Two Wooden Chairs Repurposed Into a Bench

Have old chairs and not sure what to do with them? Scrap or reclaimed wood? Here is how to repurpose two wooden chairs into a bench.

Curbside Furniture Spies

I have a friend who works in town at a local insurance office.  The office is a couple of doors down from a local Chinese restaurant.  On her way out one day through their back door, she noticed two wood chairs that the restaurant had placed by the dumpster.  She immediately sent me a picture of the chairs and asked if there was anything I could do with them.  I was like, um, YEA!  Wasn’t that sweet?  It’s great to live in a small town.  Everybody knows I repurpose furniture so I end up with many FREE pieces! I call them my “furniture spies.”

My husband, being a kind-hearted old sole, moseyed to town and picked them up for me.  He loves to do that.  Haul furniture, back and forth, and here and there.  I am very blessed!

The Plan

The chairs were black and shabby looking.  Some of the paint was wearing off and chipped. However, they were very sturdy.   This is what they looked like.  A plus was that they were all wood, yay! 

What About Using Some Beautiful Barnwood?

The Hubs and I had just recently helped a neighbor demolish her old barn.  In return, we were able to salvage some of the gorgeous barnwood! Look at all the old weathered goodness ?

We had a bit of this reclaimed wood left,  and I thought the wood plus the chairs would make a great combination for a bench.  I gave the wood a good scrubbing with soap and water and let it dry out for about 2 weeks.  I did not want to sand the wood because you would lose the original weathered finish.  Since I decided to keep the wood in its original, rough state,  I knew the bench would not be a good place for anyone to set their tush on because of the rawness of the wood.  So I decided it would be a compliment piece for my small entryway. 

Supply List

Sandpaper

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Wooster Brush

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Barnwood or reclaimed wood

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Waverly Chalk Plaster Paint (White)

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Protective Finish

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Finishing Wax

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Makeover Process

I gave the chairs a good washing with my vinegar and water.  Afterward, I lightly sanded each chair, just to rough up the surface.  I used my tack cloth to remove any dust particles and gave each chair one coat of chalk paint in White by Waverly Inspirations. 

The existing black paint was peeking through after one coat, but I liked it because I wanted a more rustic, worn look to coordinate with the reclaimed wood. 

I then distressed the chairs with 120 grit sandpaper, heavily.  

After my chairs completely dried, I wiped one coat of Minwax wax to seal and give them a durable finish.  A light coat of Polycrylic was used to seal the barnwood.

We placed screws in each leg at the top to hold the two chairs together.  We then attached three pieces of the reclaimed barnwood to the top, all the same length, with his nail gun.  And that was it!  How easy was that!  Here is the finished bench.

I always try to see potential in furniture that is considered junk by someone else.  With a creative mind and a bit of elbow grease, you can make a unique and functional piece that will be talked about for years to come! 

Remember out motto: “It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it will be.”

Save this project for later!