New Porch Swing is a Great & Practical Mothers Day Gift

When my kids were young, I was thrilled with whatever gift they chose for me. Just seeing the happiness on their faces as I unwrapped the gift was a gift in its own right.

Now that they are adults, they know how practical I am. They ask me what I’d like as a gift. I know it takes the surprise element away, but I am OK with that 😊 Sometimes I send them a few Amazon links for them to choose from … then I’m surprised by which gift they picked.

Last year they got me a new porch swing (from the exact Amazon link I picked). I chose a heavy duty, Amish made style that would need assembly. I thought that it would be easier to sand and stain it in pieces, rather than trying to get into the corners and crevices. I’m so glad I did, because it was a pain in the a$$ getting between all the slats on both the seat and the back.

First I sanded every piece with my little hand held electric sander. I can’t tell you how many times my hand felt numb from holding it. I then wiped all the sand dust off every nook & cranny I could reach.

Next I applied the stain (with polyurethane), I chose a Maple color. It was my first time staining anything, and I’m glad I started on the underside of the seat. At least my uneven, first streaks are hidden out of plain sight. I eventually got into a good rhythm of applying the stain and wiping it off in   a timely manner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next I let it dry thoroughly for a few days before actually assembling the swing. It came with all the hardware, including brass chains for hanging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My hubby helped me hang it on our metal swing frame. We have a little firepit in front of our swing and, on a summer evening, like to enjoy a nice fire while gently swinging together.

 

And, last but not least, the finished project … YAHOO!!

What kind of DIY projects have you been tackling?