How to Make an Entryway Tree Coat Bench

The entryway coat tree bench is a classic piece of furniture that answers a classic problem. The entryway to a house is the first thing that people see when entering through the front door. It is a place where people traditionally doff coats and hats, and remove muddy shoes. The coat tree bench can be an attractive and practical way to organize and store coats, hats, scarves and mittens. In appearance, it can be modern or classical, stained or painted. This coat tree bench is built from readily available materials, and will be finished by painting.

Things You'll Need

• 2 sheets 3/4-inch Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
• Glue
• Finish nails
• Table saw
• Tape measure
• 4-5 coat hooks

Instructions

1. Plan your cuts on a piece of paper to avoid waste, and make a list of all of the pieces you will need to cut. The coat tree bench is built in two parts: the bottom, which forms the bench, and the back, which forms the coat tree. To make the best use of standard size materials, this bench is 48 inches wide and 18 inches deep. 18 inches is also a good height for a bench, so make the pieces for the sides of the box 14 inches wide to allow for 4-inch legs. Legs can be the threaded variety, some hardwood trim cut long and applied at the corners, or a box made of 2 by 4's.
   The bench consists of four pieces for the sides, and one each for the top and the bottom.

2. Cut the shorter end pieces for the sides to fit between the two longer pieces in the front and the back. Cut the bottom piece to fit inside of the box formed by the side pieces. Cut the top to overlap the side pieces. You should be able to get all of these pieces out of one sheet of MDF. Use the second sheet to cut the back.

3. Glue and nail the sides together, using the bottom piece as a guide to hold the sides square until the glue dries. Attach the lid. If you wish to use the bench for storage, you can cut a door out of the lid and install a piano hinge. After the glue has dried, attach the legs.

4. Cut a 64-by-48-inch piece for the back. This will make the overall height of the bench 82 inches, and provide enough room to hang coats. Make four corbels by cutting two 8-inch squares of MDF in half diagonally. Make the top shelf 10 inches wide. Fasten the corbels at the four corners of the back, with one of the square edges flush with what will be the top and bottom edges of the back. Attach the shelf to the top edge of the back and the top corbels.

5. Set the back on top of the bench and fasten it. One good way to do this is to attach a piece of thin material, such as 1/4-inch plywood, to the back of the piece so it laps both the bench and the back. You can also attach the corbels to the bench with metal brackets or screws.

6. Fill any nail holes and sand any rough edges. Apply primer, allow to dry, and lightly sand. Apply finish paint. Install coat hooks across the top of the back, under the shelf.

Tips & Warnings

• Plane and sand all edges before assembling.

• For a more finished look, apply 1-by-2 poplar trim to exposed edges.

• MDF comes in 49-by-97-inch sheets, so plan cuts accordingly.

• Full sheets of MDF are very heavy. Make sure you have assistance to handle them.

References

• "Reader's Digest"; Woodworking Room by Room; 1995