How to Make an American Flag Bench

This was a super sturdy little bench but the top had certainly seen better days. 

I brought it home with me and my goal was to make it better than I found it, which wasn't hard to do.

If you follow the bold blue links while scrolling you will find more Homeroad information and the products I recommend. Also sign up in the pop-up for the Homeroad emails so I can send my next DIY tutorial straight to you! 

Right away I got busy sanding the chippy top. 

It was quite damaged and pitted but it was a cute bench so totally worth the trouble. 

I painted all but the top of the bench with Raw Silk by Fusion Mineral Paint. 

I may not be going where you think with this project. 

I'm not using any red or blue on this flag. 

After taping the areas I wasn't painting, I painted the spaces between the tape with a charcoal grey chalky paint. 

I pulled off the tape leaving the lighter stripes natural. 

For the field of stars I'm using one of my favorite American Flag Stencils. 

It comes with several different size star stencils. 

Today I'm stenciling with the stars using the Raw Silk white. 

I waited for the stars to dry...

then used a sealer with a stain in it to darken the flag and protect the wood. 

My next step was to coat the top with a few coats of Triple Thick, this product is amazing for so many projects! 

This sealer is very thick and will leave a glass-like finish on the pitted wood. 

The top of this bench is old and chippy but I made it fantastic. 

The base of the stool is solid as a rock and will be around a long time! 

Sometimes I just want to fix something up and put it back where I found it just to see what the homeowner thinks when they see it. 😆

This bench can be used as a great side table and if you want to see how to make these cute fireworks visit the bold link.

Or outdoors under a covered area as a coffee table...

Sometimes when you look beyond what it is to what it could be you can turn trash into a great treasure.