Apparently the gorgeous weather last weekend was just a tease because it was cold, rainy and generally crappy this weekend. But, I persevered.
Early in the week I used some TSP to clean the blocks and let them dry until Saturday. Saturday morning, I tried to beat the rain and started painting them on the front porch. Three blocks in and I realized it had started to rain. Perfect.
I enacted plan B, which was to relocate into the garage, which meant carrying wet painted cinder blocks and as hard as I tried to not get paint on me, I failed. Once there's paint on your clothes, you kind of just say screw it and destroy 'em, am I right?
I got the blocks painted and painted one side of the 4x4s that would be facing the street.
If you're in the market for a good, nay GREAT, exterior paint, I highly recommend Behr Marquee, sold at Home Depot. I did my trim and shutters with this stuff and they are not kidding when they advertise one-coat coverage. I thought I'd have to do two coats on the cinder block, but once it dried and I looked it over, I decided it really didn't need a second coat!
Even though it was crappy cold and misty Sunday morning, I hauled the blocks back to the front porch and put them in place. I inserted 3 of the 4x4s and strapped on the cushion, and voila! I admit, I am quite pleased with myself.
I decided to remove the fourth 4x4 from the configuration because it backs up to the wall and there's really no need for the back.
And of course I made the cushion myself. I attached Velcro straps to the bottom so that they wrap around the center 4x4 to hold it in place.