A Gossip Bench Gets a Much Needed Makeover

I didn't let the puppy chew marks scare me away. First, I cleaned the bench with Dixie Belle Paints' White Lightning cleaner and a Scotch Brite sponge.

I used Bondo to repair the damage. It definitely took a couple of applications. After the mixture dried each time, I sanded with 80 and 150 grit sandpaper to smooth out the rounded edges. I then gave the rest of the bench a light sanding with 220 grit paper.

Some of the spindles were loose so before I glued them in place I disassembled the table part of the bench to make it easier to prime and paint. I applied 2 coats for Zinssser Bin Primer since my plan was to paint the be bench white.

I wanted a true bright white for this project so I used Serenity White from The Chippy Barn. After the paint dried, I used 220 grit sandpaper to lightly distress the bench. I sealed it with their Lavender scented clear Specialty Wax.

To give the bench a little more wow, I wanted to add an upholstered seat. My hubby measured and cut wood to fit. We lined up the wood then drilled 4 holes through both the seat and wood. I lighted sanded the edges so they wouldn't be so sharp.

Next, I hammered tee nuts into the wood piece. These give the screws something to screw into other than wood.

I marked the underside with an arrow so I would know that it was the edge that would be at the front. This is to make sure the screws line up properly.

Time to upholster the seat! I laid the wood piece onto 1" foam and used a marker to draw a cutting line. I was able to cut the foam with scissors.

When upholstering I always add batting over the foam. I wrapped the batting about an inch over the back.

Using my DeWalt staple gun, I attached the batting and trimmed the excess in the corners.

I chose this light blue fabric with these adorable little birds from Hobby Lobby. I measured, cut, and pressed over the fabric before I attached it. (Remember the arrow I drew on the back? Since my fabric had to be applied in a specific direction, it was important to know which side was the front.) Once again, I used my staple gun to attach the fabric and trimmed any excess.

Now, this bench says let's give 'em something to talk about!