Our DIY deck makeover is officially done and we LOVE it! It’s been so fun to spend time out here this fall. I love going out there right after dinner, turning on the string lights, and cozying up with a good book.
When we moved into our home last fall, we did a LOT to the interior, but hadn’t ventured out to our exterior until this spring and summer. During the spring, we spent many hours working on the landscaping, repaving our patio in the front, and changing out our front door. This summer, it was time to move to our deck! We installed the string lights in August and worked on our DIY benches in September. Before we get into the details, let’s start at the beginning…
The Plan
We’re sharing the plans and material list for the benches HERE if you want to build your own!
The first step was figuring out the dimensions and design plan for the benches. Matt and I started sketching out some ideas on paper, but to finalize the plan, I pulled my leather chair up to my live edge desk and got to designing on my computer! After spending some time playing around with dimensions and design for the top, we nailed it down. The rendering below was our initial concept and even though the top changed slightly, it still gave us a good feel to start.
The plan included two benches that were 20″D x 20″H x 50″L and we would place them in an L-shape in the corner of our deck. Also on the list was installing string light poles and painting our shutters black to finish it off.
Gathering Supplies
Next up was gathering supplies! We made a couple of trips to Home Depot to gather the wood, paint, stain, and tools. At the start of the project, we were planning to use pallet wood for the top pieces, but ended up purchasing better quality wood to ensure the benches were level and uniform.
Here’s what we bought for this project:
Benches and Shutters
- 5 – 1 in x 4 in x 6 ft pine boards
- 6 – 2 in x 6 in x 8 ft pine boards
- 2 – 2 in x 4 in x 8 ft pine boards
- 3 – Furring Strips
- 1.5″ and 2.5″ Wood Screws
- Trigger Clamps
- Rafter Square
- Early American Wood Stain
- Clear Stain Oil-Based Exterior Urethane
- Bullseye Primer
- BEHR ULTRA 1 gal. Deep Base Flat Exterior Paint and Primer in One
- Foam Brushes
- Angled Brushes
- Miter Saw (we borrowed one from Matt’s coworker for this project, but will probably be getting one soon!)
String Lights
- 4 – Furring Strips
- Cup Hooks
- LED String Lights
- Rust-Oleum Black Flat Spray Paint
Installing the Lights
For the light poles, we sanded down furring strips and painted them with black spray paint. Then, we screwed the the black cup hooks into the top of the poles to hold the lights.
We also used the black spray paint to spray the screws and the angled pieces so everything was the same color. After screwing the furring strips to the deck with the angled pieces, the poles were complete and it was time to string the lights. The lights we purchased are shatter resistant, which made them easy to install without being worried that they would break. I love how these lights adds a cozy feel to our deck and have enjoyed having them on at night!
Building the Bench Bases
In September, we got to building the bases. We started with the 2x6s boards and cut them down to form the box. The top box frame is what the chevron pieces would fit into.
To give the legs a more modern feel, we used a 2×6 to create a base for the bottom and I love how it turned out. After attaching the legs to the base, we sanded down the bases and were ready to assemble the top.
Assembling the Top
We used furring strips to create the side support for the chevron pieces, which is where they would be nailed into. A 2×4 was used for the center support and ensured the chevron pieces would be level with the top of the legs. Both the 2×4 and furring strips created just the right amount of a gap so the pieces would sit inside the bench, without protruding out.
We used the 1x4s to create the chevron pieces for the top, which were sanded down before making the cuts. Matt snapped a chalk line at the exact center of the 2×4 to go off of for the cuts. The miter saw makes 45 degree angled cuts, which allowed the chevron pieces to be centered along a straight line in the middle of the bench.
After all of the pieces were measured, cut and fitted to size, it was time to sand again. We sanded down all of the boards and the top to make sure the paint and stain would stick.
Painting and Staining
After all of the pieces were cut, we moved onto staining and painting. We primed the bases and the shutters before painting them with 2 coats of flat black paint.
The chevron pieces were finished with an Early American stain and 2 coats of the clear coat sealer.
After the paint and clear coats were dry, the chevron pieces were placed back into the top of the bench. The last step was using finishing nails to nail in the chevron pieces to the under support – the smaller nails, the better! The final outcome shows the chevron pieces inset into the frame, which makes the bench one level.
Deck Makeover
Before
We don’t have a great before photo of the deck, but this is one I found when looking through photos from our first time at our house!
After
And here’s what it looks like today! AHH, so good! The black paint in the shutters ties in perfectly with the string light poles and black on the benches. The benches are the perfect size and provide seating for when we have friends over. I love coming out here and being able to put my feet up while reading a book 🙂
Details
From our backyard, the light poles tie into our deck and add some fun mood lighting! The shutters turned out beautifully and I love how they stand out more from the siding now.
These benches are stunning and I am so proud of Matt’s work on them! During the winter, we’ll bring these into our kitchen. Eventually, we’ll build a L-shape bench that will stay in our kitchen and keep these in the basement during the cooler weather. One project at a time, or so I keep telling myself 🙂
If you want to build your own, download the plans and material list for the benches HERE!
Front Makeover
Finally, I wanted to share a little makeover of the front of our house that we did in tandem with the deck. Check out the before and after!
Before
This is the view to our front door from the first day we saw our house back in June 2019. With our house being a twin home, our front door is a bit hidden, but we loved the little patio out front. As soon as we moved in, we moved the trash and recycling to the garage, and took down the decor on the side.
After
A year later this summer, we repaved the patio and scoured these chairs and pillows at a thrift store. Then, when we painted the shutters for our deck makeover, we also painted the ones in the front and it looks so good! It’s been such a great reminder that paint can make a big impact.
