Here are some other great inexpensive outdoor furniture ideas that you can make, just by adding a few pieces of wood.
°Low table
°Side table
°Outdoor kitchen
°garden beds
°outdoor bar
°Shelves (top with planks)
°park bench
°Wall planter block
*I have a link at the bottom of this article on how to make the decorative concrete block planter additions you see in the top photo!
I consider it medium difficulty because of the physics. Cinder block weigh 35 lbs each. And during the cleaning, priming and painting stages, you work with them in the field.
This makes it difficult to lift them with your legs. After all, you don't have a lot of leverage because you're bending more than you are lifting and moving, which means you'll be working the muscles in your lower back a lot.
It actually gets easier when you put the bench together, as you can use your legs to do the lift.
DIY Cinder Block Bench Cute Outdoor Seating
Note on materials:
You don't need pressure-treated lumber unless you're not painting cinder blocks. You will need pressure treated SUVs if you are not painting the blocks to help prevent rot.
If you paint them, pressure-curing is not necessary because they will be in contact with the ground or constant moisture and may take weeks to dry enough to be ready for dyeing.
Also, you don't need sprayer. A sprayer save time, but it also wastes paint. You can using a roller or brush. I've found that combination of two helps - you'll need brush to get inside the holes.
Just in case there is a very specific area you need for a standard cinder block that is listed at 16x8x8 but will actually measure 15" x 7" x 7". The inner holes are a minimum of 5" x 5" and the 4" x 4" will measure approximately 3" x 3".
A pressure washer is ideal for cleaning, but if you don't have one, just use a bucket and a nylon brush.
Standard blocks are made to be stacked horizontally. Each side varies slightly around the eyelet holes.
One side has longer slits and thinner edges & other side has shorter slits & thicker, cleaner edges. I consider this to be the best side.
Aesthetically, you'll want to note this when assembling the seat, and I'll point out these edges in the steps below.
DIY Cinder Block Bench Cute Outdoor Seating
Courier:
Ideally, you will haveep step by step tutorial
Step 1. Wash off the cinder blocks
DIY Cinder Block Bench Cute Outdoor Seating
Place the cinder blocks on something so that they are not resting on the ground. This way they don't sit in their own dirt and can dry faster.
I had some square concrete blocks left over from another project I was sandblasting.
Add the sodium phosphate to the soap cartridge in the pressure washer, or fill a 2-gallon bucket with water and 1/2 cup of the sodium phosphate and wash off the clumps. If washing by hand, use a scrub brush to help remove dirt and oils.
Let them dry in the sun for at least a day and turn them over at least once. The blocks must dry completely before painting, or the paint will peel off.
Drying may take more than one day, especially if it is not sunny. The wind will help.You might also additionally observe withinside the picturegraph that there also are concrete blocks, if youmissed them in the introduction above, these are for the following planter additions.
Step 2. Prime and paint the blocks
DIY Cinder Block Bench Cute Outdoor Seating
Spray a layer of primer over the blocks. Make sure to cover the slag blocks well so that the pores are full, and also don't forget to get inside the holes.Check the manufacturer's label on recoat times, but you should be able to turn the blocks over after an hour and the recoat time will likely be around 4 hours under ideal conditions.
If the lumps look dry and not sticky after 4 hours, apply the first coat of paint.Alternatively, in case you do not have a paint sprayer, use a paintbrush to high and paint the blocks.
If you use the same acrylic exterior paint that I recommended in the materials list, the repaint time is about 4 hours.
So if after 4 hours the paint looks dry and not sticky, you can apply the second coat. You may need three layers.
If you still see lighter spots, continue with a third application.
Step 3. Sanding and painting the SUV
Sand all the 4 x 4s first with an orbital sander and 220 grit paper, then wipe them down with a lint-free cloth.Then use a brush to apply wood conditioner, making sure to wipe off any excess. Let conditioner sit for 15-30 mn.
If you feel any raised areas, go over them manually with abrasive sandpaper.
To give you an idea of the time, I was able to cover one side of all six panels, with a time of 15 minutes halfway through, with about 10 minutes left.Now apply wood stain with a brush. Be sure to blot the stain with a cloth after a few minutes, so be careful not to use too much at once.
I was able to covering one side of an SUV at time, then wipe it down before moving on to next. When all 6 were done, I turned each one over and repeated the process.
If this is your first time staining or you need a refresher, here's a really nice and quick YouTube video on how to stain wood.
Once the stain has dried completely—at least two hours (check the label), seal it with a clear, water-based outdoor urethane.
The fourth step. Lay the concrete foundation for the concrete block bench
Place the first 4 blocks at the desired distance from the length of the banquette, 2 stacked on each side.The holes might be open on floor and going through you while you appearance down.
For placement distance, I had the seat base just under 77 inches from the left base leg to the right (inside-in).
This measurement left 3 inches overhang from the posts on either side when you do this.
The 3 inch overhang is planned in this measurement due to the way I wanted the sink add-ons to appear in Part 2 of this series.
As stated in the material note, when looking at the holes from top to bottom, each cinder block has one side with narrower holes and wider rims around it (the nicer side).
The other side has wider slits with narrower (slightly frilled) edges. Make sure to place the blocks so that they are on the widest side
