From Old to New: Antique Bench Makeover

In this post, I will share the steps for this antique bench makeover. I enjoy finding something old and restoring it. Some of our favorite decor are antique items. It gives me an appreciation for how people lived life years ago.

This was one of my favorite of this antique bench makeover for many reasons:

• a treasure from my father’s house;
• old;
• able to trace its history (the furniture manufacturer);
• able to combine two of my favorite things (chalk paint and fabric); and
• quick transformation!

I noticed the original sticker on the bottom of the cushion. I researched the Brumby Chair Company. They are located in Marietta, Georgia, and are still in business today. They have the history of their company on their website. I love knowing where this bench originated.

Here are the tools I used on this antique bench makeover:

• staple gun and light-duty staples.
• hammer
• screwdrivers
• plyers
• chalk paint
• poly and a cotton rag

Below is a picture of my favorite chalk paint and color — primitive.

I buy this at Home Depot but you can also purchase at Amazon. This is my favorite chalk paint color (primitive). It is sort of an oatmeal color. Once I put polyurethane over this, it tints it just a little darker, sort of an antique look. I have used it several times. Here are some other chalk painted projects using this color:

• Front Porch Bench
• Dresser
• Foyer Table
• Picture Frames
• Lamp
• Entertainment Center
• Farmhouse Table legs

Preparing the bench

First, I removed the cushion. It was screwed to the frame.

I then sanded the entire frame. Always sand in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Sanding helped me remove all the loose paint and other dirt and rough spots. After sanding, I wiped it down to thoroughly remove any dust that occurred as a result of sanding.

Chalk Painting

Now we start seeing the transformative nature of this antique bench makeover. The first step was to paint two coats of chalk paint, being sure to get all the crevices. I paint small items on my kitchen island on wax or butcher paper. When I paint furniture, I turn it upside down at first to get the feet and underside, then I flip it right-side-up and finish painting. Just knowing that it was not painted underneath would bug me.

A few painting tips . . .

• When you paint, be sure to paint in the direction of the grain of the wood. Try to paint using long, even strokes.
• Also, check for drips. If you have a drip, go over this again with your paintbrush.
• Because chalk paint dries so fast, try to chalk paint inside (shop, basement, garage, etc.), especially on a warm, breezy day. I learned the hard way.
• Make sure you provide adequate time for the paint to dry between the two coats of paint.

Below are pictures of chalk painting. Up close, you can see the grainy texture, which is characteristic of chalk paint. The purpose of using chalk paint is that it sands off easily to reveal the wood or color beneath the chalk paint.

Sanding

Then I started sanding.

I sanded off some (but not all) of the chalk paint in strategic spots. I sand all the like areas first (all four legs, then the four flat brace pieces, the four flat pieces around the top, etc.) This helps me to double-check myself for consistency (so all the legs and sections blend/match), but at the same time wanting it to look random as if naturally worn spots.

Even though I try to be consistent from leg to leg, I am also inconsistent to give it a naturally worn appearance. I like the rounded sections. To me, it gives it an authentic look once sanded. Below is a closeup of one of the legs. You can see the randomness of the reveal after sanding.

The edges are easiest, but I don’t overdo it. Then I work on all the flat pieces. Again, the goal is to have a naturally worn look.

Corners are fun to do because I can give them a worn look.

I constantly look over the piece until I am happy with its appearance. You can sand more or less depending on your preference.

Apply Polyurethane

My next step was to use polyurethane. I don’t use wax, but instead use Minwax wipe-on poly (clear satin). I use rubber gloves so I don’t have to clean my hands with paint thinner and reuse them for each coat. When applying polyurethane, I use a cotton rag from an old cotton T-shirt.

I don’t want the furniture to have a shiny look, but just to have protection.  I put two coats of poly on the entire piece of furniture. Just like I did when painting, I started with the furniture upside down. Make sure that you read the directions and give plenty of time to dry between coats — overnight is best.

The poly tints the color a little – – sort of an antique/aged look, but I like the look of this, especially when I use this color.

Recovering the cushion

I pried loose the small nails holding the vinyl covering.

Below is the bench, the original cover, and the wood that was under the cover.

Here is the original cushion under the vinyl bench cover.

I pried out the nails to remove this layer of fabric. There was a layer of cotton cushion. It was old and was a little questionable in terms of cleanliness, so I opted to replace it.

I used one-inch foam for a cushion. Here is the wood under the original cushion coverings. Pictured below is the wood part of the seat just laid on the bench so you can see how it fits.

Making the Cushion

Next, I laid out my fabric, the foam, and then the original wood insert.

First, I started by pulling the two longer sides tight and then stapling both sides. Then I pulled the two shorter ends tight and stapled both of these ends. I tried to keep the polka dots aligned with the edge of the cushion.

Below is a picture of both sides stapled, but before stapling the corners.

I then pulled each corner tight, making sure it has a uniform appearance from the top.

Here is the top view of the corner after it is stapled.

The fabric is secure on the cushion.

Secure cushion to the bench

Using the right size screws is essential. They needed to be long enough to securely hold the cushion in place, but not too long that they came through the cushion. Neal helped me with this (trial and error on the length of screws until we found the perfect length).

The Final Result

And Voila! Here is the big reveal!

The fabric blends so well with the color of the chalk paint!

I LOVE how it looks and now I use it in my closet. It is nice to have a bench to sit on while I put on my shoes.

Thanks for letting me share this project with you! Please comment below and tell me what you think or ask any questions about our antique bench makeover.

Don’t forget to Pin this for future reference.

Happy Painting!