How to Make a Child's Bench Seat With Storage Underneath
Children need as much help as possible when it comes to organizing and tidying up their things, and a good way to do this is to use hidden storage under beds, in cupboards or even under chairs and benches. Toy boxes that double as bench seating are available commercially, but generally cost a pretty penny. Save yourself the money and make a custom bench seat with hidden storage underneath.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Wood slab, 40 by 18 by 1 inch
- Two wood slabs, 40 by 20 by 1 inch
- Wood glue
- Carpenter’s square
- Corner clamp
- Hammer
- Nails
- Two wood slabs, 22 by 20 by 1 inch
- Two wood planks, 40 by 5 by 1 inch
- Drill
- Bolts
- Wood plank, 42 by 8 by 1 inch
- Wood putty
- Sander
- Wood slab, 38 by 20 by 1 inch
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Piano hinge
- Screws
Instructions
-
-
1
Lay the 40-by-18 slab flat and position the 40-by-20 inch slabs at right angles along its 40 inch sides, bottom edges flush. Run a bead of wood glue between the joint, square off the angle with the carpenters square, then clamp with the corner clamps and let dry.
-
2
Hammer a nail every 2 inches through the glued joints and remove the clamps. This is the base of the storage bench. Insert the 22-by-20-inch slabs at the ends for the two remaining sides—22-inch sides vertically—leaving a 2-inch overhang at the top for sides to the bench top. Glue, clamp, dry and hammer as you did the first sides, with the addition of a line of nails and glue along the upright corner joint.
-
-
3
Position one of the 40-by-5-inch planks on one end of the box. Make the bottom end of the plank 5 inches from the back edge of the box, slanting backwards at around a 30 degree angle, so that the plank edge aligns with the upper back corner of the box, then extends another 17 or so inches past the box sides. Pre-drill three equally spaced bolt holes through the side of the plank and the side of the box, then bolt the plank into the box side. Repeat on the other side of the box with the remaining 40-by-5-inch plank. This is the sides of the backrest for your storage bench.
-
4
Slide the 42-by-8-inch slab in between the upright backrest planks until the plank is around 3 inches from the top of the backrest planks. Glue and clamp the plank, making sure it is at right angle with the side backrest planks. This is the backrest of the storage bench. Drill and bolt two bolts through the upper part of the backrest planks into the ends of the backrest, securing it in place.
-
5
Sand the entire bench, including the remaining 38-by-20-inch slab, which is the lid and seat of the bench. Dull any sharp edges. Paint the entire bench, giving two or three coats as desired.
-
6
Center the piano hinge on the back edge of the lid slab, then screw the hinge in place with the drill. Position the lid on top of the bench box so that it is flush with both sides of the box and in between the 2-inch risen side ends. Screw in the remaining side of the piano hinge to the back of the bench.
-
1
