My friend and neighbor approached me last spring offering some mahogany boards that had once been the surface of a deck on someone’s home. He had acquired the boards when the person tore down the deck and the boards were going to go to waste. I’d been thinking of building a bench for outside the back of our house for about a year. I typically try to re-use wood from pallets and such, but a mahogany bench sounded even better. Recycling the wood gives it another life and saves a lot of money. I’m not sure I could afford to use new mahogany. Yes, it has marks and darker areas, but they add character. The wood took a fair amount of sanding to clean it up. When it was done, I applied teak oil to preserve it outside. (It will go inside the barn in the winter.) We finally put it outside yesterday. The light in the barn is rather flat and I had no idea how rich and beautiful the wood really looked until I had the bench out in position.
Milford Street 
Wow! Chris, you did a wonderful job with that bench! It looks beautiful especially because of the character spots you´ve mentioned. Wood like leather looks always better when well aged and taken good care of. Now all I need is a pic of you sitting on this bench with a lovely ice-tea. 😉
Thank you, Sarah. You’re so right about old wood and leather. They have such beauty. Cheers
I still have my old leather schoolbags, one a knapsack the other has a more traditional form like a suitcase. Both look lovely with age and I’m glad I kept them as they never get out of fashion. 😄
I’m sure they have adopted a classic look. Cheers
Beautiful work; a man of many talents.
Thank you so much. Cheers
Awesome bench! You are quite a carpenter as the woodwork is great. If only you lived down the road, I would drive by and learn the skills you have and ask you to make one for me😄🤗
Thank you Garfield. Feel free to stop by. Cheers
Yaay!!😃Happy week ahead my friend!
it is a beauty, well done. I love old wood, such beauty is meant to be shared, =^_^=
Thank you so much. Yes, the wood is so beautiful. Cheers
Nice job, Chris. Renew, reuse, recycle–I love it!
You got it. Thanks Lois. Cheers
Nice!
Thanks, Teri. Cheers
Beautiful! Mahogany wood is some of the best. I love old wood with character beauty marks and teak oil works wonders. Great job!
Thank you so much. Cheers
Chris, this is fabulous – I love the clean lines, almost Shaker in their appeal, of the bench. And upcycling is always to be praised. Something we should all be looking for opportunity to do whatever the scale of the project or the nature of the work involved.
Thank you so much. I found the design as a free plan offered online. Cheers
That is a masterpiece! You are an amazing woodworker!
Oh, thank you so much. Cheers
Wow, that’s really beautiful.
Oh, thank you so much. Cheers
Magnificent bench!
You are a Profi 😀
Cheers
Sid
Fabulous! It is very rich looking. Nice job!
Thanks, Nancy. The wood is beautiful. Cheers!
Elegant and beautiful …
Great image Chris !
Thanks, Sohair. Cheers
Green with envy! Congratulations on a grand project…
Thank you so much, Annie. We are really enjoying the bench. Cheers!
A well built, handsome bench with a history – win win. 🙂
Thank you. It really is nice being able to reuse old wood, especially some this nice. Cheers
Did you make this bench on your own???? This looks so wonderful, an absolute beauty 🙂
Yeah. It was a fun project. The wood is beautiful. Cheers
Hats off to you, you are super smart 🙂
Brilliant bench!
Oh, Thank you Katy. I’m glad that you like it. Cheers!