How to Make Deacon Bench Seats

How to Build a Seat Bench

A Deacon Bench seat is a simple piece of furniture that has taken on various designs but remains a classical addition to any indoor or even outdoor living space. This project is simple, quick and can easily be modified to meet your personal needs or desires.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Materials
• Tools
• Work Space
• Safety Glasses

1. Gather your materials using the following list:
   Four, 2-by-6 by 8 foot long boards
   Three, ¾-by-36 inch Wooden Dowels
   One small bottle of wood glue
   Forty, 3 inch long deck screws
   Sand paper in rough, medium and fine grits
   Paint, Stain or Fabrics of your choice

   List of Tools:
   Tape Measure
   Tri-Square
   Hammer
   Drill with drill bits and screw driver bits
   Bar Clamps

2. 

   Cut the pieces to the correct length. You will want to do some rough and medium sanding on all of the pieces after they are cut for the correct length. If you spend some time at this point sanding the individual pieces it will make your finishing sanding job easier in the later steps.
   Seat Pieces (2 x 6 x 42 inches), (Quantity = 2)
   Back Piece (2 x 6 x 42 inches), (Quantity = 1)
   Short Side Piece (2 x 6 x 30 inches), (Quantity = 2)
   Tall Side Pieces (2 x 6 x 44 inches). (Quantity = 2)
   Attachment Cleats (2 x 4 x 9 inches), (Quantity = 3)
   Dowels (3/4 x 24 inches), (Quantity = 5)

3. Layout all of the cutt pieces and prepare for assembly. Layout the locations and mark the locations where each of the components will be attached to each other. Use simple exterior grade deck screws that are 3 inches long to assemble the pieces. Use your measuring square to draw light lines across the side uprights where the two seat pieces will attach. Measure locations for ¾ inch holes to be drilled on one of the Seat Pieces and match those locations on the bottom edge of the Back Piece. The Dowels need to be evenly spaced and vertical. Drill the holes at this time all the way through the Seat Piece. Drill the ¾ inch holes about 1 inch deep on the Back Piece. The depth of the holes on the Back Piece will not be to critical because the Dowels will be glued into the Back Piece and protrude through the Seat Piece a little and will be "free float" through the holes in the seat to allow for expansion and contraction.

4. 

   Attach the two Seat Pieces together using a nine inch long cleat underneath so it is hidden. Attach one Short Side Piece to one Tall Side Piece using another nine inch long Cleat. Repeat this step for the other side but make sure they are mirror images to each other. You can now place the Seat sub-assembly on the Side sub-assemblies. Use 3 inch deck screws and glue to attach the Seat sub-assembly to the Side sub-assemblies. Now you can place the Seat Apron board under the front Seat Piece using the deck screws and some glue again. Insert the 26 inch long Dowels into the Back Piece with glue and then line up all of the Dowels to go into the Seat. Remember the Dowels are intended to protrude through the Seat a bit and "free float".

5. Final Sanding and Finishing: This step can include painting, staining, varnishing or covering with fabrics of your choice.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use eye protection when working on any project.

Resources

• My Blog