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Are you thinking about making a DIY dining room bench? I just made this bench for my dining room and love the way it turned out!
I’ve got the materials list and step by step directions below, so you can make your own DIY dining room bench!
You could also use this bench design for an entryway, mud room, at the end of a bed, on a patio, or just wherever you need a small sitting area.
DIY Dining Room Bench – Using Scrap Wood!
I was so happy to be able to use only scrap wood and leftover stain for this project. Meaning I spent $0.00!
If you have to buy lumber, it should be less than $20! Not bad for a high quality bench!
We keep a big pile of scrap wood and I use it as much as I can. By using what we have, we have been able to do many projects to make our house a home we love.
Look around and see what materials you already have for this project.
Pro Tip: Ask the lumber department for cull wood. Cull wood can be bought at a huge discount because of imperfections. Sometimes the wood is really rough, but sometimes there is hardly anything wrong with it. And you can get it for WAY cheaper than the normal price.
Materials List:
1- 2″ X 10″ X 8″
3 – 2″ X 4″ X 8″
Wood Glue – This is my favorite kind.
Stain – I used Minwax Early American.
Sealer – I used Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane in Clear Satin.
Nail gun – We used our 16 gauge nail gun with 2″ nails.
Drill
Screw gun and 2″ wood screws
The plan:
This bench is for our dining room. We are in the midst of a dining room makeover, and needed some new seating for this small space.
We have only a very small space for a dining room, entryway, mud room, and to store all of our dog stuff.
Our previous space was pretty crowded and didn’t function very well for our needs. So, I drew up some plans and got to work!
I drew up the super fancy plan for this bench (see photo below) after measuring our current table, our patio table, and the space to see what would fit best.
Related Post: DIY Patio Table Build
The best size for our small space came to be 54″ long, 18″ wide, and 18″ tall.
I’m in the middle of making a matching table, so be on the lookout for that post soon!
Ok, let’s get to work and build you a DIY dining room bench! 🙂
Directions:
1. Cut wood to length.
First, you need to cut all your wood.
Here is the cut list:
2″ X 4″ :
4 pieces at 17″ (These are the top and bottom of the sides.)
4 pieces at 13″ (These are the vertical pieces on the sides.)
8 pieces at 9″ cut at a 45 degree angle (See below photo for how to cut.) (These are the pieces that make the X on the sides.)
2″ X 10″ :
2 pieces at 54″ (These are the top pieces.)
2. Sand pieces of wood.
Once you have all your wood cut, you will need to sand each piece to remove the rough edges.
3. Assemble legs.
Now that everything is cut and sanded, you are ready to build a bench!
First, we will assemble the two leg pieces. This is how they should look:
Here’s how to assemble one leg:
Use wood glue to attach 2 13″ pieces of 2″ X 4″. Make sure these are completely even and matched up perfectly! Use your nail gun and 2″ nails to nail these together from each side.
Measure the halfway mark on 2 pieces of 17″ 2″ X 4″ wood. Add wood glue to the bottom of the 2 13″ pieces you just nailed together. Align the mark to the crease in the 2 13″ pieces. Screw 2 screws from the bottom up into each 13″ piece.
Do the same for the top.
Now it’s time to add the X pieces!
Hold one 9″ angle piece where it will go, and use a pencil to make a small mark on each end, so you know where to place it.
Add wood glue to the ends, place down, and nail to the 2″ X 4″ wood to secure. We nailed each piece 3 times on top and 3 times on bottom.
Repeat for the other 3 X pieces.
Yay! You now have one leg assembled!
Repeat the above steps for the second leg.
4. Add top and assemble bench.
Now that you have your two legs built, it’s time to put the whole bench together!
Place the two 2″ X 8″ pieces with the top down on a table or the floor. Make sure they are good and square.
Place your legs 3-4″ from the other edge of the 2″ X 8″ and mark where you want them with a pencil. Make sure they are all the same distance from the edge of the wood.
Add wood glue and screw into place by screwing at a slight angle between the top 2″ X 4″ and the X piece.
Also drill and screw on the outer edges of the 2″ X 4″ into the top 2″ X 8″.
Repeat for the other side.
Now you have a fully assembled bench!
5. Distress and sand if desired.
We chose to distress our bench top with a knife and hammer for a rustic look. You can do something similar or completely skip this step!
This shows the distressed top after staining:
6. Stain.
Fill any nail holes that are showing with wood filler, sand, and stain the bench to your desired shade.
We chose Early American – I love this medium stain!
7. Seal, sand, seal.
Once the stain has dried completely, you can go ahead and seal it.
I used a clear satin sealer and a chip brush. Once the sealer had dried, I sanded it with 220 grit sandpaper, and brushed a 2nd coat of sealer on.
Ready to make your own?
That’s it! That’s how you make your very own DIY dining room bench!
Or wherever you want to put it – kitchen, entryway, front porch, mud room, patio, or wherever you need a cute bench!
If you need to make a different length bench, just adjust the 2″ X 8″ cut to your preferred length. You may need to add support underneath if you make it much longer.
Ready to go make your own DIY dining room bench? You’ve got the material list and step by step directions now!
I am loving our new bench and I’m so proud that we made it ourselves! Adding personality and character to our home is one of my favorite things!
Don’t be afraid to try a new DIY project and keep things frugal by using what you have on hand!
Stay tuned for the matching table post and full dining room makeover post!