DIY - Rustic Bench

Building a bench was on my to-do list for a very long time. I am thrilled to cross it off my list and end up with such a good piece.

The inspiration came from one of my favorite bloggers, every time she did a post of the room where her bench was in, I kept on drooling about it, most of all I love the leg design and its color, you can see it right HERE. I made some changes to it and built it to my own dimensions.

If you have some basic tools, you can totally make this bench. I used poplar, but you can use your favorite wood.

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Here is what you'll need for a bench with the dimensions above.

The materials:

• 1 - 1 x 12 - 7 feet long
• 1 - 1 x 3 - 9 feet long
• 4 - Hex Bolts ¼" x 2"
• 4 -  Hex nuts ¼"
• 4 - Plain flat washers ¼"
• 4 - Wave washers ¼"
• 18 - #8 x 2" flat head screws
• Glue
• Wood filler
• Sand paper
• Finishing supplies

The tools:

• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Safety glasses
• Hearing protection
• Clamps
• Jigsaw and/or Scroll saw
• drill
• compound miter saw or circular saw
• sander
• countersink drill bit

Instructions:

1. BENCH TOP

Making sure the board is square, cut the bench-top @ 36" - off the 1 x 12. Set aside.

2. BENCH LEGS

The remaining 1 x 12 is going to be cut into four parts: two legs and two 2½" supports. 

Using a compound miter saw or a circular saw (as in my case), set the angle to 5 degrees to make those four cuts. - Picture below.

Mark the way the legs need to be positioned.

It's now time to cut both sides of each leg at a 5-degree angle to give them a tapered look.

The lower end stays at the exact measurement of 11¼".

The top end of the leg should end up at 8¼". Use a jigsaw or circular saw to trim those sides.

LEG DESIGN

The design on the lower part of each leg is available HERE. 

Trace a line in the middle of each leg. Center the design and align it with this line and the leg's end.

 

Transfer the design and cut it out using a jigsaw. Using my scroll saw made this part go fast and smoothly.

Once done with both leg designs, set them aside.

4. BENCH CENTER SUPPORT 

• Grab the two 2½" side supports cut from the 1 x 12, and cut both ends at a 5-degree angle, making the short point distance 8¼" (see picture below).

• Cut the 1 x 3 at a short point of 29", with the same 5-degree angle on both ends.

Using glue and doing countersink pre-drills, attach the center support to both side supports. 

Side supports should be parallel to each other. Once done, it should look like this:

5. ASSEMBLE THE BENCH'S BASE  

• Use glue on both surfaces.

• Clamp each leg to the side of the center support piece. 

• Drill two holes on each side.

• Bring the Hex bolts and nuts to tighten both pieces together.

Cut the remaining 1 x 3 at 36" for both front leg supports. 

Attach them to each side of the bench at 8¾" from the bottom of the leg. Use glue and pre-drill holes before driving the screws.

6. Final part: Attach the Top

1. Place the top upside down on the floor.
2. Bring the bench base upside down. Center it over the top, leaving 2" overhangs on each end.
3. Trace all around the top base perimeter. 
4. Remove the base and mark the locations of the screws. Two on each end and two in the center - Red marks in the left picture below. 
5. Drill holes at the marked points to determine where the screws should be driven to attach the pieces.
6. Turn the top right side up, place it on top of the base, ensuring it stays centered over the pencil marks underneath, then pre-drill with a countersink bit before driving the screws into the base.

You can now cover those screws with wood filler, sand the entire bench, and finish it as you like.

I decided to go for a striking red, just like my inspiration ;)

Details about the finish and where the bench was placed, right HERE.

For more DIY projects, check these out!

Industrial Side Table

Kitchen Island Makeover

Build-ins with Fireplace

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