How to Make an Indoor Wooden Bench

A simple bench for inside your home, whether by the front door, in a mud room, at a dining table or at the foot of your bed, can add function to your home. While a wide variety of indoor benches are available, a basic wooden bench can be made in less than a day for very little cost. Once your bench is complete, you can choose to leave it natural, cover it with a clear coat or paint it to match the colors of the room you'll be using it in.

Things You'll Need

• 5 boards, 2 by 6 inches, 5 feet long
• 2 boards, 2 by 4 inches, 18 inches long
• 2 boards, 2 by 6 inches, 22 inches long
• 3-inch wood screws
• Drill
• 4 posts, 3 by 3 inches, 2 feet long
• Drill bit, 1/2-inch
• 8 lag bolts, 1/2-inch wide
• Wrench
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Lay three of the 5-foot boards on the ground side by side on their 6-inch width. Place your 18-inch boards perpendicularly across the three boards. Space the 18-inch boards 30 inches apart. Drill through the 18-inch boards and into the 5-foot boards every 6 inches to attach.

2. Stand your remaining 5-foot boards on their 2-inch width against opposite sides of the three joined 5-foot boards. Stand the 22-inch boards on their 2-inch width at each end of the bench to cap all of the cut ends of the 5-foot boards and frame in the bench seat.

3. Drill a screw through the frame boards every foot around all four sides. Drill through the frame and into the supporting 2-by-4-inch boards where they intersect.

4. Stand each of your posts upright and place them along the corners of the bench inside the framing. Drill a hole through the framing on each side of the corners and into the posts to form perpendicular holes that do not intersect.

5. Slip a lag bolt through each hole and secure with a wrench along the inside of the bench. Flip the bench over to be right side up. Sand over the entire bench to finish.

Tips & Warnings

• For a cleaner, more finished look, cut the ends of two of the 5-foot boards and the ends of the 22-inch boards on a 45 degree angle.

• If you plan to leave the bench natural or apply a clear coat, then select a wood type you prefer such as oak, cherry or mahogany.

• Making the four frame boards a different wood type than the three seat boards can add visual interest to the bench.

References

• "Deck Designs"; Steve Cory; 2005
• "Woodworking 101 for Women"; Marilyn MacEwen; 2006