How To DIY Outdoor Seating
Spring is finally here and as the wheather gets warmer we all yearn to spend more time outside. Unfortunately if you're a homeowner who suffers from a lack of (comfortable) outdoor seating, you may be less inspired to get out and stay out. I recently built the couch above for a family friend out in Punta Gorda, FL and I thought I'd share this simple, quick DIY build with all of you. It can be accomplished in one weekend and once finished it'll provide a great place to sit and bask in the spring warmth.
Materials Needed:
Cushions: $120 for 4 (Target - "Outdoor Threshold Deep Seating Cushion")
All purpose construction glue: $5 (Home Depot)
4x4 lumber (8 inches long): approximately $30 for 3 (Home Depot)
Cinder blocks: $15 for 8 (Home Depot)
Paint: $30 (Home Depot)
How To Assemble:
Before you begin assembling your couch you need to ensure that the area where you're placing it has level ground and any of the pieces that you want painted (cinder blocks & 4x4s) have been painted. Once your blocks have been given a few hours to dry you can begin to place them in such a way that the middle row has 3 openings for the 4x4s. You can see how I arranged my blocks below. After you've placed your blocks you can then use the construction glue to hold it all together.
As you'll see below the cinder blocks will be holding the ends of the 4x4s. To save on paint I only painted the front portion of the first 4x4 to create an appearance of a more finished look.
It's going to look naked and awkward, but once you add the cushions and pillows, everything comes together nicely. To step things up a notch you could add small style accessories like the outdoor candle lanterns and glasses filled with pebbles that I threw in. They help to fill the remaining holes in the cinder blocks to give the couch a more complete look.
It's worth noting that I used the wall for back support to hold up the pillows. If you don't have an empty wall at your disposal you can get rid of the pillows and craft a cushioned bench instead. Furthermore, I built the couch at 103 inches in length. You could always change the length to fit your needs by adjusting the length of the 4x4s. As an FIY the lengths per cushion are as follows:
4 cushions 8 1/2 feet
3 cushions 6 1/2 feet
2 cushions 4 1/2 feet
That's all there is to it folks. I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy this fun, almost effortless DIY project. If you decide to try it make sure to send me the photos of your new outdoor couch.