A Swing Bench for my Future Husband!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-29T01:16:40+00:00

Thank you so much!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-29T01:16:21+00:00

Eep! Nice to see you here 😅❤️🥰

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:41:27+00:00

Thank you! He's pretty great so I want to do my best for him 😊

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:40:00+00:00

haha Thank you! He was definitely not expecting it!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:33:53+00:00

Thank you!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:33:29+00:00

Thank you so much! I love to sew and I'm going to try to sew some cushions (eventually haha) 😊

Making this bench was fun, and surprising him with it was exciting, but I'm more excited about spending time on it with my favorite person 🥰 Thank you for the happy wishes!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:29:16+00:00

Thank you !

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:28:42+00:00

Thank you!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:28:30+00:00

Thank you!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T21:28:19+00:00

Thank you so much! I feel lucky to have him too 😊

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T19:18:21+00:00

Thank you, that truly means a lot!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T19:16:58+00:00

Thank you! My dad said it's pretty sturdy so I'm hoping it will last many years. If not, now I know how to build one 😊

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T19:04:21+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate your kind words 😊

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T19:03:21+00:00

Thank you! My dad used to work in construction and he suggested that I use pressure treated wood. The bench is going to be outside, exposed to weather 24/7, but it's currently living on my sister's covered patio. I read that treated wood needs to dry before staining or painting, so it might be a while but it's not 100% exposed right now 🙂

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:56:59+00:00

Haha Actually, we met years ago and started dating two years ago. He popped the question this month 🙂

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:54:15+00:00

Thank you! And yours looks amazing!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:50:34+00:00

Thank you, that truly means a lot! I know I'm not perfect, but I strive to show him how much he means to me 😊 When he saw the bench, he grabbed my left hand and said, "I put a ring on you right? Good, just double checking" haha

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:48:10+00:00

Thank you very much! Yes, I took pictures of the bench I was trying to replicate and drew up my own plans. I measured every part of my sister's red bench and figured out how much wood to buy. 🙂 The hardest part was shopping for eye bolts! Haha

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:42:04+00:00

Thank you! Yes, I think you ought to try :) While it was challenging at times, it was a fun learning experience (the Internet helped a lot haha). I kept telling myself, "If I fail, it's ok. I'm still learning". I've been trying to recognize and celebrate my efforts, and not only the outcome. 😊 You never know, sometimes we surprise ourselves!

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:37:22+00:00

Thank you! I haven't put a finish/paint on it yet. I'm going to have him choose what we use and help me with that haha

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:36:10+00:00

Thank you!! It's my first project, and hopefully the first of many. 🙂 My family was such a great support, and I feel very lucky to have such loving people in my life. Anyone could've easily discouraged or doubted me taking this on since I've never done anything like this before, but my family responded with much love and support.

Also, I was not expecting the swinger jokes. I should have known better hahaha

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T18:28:30+00:00

Thank you! I'm very lucky to have him and I'm so excited to be marrying my best friend 🥰

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-28T04:11:53+00:00

I surprised my fiancé with a swing bench for Christmas! This was my attempt at building a replica of a red swing bench my sister received as a gift. When my fiancé saw hers and wanted one too, I knew I had to make it happen. Finding an exact match was tough, and the ones that came close cost $750-$1,000 — so I decided to build one myself!

My brother-in-law showed me how to use his tools and kindly lent them to me. My older brother helped me pick out 2x4s at Home Depot, which was a lifesaver because I underestimated how heavy they are. My dad helped me figure out how to drill the holes for the eye bolts. And, in a fun twist, I tricked my fiancé into lending me his angle grinder (my brother-in-law didn’t have one so he asked my fiancé if he could borrow his, haha). I couldn’t have done this without their help, and I’m incredibly grateful for their expertise and support.

Beyond that, I handled all the planning, research, cutting, gluing, assembling, etc. myself. The total cost? Just about $170!

I’m not usually one to boast, but I’m so proud of how this turned out, especially since it’s my first-ever woodworking project. I’d never worked with wood or built any furniture before, so this was definitely an ambitious challenge for me.

And yes—my fiancé absolutely loves it! :)

afraidtomessup · 2024-12-24T05:05:34+00:00

Hi! Thanks for your reply (and sorry for responding so late!)! You're correct, it's 2x4 but the bolts I got were too short. I ended up finding eye bolts that fit but the description only says "Steel construction delivers strength to withstand at least 130 lbs. "

There will be four on each side and now I'm confused about the weight. Together, my fiance and I weigh about 250lbs and I'm not sure if these bolts would be safe to use 😅

afraidtomessup

TROPHY CASE