Alright, let me walk you through this little project I tackled recently. Had this idea floating around for a while, needed some sturdy seating, something a bit different. Ended up combining some nice oak timber, cushions, and a nod to basketball.

Getting Started – The Wood

First off, getting the wood. I decided on oak. It’s tough, looks good, lasts forever, you know? Got myself some decent planks of oak timber. Wasn’t cheap, but figured it was worth it for something solid. Hauled it back to my workshop space. That stuff is heavy, let me tell you.

Then came the measuring and cutting. Took my time with this part. You mess up the cuts, the whole thing looks wonky. Pulled out the tape measure, square, pencil… the usual suspects. Got the saw buzzing and cut the pieces for the legs and the main seat part. Basically planned out a simple, strong bench design. Nothing too fancy, just functional.

Sanding and Smoothing

Oak can be a bit rough, so sanding was next. Spent a good chunk of time sanding everything down. Started with a coarser grit sandpaper, worked my way down to a finer one. You want it smooth to the touch, especially if people are gonna be sitting on it or brushing past it. Got dust everywhere, of course. Part of the fun, I guess.

Putting it Together

Assembly time. Laid out all the pieces. I used some strong wood glue in the joints and then reinforced everything with screws. Making sure things were square and level was key here. Used clamps to hold stuff tight while the glue set. It started looking like an actual bench, which is always a good feeling.

Once it was all solid, I decided on a finish. Didn’t want to stain it too dark, liked the natural oak colour. Went with a clear protective coat, something to seal it and make it easy to wipe down. Applied a couple of coats, sanding lightly in between. Really brought out the grain in the oak.

The Cushions & Basketball Touch

Now for the comfort and the theme. I needed cushions. Honestly, I thought about making them myself, getting foam and fabric, but that looked like a whole other project. Found some ready-made cushions online that were perfect – round, looked just like basketballs. Saved me a heap of work. Sometimes you just gotta pick your battles, right?

So, the basketball theme mostly came from the cushions. I didn’t want to carve hoops into the oak or anything too obvious. The simple oak bench with these bright orange basketball cushions sitting on top provides that pop of fun without being over the top. They aren’t fixed on, just loose, so they can be moved around or taken off if needed.

End Result

And that was pretty much it. Stood back and had a look. The solid oak bench looked great with its clear finish, and the basketball cushions just made it fun. It’s super sturdy, exactly what I wanted. Put it in the corner of the living room. It’s already become the go-to spot for putting shoes on, dumping bags, and yeah, extra seating when people are over watching a game. Simple project, really satisfying to do it yourself with good materials.