How to Build a Teak Shower Bench

Teak is a beautifuil, exotic wood that works well in wet conditions.

Teak is a wood naturally found in the eastern hemisphere. It is a hardwood that is known to have excellent resilience to moisture. Teak is an expensive wood in the United States because of how far it has to be shipped, but is preferred for shower benches and other furniture by consumers because of its beautiful appearance. Building a teak shower bench will be more expensive than building a similar bench out of cedar; however, it will cost considerably less to build your own than it would to buy one.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• 2 teak boards, 1-by-3-by-16-inch
• 2 teak boards, 1-by-3-by-9-inch
• 4 teak boards, 2-by-2-by-15-inch
• 8 teak boards, 1-by-2-by-11-inch
• Screw gun
• 40 corrosion-resistant screws 2-inch
• Sandpaper, medium and fine grade
• Damp cloth

Instructions

1. Lay two 16-inch boards on edge, parallel and 9 inches apart. Place the 9-inch boards between them so they are perpendicular to the 16-inch teak boards, and 14 inches apart. Screw through the 16-inch boards and into the ends of the 9-inch teak boards. This is the frame to your teak shower bench.

2. Lay the frame flat and position the 15-inch teak boards perpendicular to the inside corners of the frame. Screw through the corners of the frame using four screws for each corner to secure the 15-inch boards. These boards are the legs to your the bench. The legs must be even to ensure your bench doesn't wobble, so be sure the ends of the 15-inch boards are all flush with one side of the frame before they are screwed.

3. Position the bench upright and screw the 11-inch boards to the top of the frame. They should be parallel with the 11-inch sides of the frame. The ends should be flush with the 16-inch side of the frame. The two outside boards should be flush with the 11-inch sides of the frame.

4. Sand down the bench with medium and then fine grade sandpaper to prevent splinters. Wipe the bench with a damp cloth before use.

References

• Belbuilt: Custom Furniture
• Wayne of the Woods: Bench plans