Garden chores often include things that have not been planted into the soil. Arbors, tools, benches, raised beds, etc. must be attended to and cared for like any cherished perennial in our yard. And now it is time for a trio of benches at the gardens at @annsplaceinc to be refurbished.
To build these benches, I had purchased slabs of American cedar from a local sawmill over a decade ago. They are showing their wear with chipped finish and exposed wood. I grab my belt and orbital sanders and over a dozen sanding pads to start the rejuvenation process.
I start with the belt sander. It removes layers of varnish and wood quickly throwing up clouds of dust coating my arms, glasses and the driveway where I am working. The belt requires frequent change as the varnish clumps into a gummy residue clogging and coating the entire belt.
Moving the sander back and forth I see the removal of layers and the decay of a decade of sitting outside. Switching to the orbital sander and a finer grit, I focus on smaller areas and the edges ensuring that I remove all remnants of prior protective coats and time. With the final swipes comes the pure smell of cedar wood. Juana says it smells like pencil shavings. The bench is now smooth to the touch and clean to the eye.
One down. Two more to go.
Once I finish sanding everything down, I scrape out old pieces of bark and rotted wood that escaped my hand when I first made these benches. After scraping and getting out the shop vac to remove any left over bits, I am now ready to varnish.
Not wanting to take any chances this time, I apply seven coats of exterior spar varnish to each bench. With each coat comes a greater shine and level of protection. Hopefully they will last at least another decade before they need such treatment again.
