Constructing a Black Cherry Live Edge Bench

Last year I had to take down a partially dead Black Cherry tree for fear that it would fall on the garage that I'll be building very soon.

I was able to salvage a nice 6-foot bolt of the tree, thinking that I would use it down the road. Almost a year later I decided to make a bench from the bolt of cherry. Cherry is a wonderful wood for outdoor projects. The wood doesn't decay and insects will not destroy the heartwood. The heartwood will be just as solid as the day it was cut down.

After milling the bolt of cherry, I had the lumber to build what I had designed in my head.

I had more than enough lumber to make the pieces I needed.

Using one of the best jigs that I've ever run across, constructing the bench took a little over an hour. The Kreg K4 Pocket Hole Jig is an adjustable, extremely versatile jig that will create perfect, rock-solid joints. For anyone who loves working with wood, this jig is a must-have. Using this jig to create joints is a real time saver.

With the thickness of the bench being 3 inches, it could even hold this dude.

For those of you who are not familiar with the term Live Edge, it simply means to leave the contour of the wood that is being milled just as it is rather than cutting the edges straight. In some situations, the bark of the tree will be intact and it can be left on as well. When this is the case I like to gently sand the bark which removes any loose pieces and adds some color to the live edge.

These pictures give you a better look at the contour of the live edge bench. After sanding it with 40-grit paper and finishing with 120-grit sandpaper, I don't think anyone is going to get a splinter in their buttocks. 😁

I used butcher's wax on the raw wood to seal it. Wood wax can be used on finished or unfinished wood to protect it from moisture and prevent it from drying out and fading. It also adds shine and luster to wood.

All too often I hear someone say, "I'm not sure what I would do with all of my time if I were to retire." For you youngsters out there who may be headed in that direction, find other things to do besides work. Develop a passion, the more the merrier, and you may find that being retired is a hell of a lot better than working before your candle burns out!