Potting bench

Turn a humble kitset potting bench into a stylish garden feature with the help of Resene Woodsman oil stain.

Ways with wood with Mark Rayner - Project 06

Difficulty level: Moderate

You will need: a kitset potting bench, paintbrush, pencil, PVA exterior glue, screwdriver, set square, tape measure and turps for washing brush. Resene Woodsman penetrating oil stain tinted to Resene Zydeco.

To get the look: Mark stained the background shed wall with Resene Waterborne Woodsman Penetrating Oil Stain tinted to Resene Smokey Ash – see Ways with wood project #1 for further information.

Other ideas: For a more natural effect try using Resene Waterborne Woodsman tinted to Resene Driftwood or Resene Pickled Bean.

Step one
Following manufacturer’s instructions, run a thin line of PVA along the grooves in the back and side panels of the potting bench and attach to the plywood top, fixing with the screws provided.

Step two
Fix the side panels to the front panel with PVA glue and screws, as shown.

Step three
Fix the legs to the potting bench with PVA glue and screws – use the set square to make sure they’re at right angles.

Step four
Use the tape measure and set square to rule a line 175mm from the bottom of each leg, as shown.

Step five
Fix the two side leg struts with PVA and screws, aligning the bottom edge of each strut with the pencil line.

Step six
Fix the bottom shelf to the side leg struts with PVA and screws, as shown.

Step seven
Carefully apply one coat of Resene Zydeco to the potting bench and leave to dry for 24 hours.

Step eight
Apply a second coat of Resene Zydeco. Leave to dry for a further 24 hours before using the potting bench.

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Resene Paints (Australia) Limited – www.resene.com