I miss baseball. And softball, college basketball, the kids being in school, shopping without a mask on…the list goes on. While all of our springtime amusements have been cancelled or postponed, we’ve been challenged to knuckle down financially, make our own fun, and maximize the resources we have at hand. For me, those resources were lying in a pile of leftover lumber from a deck remodel last year that I just couldn’t bear to throw away. My name is Shanna and I’m a sawdust junkie – there I said it.
Between taking care of my girls and a menagerie of pets, I’m building things in my garage or in my backyard or I’m at Alter running the abacus in accounting and working alongside some awesome folks. In honor of our fantastic baseball inspired brew Bleacher Seat, I decided to use that leftover lumber to construct my very own piece of the the ball field in the form of a comfortable and rustic bench than can be assembled in as little as 3 hours for $40 using easily accessible tools and hardware. This thing is so easy to put together, I promise, you’ll feel like Bob Vila — or Bob Ross if you decide to get super creative with the finishing. Known universally as the Leopold bench, this design was created by American conservationist and father of wildlife management Aldo Leopold, and is meant to consume little environmentally and disappear into the naturalized landscape. My version, however, caters more to the stadium fan who longs to plant themselves in a comfortable spot to enjoy a few beers and conversation with friends. I assure you, this is an easy project that you won’t regret trying.
We hope you enjoyed reading along and look forward to seeing your benches. Cheers!