SPORTS FURNITURE UPDATE: GET COMFORTABLE WITH A BENCH

When sports furniture takes a turn for the worst, what do we do?

The choices are limited: buy a new bench, re-do the old one, or just walk away and fuggitaboutit.

The last option works better with exercise equipment that have second lives as clothes storage, not a weight bench.

Buy a new bench? Not when the old one seems made out of armored battleship steel. And it matches the squat rack for decor cohesiveness, which is nice.

After ten years of looking at the top pic with ragged covering upgraded to a black garbage bag, the time came to take a stab at reupholstering.

The first step in the process is removing the padded pieces and stripping the old stuff off. This means turning it over and pulling staples.

For that job I used a flat tip screwdriver.

Be careful and don’t stab yourself. A Phillips head is more likely to leave a puncture wound.

After a trip to the nurse’s station I cleaned up, band-aided up, and gloved up.

The old saying about the right hand mutilating the left proved true. Again.

No Shortcuts For Sports Furniture

Strip it down to the bones to see what you’re working with.

All the welds are solid? Good. The bolts tight?

This bench came out of a high school that upgraded their weight room. The first stop was the garage of a family with three of the strongest, smartest, guys ever assembled under one roof.

After they grew up and scattered around the country, it came to my garage. With a provenance like that it’s both sports furniture and a good omen for working out.

Strip the worn and ragged covering and what’s underneath?

If it’s disintegrating plywood, add an extra step. What’s that going to look like?

Like this:

Here’s how it works: use the old wood as a pattern for the new wood.

Did I mention the important part about saving the old covering?

After you stab yourself once and get some blood into the project, flatten the old nasty covering over the new covering and cut it out.

Renewed Commitment To Fitness And Strength

With expert help from a sewing master, this is the final outcome.

I call it black gator. It could be black mamba.

I found it at Joann’s on 99 and Hall for $34.99 a yard. Except I got a remnant for ten bucks less.

After matching the design flow from the back to the seat I stapled it all together with help on the soft corners from my sewing expert.

Did I replace the padding? No. What I ought to do is boil the padding and sell the liquid as a sports drink tea. Based on where it came from, the blood, sweat, and tears would boost anyone taking a sip.

Besides, the padding was in good shape.

This post is aimed at the sort of fitness and wellness acquired from taking things into your own hands. In this case my hands.

Can you feel the pump, the excitement, the personal records you will put in the rearview mirror?

How about the sense of accomplishment you get from knowing you can do better, be better?

My biggest takeaway? We can change what we see by applying the time and effort necessary.

Think of it like marriage, if you’re the marrying kind. A good partner is sturdy and sound.

Looking at you today, Sean. Our happy hearts are wishing you the best on your wedding day.

The sports furniture is happy, too.