Uncle Eli's Benches

In an alcove at my mother’s house, next to a window, two benches are used to hold potted geraniums when they are brought inside for the winter.

Sometime in late May, the geraniums were moved onto the front porch for the summer. Consequently, the next time I passed through the alcove I noticed the benches, and thought: I think I could build one of those. So I moved them out onto the front porch for a better look.

I suspect (though I can’t say for sure) that these are “Uncle Eli’s” benches. Uncle Eli is an ancestor who my stepfather often mentioned - his uncle or maybe great-uncle (or maybe just someone he called “uncle”) who built some of the furniture in our old house. These look about the right age to be attributable to Uncle Eli. I am guessing 80 or more years old.

The carpentry is simple, and the materials are repurposed - most of it is shiplap molding (including the bench tops, for which the molding is turned upside down.

The cross-braces are random scraps of wood:

And the four legs are made by cutting away a triangle of wood from each of the two end planks - I am quite certain this was done with a hand saw:

The shiplap has been inserted, at intervals, with some sort of squiggly metal braces - for the purpose of anchoring the shiplap together, I imagine. Over time they have stained the wood in some areas:

Though they are used as plant stands, they feel quite sturdy enough to sit upon (though I’m not sure I would want to stand on them).

I took notes and measurements. I think the design will translate well into an easy bench to build with a drill and hand saw. I will look in the ReStore to see if I can find some appropriate scraps. If not, it will probably be another visit to the molding aisle at Lowes.