Weekend Project- Save it, don’t throw it away

We got this kid bench a few years ago, which has been used outside the most. During the winter though, it sat on the porch where it turned to a ugly looking thing that the kids didn’t want to sit on. The porch is damp, it’s unheated and open to the elements, so all the rain and storms we’ve gotten beat it up along the way.

Wood should be taken care of, wooden playgrounds need to be covered at least once a year to protect the wood, fences, gates, you name it. Otherwise the wood starts cracking, gets weak, and looking like it’s about to fall apart and then well it does fall apart. I don’t know about you, but with four kids replacing big items isn’t an option. Besides,I was brought up to either take care of something we wanted, or we loose it,either it broke or it got lost, no matter what it would not be replaced. Money is needed elsewhere, so you learn how to keep what you have and how to take care of it so it’ll stay around longer.

How to repair an ugly looking weather scared bench (or any other wood) and Bring it back to it’s original luster.

What you need-
 Sander
Weatherproof wood finish (or wood paint whichever you want for your project as long as it’s for wood and is some sort of finish)

If the item needs to be taken apart, take it apart and set the base of it aside. Sand each wood slat on both sides, till the worst of the wear is gone and the wood is smooth and not discolored. If the wood is warped and or split, it needs to be replaced. After sanding the wood use what ever wood finish you picked.  Our bench needed a total of three coats. Let the wood dry completely after each coat or as the directions on the finish state.

After wood is dry you can piece it back together! This is what the finished bench looks like, nearly brand new!