Outdoor Furniture

 

We got a great deal on outdoor furniture at Cargo Largo a couple of years ago.  It’s comfortable, but I was tired of taking the cushions in and out every time rain threatened.

We shopped around for outdoor cushion storage, but could not find anything that was both the right size and the right shape.  Solution?

Ryan made this.

Basic construction, using pressure-treated wood, we stained it black.  Originally, we were planning on a mosaic tiled countertop, when Ryan got the great idea to do a poured concrete top. 

Underneath the concrete is plywood.  He build a simple frame using 2x4s around the edges, laid some metal mesh inside, mixed up the concrete and poured.  After pouring, we beat on the edges in an attempt to get the air bubbles out and then used a screed of another 2x4 to level the top.  After it dried, we sanded it smooth and applied concrete sealer.

The edge was not pretty.

To hide that, we got some mosaic tile from Lowe’s  and tiled just the edges.

It’s turned out to be extremely functional, too.  When working in the yard, it holds pots and tools.  It also works great for entertaining, too-for drinks and food.  And, of course, it holds cushions when it’s raining.

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