• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Start Here
  • Shop Favorites
  • About
    • Welcome To My Repurposed Life Home of Repurposed Furniture
    • More About Gail
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Information
  • Gallery
    • Repurposed Furniture
  • Repurposed Items
    • Building Supplies
    • Miscellaneous Household Items
    • Picture Frame/Chalk Board
  • DIY
    • Home Reno
    • outdoor living
    • Painting
    • Shop Talk
    • Tips for Around the House
    • Build It
      • Furniture
      • Home Decor
      • Storage
    • Crafts
      • Dollar Store
      • Easy
      • Holidays Seasonal
  • Furniture
    • Chair
    • Desk
    • Dresser/Chest
    • Headboard | Bed Parts | Cribs
    • Kids Furniture
    • Table
    • Kids Furniture
My Repurposed Life® Rescue Re-imagine Repeat
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Project Index
  • Furniture
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Repurposed Items » Shutter Garden Bench | Repurposed Bi-fold Door

    Shutter Garden Bench | Repurposed Bi-fold Door

    Published by Gail | Published May 6, 2010 | Updated August 3, 2020
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    How to make a cute shutter garden bench. What? You don't have a shutter? No problem! Use an old bi-fold door. I use them for shutter projects all the time. #MyRepurposedLife #shutter #garden #bench via @repurposedlife
    You should make a shutter garden bench ! What? Don't have a shutter? No problem! You can use bi-fold doors in place of shutters. I do it for a lot of my "shutter projects".

    Chippy Shutter Shelf

    chippy shutter shelf

    Earlier in the week I made this cute shutter shelf out of a repurposed shutter. No sooner than I got it made, I thought to myself  “gee, this would look great with legs.” But it was too late. I would have had to put the legs on before I attached the two pieces together.

    Shutter Garden Bench

    So, today I'm going to show you how to build this cute garden plant bench.

    Using bi-fold Doors for Shutter Garden Bench

    I had these bi-folding doors in the shed. NO, I did not paint them, that is the way I found them. I cut them on the table saw. To get the right look, I had to use the same piece from each one.

    Making Legs for Garden Bench

    legs for shutter garden bench

     Rummaging through the shed, I found some porch spindles. I decided to cut out part of the top of the leg, thinking it might make it a little more sturdy. After I cut the first one, it was used it to draw a pattern on the other 3 pieces.

    Cut Notches with a Jigsaw

    My jigsaw made cutting the notches fairly easy.
    I used screws to attach the legs on the top. Then, I used my nail gun to shoot some nails in the front of the leg of the shutter garden bench.
    shutter garden bench base

    Attach Back to the Shutter Garden Bench

    attach the back to shutter garden bench

    I then turned it upside down and attached the other shutter to make a back for my new bench.

    Plan B on the Legs

    The legs ended up being long enough for me to cut the little square “feet” off. Don't you like the shutter garden bench a lot better with the feet cut off?
    Isn’t it cute? That paint job is perfect for a garden bench. I can’t imagine me having these doors in my house though.
    repurposed shutter bench for plants
     You may notice I used the other two pieces leftover from my crib parts table.
     Here is the shutter garden bench sitting in my front yard. I currently have no potted plants/flowers. I’m hoping to get some for mother’s day.
    I didn’t paint anything on this bench. I may not even seal it. If it gets weathered, all the better.
    chippy shutter garden bench made from bi-fold doors
     The brace on the right is a little chewed up. It got away from me on the compound miter saw. The saw blade chewed it up, and spit it out! It threw it so far in the garage it took me a minute or so to even locate it. I’ve never had a piece of wood get away from me on the miter saw before. I’m assuming it has something to do with it not sitting flush on the saw due to it’s round shape. I sanded it, and decided to use it anyway. Let this be a reminder to respect power tools!
     This is how it looks in the back.
    chippy shutter garden bench made from bi-fold doors
    Too cute, huh?
    Look what Dawn said in her comment about the “chippy shutter shelf”

    Dawn said...

    Oh what a cool piece! When the shelf is on the bottom, it makes me want to see it with table legs on it, as an entry table, decorative potting bench, or smaller sofa table. So cute! Oh, and when the shelf is on top, it looks like an adorable wall shelf to hang - anywhere!
    Wow, love pieces with such variable use applications, too much fun!

    Little did she know that I had already made this!

    Did You Know?

    If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you know I got in a fight on Wednesday. This is the culprit:
    100_7789
    awww look at louie hanging out in the background!
    100_7790
    I was stomping on the dead parts of this limb, breaking off the branches. Then I rolled it over to get some leverage, stomped as hard as I could. It rolled back and smacked me right up side the head! Rattled my brains, and caused and instant headache.
     100_7791
    Do you see how fortunate I was? This limb has been hanging for almost 2 years (since Ike blew through here). It was dangling directly over 3 lines. Power, cable and telephone. When it fell, it shook the house. BUT, it didn’t take down any of the lines. So, it’s a good news bad news story. 😉
    gail
    See other fun benches here

    see more bits and pieces projects here

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      See comments Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Phyllis

      May 19, 2010 at 2:41 pm

      This is such a fantastic idea! I purchased a pair of mini shutters last fall and have been trying to figure out something really creative to do with them. Now i know! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

      Reply
    2. Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence

      May 10, 2010 at 7:52 pm

      That patina is divine--what an adorable little bench--thanks so much for linking up Gail!

      Reply
    3. Kendra

      May 09, 2010 at 12:27 pm

      Lovin' it! Very cute!

      Reply
    4. Meg

      May 07, 2010 at 4:19 pm

      Adorable. I say let it get weathered! You have a great talent with wood! 😉 I need a miter saw!!!

      Reply
    5. Barbara Jean

      May 07, 2010 at 3:55 am

      That is all tooo cute!!
      And how creative. Guess you know I've got several sets of those doors in my garage. (I have several sets of everything in my garage!!)
      Now to find some time. Anyone got any they want to share?? =)
      ha!! What am i thinking??

      Thanks for your visit to myu place and sweet note.

      See you tomorrow, and thanks!!
      blessings

      barbara jean

      Reply
    6. Patti

      May 07, 2010 at 12:39 am

      I love it! I have a few shutters, I don't know if I can make it look that good.

      Reply
    7. Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage

      May 06, 2010 at 7:50 pm

      Gorgeous!!!! I think it looks great!!!

      Reply
    8. Candace@craftysisters-nc

      May 06, 2010 at 3:32 pm

      Great idea to use it for a bench. Very cute! The color of the shutter is great! Another great project!

      Reply
    9. Debilou~Mississippi Mama

      May 06, 2010 at 2:51 pm

      Hi, Gail
      I think i like the bench even better than the shelf,, it'll be even more beautiful a little weathered. So glad the limb didnt take down your power lines. I'm having a little giveaway if you'd like to hop over and join.

      Reply
    10. De Javu Crafts

      May 06, 2010 at 2:02 pm

      i am all about benches these days, i love yours! CUTE! stop by some time to check mine out!dejavucrafts.blogspot.com

      Reply
    11. Mardell

      May 06, 2010 at 1:45 pm

      I love it!! You did a fantastic job ~ I like it w/o the feet, too. :o)

      Thanks for stopping by my blog!

      Reply
    12. Dawn

      May 06, 2010 at 12:07 pm

      Oh my stars, that is so much better than my feeble imagination allowed for! I love the notched legs! The patina is amazing, I'm so glad you didn't touch it. So darn cute, it looks so cute out in the yard with plants - I really like this one!

      Reply
    13. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper

      May 06, 2010 at 11:25 am

      what was funny was that when i saw your project with the shelf i was so excited because i had made a table a few weeks back with a shutter and i still have the mate, so i thought, oooh- i could make a long shelf with it! but i love the bench, too! i still love the shelf idea, but it's so perfect to sit outside as a nice welcome to friends and visitors, birds and squirrels and fairies of course!

      Reply
    14. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper

      May 06, 2010 at 11:25 am

      what was funny was that when i saw your project with the shelf i was so excited because i had made a table a few weeks back with a shutter and i still have the mate, so i thought, oooh- i could make a long shelf with it! but i love the bench, too! i still love the shelf idea, but it's so perfect to sit outside as a nice welcome to friends and visitors, birds and squirrels and fairies of course!

      Reply
    15. Vivian

      May 06, 2010 at 11:10 am

      Now that is one great project! I never would have thought to do that.

      Reply
    16. Rose

      May 06, 2010 at 10:12 am

      That little potting table is sooo cute gail! I love the color, how lucky for you to not have to do any painting!
      Nice job notching the legs to fit. I'll have to try that one.
      Ouchy on both the tree and the saw!
      You be careful girl!
      Be well my friend,
      Rose

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally!

    More about me →

    Join Our Mailing List

    ​

      Click the topics you're interested in below:

      Subscribing above means you agree to our Privacy Policy​

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      SEEN ON

      Might I Suggest

      • Start Here
      • Furniture Makeovers

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      About

      • Gail's Favorites on Amazon
      • About

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2023 My Repurposed Life · Privacy Policy · Disclosure