Leaving Alice in Wonderland - fixing a Pinterest wonder!

I love Pinterest as you all know from previous blogs!  I have done quite a few projects from my Pinterest findings.  One of the projects I did you may have seen - bricks and 4x4's to make a simple outdoor bench!

The project required 12 cement blocks and four 4x4' timbers.  As you know - I get a lot of 4x4 timbers from the dunnage pile at our shop.  They come in between the casing sections so that forklift tines can fit in between and we can move them off of the trailers.  They are often a little beat up but still a great product and perfect I thought for this project!  It seemed like I couldn't lose with this simple project!

So off I went and built that bench!  The above photo shows my completed bench!  It was easy - the hardest part was getting the ground under the blocks level!  There was one small problem however!  I am not a tall person and this bench requires the leg length of a 6'6" person!  It was like a bench that might be found in a bad Alice in Wonderland dream scene!  I had to put the two 4x4 extra timbers under the foot so that I could even get up onto it to sit without jumping and once I was on it my feet didnt touch (just the toes folks) so they would fall asleep after a few minutes.  And then there was the issue of the distance between the timbers - it was not comfortable on the bum - be assured - I tried everything!  So...... A Pinterest revamp was in order!

I started by taking the 4x4 timbers and putting bracing 2x4 sections underneath and screwing them on with my trusty cordless drill and some 3" decking screws to make a solid seat platform.

I tried to use the "ugliest" sides of the timbers for the underside where it would be screwed.

Then I took off the top layer of bricks to bring the height down to a reasonable level as well!  The blocking on the end of the bench timbers holds the blocks where I want them to stay.  Still simple!

Finished revamp!  No footstool section necessary and no sleeping legs, or sore bum either!  I didn't paint the bricks or the wood yet - that is on the list for next summer, but we use this bench often now and it is sturdy and comfortable!  And I have enough bricks and timbers to make another one somewhere else!  Maybe a lakefront bench - stay tuned for that and don't be afraid to try a change when the original doesn't work like you need it to!