After building all the garden beds, there was one spot left in the garden that seemed prefect to build a utilitarian potting bench. I wanted to use up recycled salvage supplies stored in the garage – french doors, deck boards, and 2×2 redwood railing.
First things first. I decided to run electrical out to the chicken coop so an outlet could be added to put lights around the garden fence. Last weekend we dug the trench, and on Thursday the electrician laid the wire so we could bury the trench to build the potting bench.
Before buying the redwood and cement, I drew a basic sketch of what I envisioned. It’s not going to look exactly like this as the drawing is not to scale.
After the space was cleared of extra dirt, the 4x4x10s were cemented in 2′ deep holes. The size of the potting bench is about 8′ long and almost 4′ wide. I wanted to maximize the space.
The bottom shelf includes 7 2x6x8 redwood boards. The next step was adding the frame for the top shelf. I decided to spend the morning (2 hours) staining it all using redwood colored transparent stain. It turned out beautiful.
I also added another support piece in the center, 8′ long. Now, I got to use the recycled deck boards that have been sitting around for about 8 years. Other boards also used had green milk paint so the patina is different. I also stained the top to help preserve the wood.
The french doors used to be on the house, purchased from Urban Ore in Berkeley, however the rain rotted out the bottom. I replaced the rotten wood and framed it in, repainted green for a fresh look.
Next weekend, I plan to add a 2x8x8 redwood shelf on top of the french door, and then add the second french door on top. Also, I am using aluminum roofing off the horse stall for the roof. Hopefully that will also be added soon.
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