Cute Chevron Bench!

​As soon as we saw this little coffee table, we knew that it had a lot of potential to become something new. It was solid wood, and in great shape, so we started stripping it to see where it would take us. Josh’s sister and our brother-in-law had been looking for a bench at the time, and we decided to try to meet a need and learn some new things along the way. 

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"As soon as we saw this little coffee table, we knew that it had a lot of potential to become something new."

We took out the two glass pieces in the top of the coffee table, and our brother-in-law, Luke, helped add some triangular braces in the holes to help support more weight when someone sits on it.  For a project like this, we used the following materials:

• HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Showcase White Satin Latex Interior Paint and Primer in One  at Lowe’s Home Improvement
• Birch Plywood 1/2-in x 2-ft x 4-ft
  • We used birch because of its strength, size, and availability at the time
• Bostitch 5/8-in Electric Staple Gun
•  Upholstery Fabric- HGTV HOME Chevron Chic Glacier
  • Joann’s had several different colors options in this chevron fabric, and it was on sale for 50% off at the time. Special Hint*** If you sign up for their text message alerts, they send out great coupons!
• Slide-Out Utility Knife
• Two Airtex High Density Chairpad Foam 2"x15"x17"
• Mountain Mist Quilt-Light Polyester Batting 81"x96"
• Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack
•  Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane Semi-Gloss Base 11.5 fl oz Polyurethane
  • Since initially writing this blog, we have learned a lot. One of the things that we have learned is that oil-based polyurethane yellows over time. It might not be a big deal for the project that you are working on because it could give it an aged look, but we have transitioned to other finishes (especially when dealing with a white surface area). Although we didn't use it on this project, you might consider Minwax Polycrylic Clear Matte Water-Based Polyurethane Aerosol Spray, which is a water-based poly. 

 ​After we finished stripping the coffee table, we got started on the painting. Thankfully we were able to do some multi-tasking. We set the coffee table aside to dry, and we got started on the seat cushions. First, we made sure the plywood fit exactly in the holes where the glass used to sit. Then, we cut the  foam cushions to size. It is important to cut the foam cushions so that they are just a tad larger than the
plywood. Otherwise, you can feel the corners of the
plywood on your bum when sitting down.
 
Next, lay out the batting on the floor. Sit the foam cushion on top so that it’s centered. Then, gently lay the plywood on top of the cushion so that they are aligned. Once you have your staple gun in hand, stretch the batting over the cushion
and plywood. Make sure that your staple gun is flat against the wood so that the staples lay flush. You will need to staple close together all the way down each side of the plywood so that the batting doesn’t come loose.

​The corners are the toughest part, but as long as you have one smooth fold as you transition to the next side of the plywood, the batting will be flat, and the fabric will look smooth on top. Once you are finished with each side, trim off the extra batting so that it’s not hanging off your plywood. You can follow the same process for the fabric; however, it will not stretch as much as the batting. As long as it is pulled tightly with no wrinkles, go ahead and start stapling. One note to be aware of***if you are using a stripe or pattern, such as the chevron we used, DOUBLE CHECK to make sure that the design lines up and is not crooked. We did not think twice about this until after our bench was finished. Thankfully, it ended up fairly straight for the most part. 

Now that your cushions are done, it’s time to put on the finishing touches. Our legs had some little decorative indentions that we outlined with some navy blue paint that we already had on hand. Once it was dry, we put two coats of poly on the coffee table. We let it sit for 24 hours so that it could fully dry and set in. Finally, we put Gorilla Glue in the grooves in each hole, and we set our new cushions down so that they would not wiggle around or fall out when the bench was moved.