We’re so excited to welcome Denise from Salvaged Inspirations back to the Dixie Belle blog! Denise has been one of our favorite guest bloggers, inspiring countless DIYers with her creative makeovers and heartfelt stories. Today, she’s sharing a truly special project—a beautiful transformation of a beloved wood bench that has been part of her family’s memories for over 30 years. Using Dixie Belle products, Denise brings new life to this sentimental piece, proving that with a little love and the right paint, even the oldest treasures can shine again. Get ready to be inspired!

(The following is an excerpt from Salvaged Inspirations. Read the full article here.) 

Hi beautiful, creative friends! Today’s before-and-after makeover is near and dear to my heart. My sister Andrea and I bought this wooden bench for our Dad one Father’s Day—well over 30 years ago. For decades, it sat proudly on our front porch.  I can’t even count the number of times I sat with my Dad on this very bench—sometimes deep in conversation, other times just watching and taking in the weather or neighbourhood life as it passed by.

Andrea and I have been meaning to give “Dad’s Bench” a little love for quite some time now. With Father’s Day just around the corner, we thought this was the perfect time to refinish it—an honouring gesture, filled with love, memories, and a fresh new start for a piece that means so much to us.

Here’s Dad’s wooden garden bench after living many years under the apple tree.

Weathered wooden outdoor bench with metal armrests and legs, showing faded and worn wood, placed on a concrete patio in front of dense green shrubbery.

The elements have stripped the finish off the wood slats. The wrought iron sides have a little rust on them. But overall, still sturdy and cute!

Weathered wooden outdoor bench with metal armrests and legs, showing faded and worn wood, placed on a concrete patio in front of dense green shrubbery.

Challenge on to make this bench look ‘new’ again… or close to it.

Weathered wooden outdoor bench with metal armrests and legs, showing faded and worn wood, placed on a concrete patio in front of dense green shrubbery.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Wood Bench  – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Bosch Sander
Painters Tape
Rustoleum Spray Paint
Paint Brushes
Chip Brush
Golden Ash No Pain Gel Stain
Gator Hide Topcoat

DAD’S WOOD BENCH MAKEOVER

Here’s how it all came together…

CLEAN & PREP

To prepare this bench for its new look, we started by giving it a hose down and then a wipe down with a sponge.  We let it dry overnight, and the next day, Andrea sanded the wooden slats and the rust off the wrought iron. The sides of the slats were easier to sand with a sanding sponge, and after everything was nice and smooth (or as smooth as we could get a 30+ year old bench!) we brushed off all the dust.

Six images showing the process of restoring a wooden bench: spraying water to clean, scrubbing with a sponge, sanding wood slats with an electric sander, hand sanding, and brushing metal armrests.

STAINING THE WOOD SLATS

I always recommend testing your stain(s) on the wood before tackling the entire project. Stains can vary in color and intensity depending on the species of the wood you are staining. Andrea and I tested three stains. Espresso, Black and Golden Ash. From the can, Golden Ash was my least favorite. It looked like baby kaka… buuut, once it was applied and wiped back, Golden Ash for the WIN!!

Three wooden bench slats stained with different Dixie Belle No Pain Gel Stain colors labeled Espresso, Black, and Golden Ash, displayed on a green tarp.

To stain wood with a gel stain is very simple.

  1. Open the stain and mix well
  2. Dip your chip brush and ‘paint’ the stain onto the wood
  3. Wipe back the excess with a lint-free cloth or shop towel
  4. Wait for the stain to dry and apply a second coat if you want a darker/richer finish

We were VERY happy with one coat of the Golden Ash Gel Stain. Check out the difference it made in the images below!

Four images showing the process of applying Dixie Belle No Pain Gel Stain to a wooden bench: painting with a brush, wiping off excess stain with a cloth, and the partially stained bench on a green tarp.

TOPCOATING & PROTECTING

It’s not likely that this bench will be getting another makeover anytime soon, so a good topcoat is key. We applied three coats of Gator Hide, which is water-resistant and water-repellent! It’s very easy to apply. We used a 2″ short brush and brushed on three coats waiting a few hours of dry time in between each coat. For furniture, I sometimes sand lightly between coats but for this outdoor bench there was no need. Gator Hide gives a low sheen which I think is beautiful. I would describe it between a satin and eggshell finish.

Hand holding a paintbrush applying Dixie Belle Gator Hide protective finish to a stained wooden bench slat outdoors.

THE BIG REVEAL

Here’s the finished look…

Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses. Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses.

The warmth of the Golden Ash gel stain looks awesome and covers these old slats beautifully!

Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses. Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses.

Here’s a few close-ups…

Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses. Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses.

I like the soft sheen of the Gator Hide as well. I’ve painted, stained, and topcoated a few outdoor projects with Gator Hide and they hold up really well!

Restored wooden garden bench with black metal armrests and legs, placed on green grass beside pink flowers, holding a black pot of colorful blooming primroses.

A huge thank you to Denise with Salvaged Inspirations for sharing this meaningful and stunning wood bench makeover with us! We love how she used Dixie Belle products to honor family memories while creating a piece that’s ready for many more years of use and enjoyment. If you’re looking for inspiration to refresh your own sentimental furniture, Denise’s project is a perfect example of what’s possible. Be sure to check out more of her amazing work at Salvaged Inspirations, and don’t forget to share your own transformations with us. Happy painting and creating!

For more outdoor refresh ideas, check out our blog, How to Update Your Outdoor Space with Dixie Belle Paint.

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Furniture Makeovers, Guest Author, How To

About the Author

Salvaged Inspirations

Denise is a blogger, self-taught furniture artist, writer, photographer and the owner/creator of Salvaged Inspirations. She is a lover of all things vintage, repurposed and restyled. A thrift enthusiast, she’s always in pursuit of the next creative upcycle.

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