How to Make a Decorative Wooden Bench

Building a decorative wooden bench can be a fun, simple project.

Benches can serve a variety of uses, from seating to storage. Making a bench a decorative part of your home gives it a piece of artistic individuality. Creating a simple, decorative wooden bench takes roughly one afternoon and can be a fun project. You can decorate the bench any way you wish, including with stencils.

Things You'll Need

• 2 boards, 2 inch by 6 inch by 5 foot
• 2 boards, 2 inch by 4 inch by 4 1/2 foot
• 2 boards, 2 inch by 4 inch by 12 inch
• 4 posts, 4 inch by 4 inch by 24 inch
• 1 box of framing nails
• 2 C clamps
• Hammer
• Measuring tape
• 1 pint paint or wood stain
• 2-inch-wide soft-bristle brush
• Polyurethane

Instructions

1. Stand a post at one end of the work area. Measure 12 inches to the side of the post. Stand a second post at this spot.

2. Lay one 12-inch board across the tops of the posts. Make the ends of the board flush with the top corners of the posts. Hammer 2 nails 1 inch from each of the board ends (total of 4 nails), with the nails near the corners of the boards.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to build the second long side of the bench.

4. Place one of the sides in a C clamp with the legs pointed up. Measure 4 1/2 feet from the outside edge of a post. Put the second set of legs at this point and attach them to another C clamp. Make sure both pairs of legs have the long sides facing each other.

5. Place one 4 1/2-foot board across the front of the posts, flush along their bottom, which will be the top when the frame is flipped back over. Make the ends flush with the outside corners of the posts. Connect this board to the legs by hammering 2 nails 1 inch from each of the board ends (total of 4 nails), with the nails near the corners of the boards.

6. Repeat Step 5 for the board that goes across the back of the legs. This gives you the frame for the bench.

7. Unclamp the frame. Set the frame upright on the floor to check for stability.

8. Lay out one of the 5-foot boards on the work bench. Measure 3 inches in from both ends of the board and mark these spots. Repeat this step with the other 5-foot board.

9. Lay one of the 5-foot boards lengthwise on the frame, with the measured marks visible. Line up the marks with the outside edges of the short sides of the frame. You should have a 3-inch overhang on each end. Line up the second board the same way, so the 5-foot boards are touching each other. Hammer nails through the boards where they meet the frame, using 2 nails per board on each end.

10. Sand down the edges to make the bench smooth. Dust off all the shavings.

11. Decorate the bench as desired. If you prefer stencils, line up the stencils where you want them on the wood, and tape the stencils to the wood, taping all 4 sides of the stencils. Paint or stain, allowing it to dry thoroughly.

12. Apply polyurethane to protect the bench from damage.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a pencil to make your markings. Pencil marks are relatively easy to hide or erase later.

References

• "New Built-Ins Idea Book"; Sandor Nagyszalanczy; 2005