaps a 1 x 5 for the front. Any metal hardware will probably be stainless. The existing finish is sprayed white gloss. but I like the possibility of a dark green or black which might hide the different material other than what exists as the original crib. Thoughts?

Re: crib to bench

#2

Composit

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Decking is very different under the surface gel-coat. Rip it and you won't like it. It's not very "structural" and will sage if more that 16" without support.

Find a yard that carries black locust. The amount you need won't be too pricey.

Re: crib to bench

#3

Re: crib to bench

George Koch

Gary, I tried that a few years back with an old cannonball bed, head and foot board. My garden bench was not undercover but was taken indoors in winter. After the first year the exterior paint was all peeled due to it being applied over the existing interior stain and finish. Second year all the glue up members delaminated for the same reason. You might be better off because it'll be in a covered garden. I wish you better luck than I had. George

Re: crib to bench

#4

Ellis Walentine

Re: crib to bench

Ellis Walentine

Gary, I think I'd bite the bullet and make your seat slats out of some kind of durable wood -- cedar, probably. Put enough good exterior paint on everything to seal it from the elements. Trex-type material has no structural integrity, sags, gets very hot in the sun, and has a huge coefficient of thermal expansion in all directions. It's also difficult to attach because screw holes crater into the surface.

Ellis

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