Ever see an antique church pew for sale you liked?….and wished you could use it for some special niche home seating? Like a breakfast nook to replace that old table and chairs you have. Learn what to look for, how to acquire the piece(s), and how you can make the design fit your own home.
See slide show How to build a home church pew breakfast nook seating area
Things You’ll Need:
Antique Church Pew
Pew Anchor Brackets & Screws
Floor expansion anchors (if not wood floor)
Power Drill, Bits
Pencil and Graph Paper
Measuring tape
Level & small solid metal shims (if required)
Broom & Dustpan
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Locate antique church pew. Decide on an approximate size for your pew project. Find a church remodeling project in your area or do an internet search for antique pews for sale. Almost every state has some. Focus on the rural southern states as they will usually have the oldest churches that are remodeling and selling antique pews. The one shown in the picture is from one of these states. It is 4 feet long, a rare find! Most churches selling these will ship them prepaid or you can drive your own vehicle to where the church stores the pews and they will help load them for the return trip to your home.
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Sketch your antique pew breakfast nook. Use the sample project sketch provided, adjusting for your selected pew and home breakfast nook conditions. Measure your plan from the actual conditions and transfer to the graph paper, sketching in plan the pew size. Allow enough room to place antique wood breakfast table to match pew (to be acquired after pew installed).
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Make a list of materials and purchase. Using your sketch and the provided sketch from this article, locate a home store and purchase your materials. The pew mounts may need to be ordered on line. When you have the materials you need, clear the kitchen area to receive the pew seating and clean wall and base where pew is to be placed. You may also find a free-standing location to show off the entire antique pew if desired.
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Clean area and place church pew seating. Use your sketch as a guide and clean walls and floor area location for pew seating. You may need help moving the pew until you find it’s final resting place. When placed according to your sketch, carefully make pencil marks on floor at areas to receive pew anchors. Take care not to move pew when marking locations for anchors. Mark locations for anchor holes in floor and on pews. Double check locations. Also mark locations of front and sides of pew base (it will need to be moved so you can drill anchor holes). If your floor is not level, use hand level and small shims to adjust pew level.
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Remove pew, drill anchor holes and replace pew. Get help in moving pew carefully. Use power drill to drill starter holes for screws in wood floor or holes to receive expansion anchors if hard floor (tile or concrete). When completed drilling, clean floor again to remove dust and debris from drilling anchor holes. Get help in placing the pew back to its’ location before removing for drilling. Take care in aligning pew location.
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Use lead expansion anchor in concrete or masonry floor.
Secure pew anchors to floor and pew to anchors. Take care to secure pew anchors to floor loosely so they can be moved slightly while aligning anchors with pew. Screw pew anchors to pews, do not tighten securely. Verify pew is in location desired and tighten all screws starting with pew floor anchor bracket locations first, then finishing with pew screw anchor bracket locations.
Finished? Read a good book and sip tea from a glass or a cold beverage from your personal custom Koozie you just made!
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Clean floor and walls around pew seating. Sweep and clean walls and floor areas around your newly installed Antique Pew Seating. Measure nook area for purchase and placement of breakfast nook antique table to match your pew seating. You may also want to purchase an antique hanging fixture to be installed so it centers on your table and shines on your new project!
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Tips & Warnings
Choose a pew style that fits your home decor. .
Be sure you know the size pew you need before purchasing.
Clean walls and floor areas thoroughly prior to pew installation.
Leave room for an antique table to be placed in pew nook later.
Be careful when you mark for drilling pew anchor holes. Double check locations and access for power drill.
Ask your local home store to review your sketch and make recommendations for installation and fasteners.
Protect your newly acquired antique pew during installation to avoid scratches and damages to wood pew.
If you want two pew seats, we suggest you let one remain free of attachment to floor or at least until breakfast table can be acquired. This will facilitate cleaning of nook seating area.
Whether breakfast brunch appetizers or cocktails are on your menu for the day or evening the Ravella 6-Piece Breakfast Nook Set will be the perfect gathering place. This versatile set includes a table 2 dining benches a corner bench and two chairs and comfortably seats up to six of your guests. Finished in gorgeous mahogany the solid wood frames with wood veneers accentuate the glossy brown faux leather of the chairs and benches for a look that's casually elegant. Sunday brunch with your sister and all of her kids or snacks with your book club are equally a go with the Ravella. Dimensions:Chair: 19W x 21.5D x 39H inchesBench: 38.5L x 21.5D x 39H inchesTable: 46L x 46D x 30H inchesDrawer: 11.75L x 13D x 4.25H inchesShelf: 23.5L x 23.5D inchesCorner bench: 48.5L x 25.25D x 39H inchesChair and bench seat heights: 19H inchesBackrest from center corner to each outer edge: 63 inches (ea) Seat from outer corner to outer corner (diagonally): 107 inches
