Benches on the entryway and hallway help you make the most out of your space. A bench on the entryway in particular can also help make shoe removal easier and adds a warm touch to your home. With some modifications, this furniture can feature a shelf which can be used to store footwear, books and boxes of toys.
As a woodworking project, a bench is also one of the most manageable options. You just need to prepare the materials and follow the instructions below.
Materials:
• 6 pieces of 100” x 3” x ½” wood planks (for the seat and shelf)
• 4 pieces of 15” x 2” x 2” wood boards (for the legs)
• 4 pieces of 11” x 2” x 2” wood boards (for the side stretchers
• 4 pieces of 11” x 1” x ½” wood boards (for the seat and shelf support)
• Measuring and marking tools
• Safety fears like gloves, goggles, mask and earplugs
• Table saw
• Woodworking clamps
• Planer
• Random orbital sander
• Sheets of 60-, 120-, 200- and 300-grit sandpaper
• 16-ounce claw hammer
• A pack of 2” round wire nails
• A pack of 1” round wire nails
• Paint, varnish or wood stain
• Wood sealant
• Brushes
• Cushions
Instructions:
1. Prepare the needed wooden parts by sawing and planning them.
2. Once done, get the random orbital sander and put the 60-grit sandpaper on it. Sand all the wooden parts afterwards. Next, re-sand all the wood using the 120-grit sandpaper.
3. Then, build the seat and shelf of the bench. To do this, get two of the four 11” x 1” x ½” wood boards and three of the six 100” x 3” x 1/2” wood planks. Put the two 11” x 1” x ½” wood boards at least 30” away from each other. Lay the longer wood planks over them, crosswise. The wood planks should be 1” apart from each other. Attach the wood planks to the wood boards using the hammer and 1” round wire nails. Repeat this step on the remaining wood planks and wood boards meant for the seat (or shelf) support.
4. Next, assemble the legs of the bench. You can do this by dividing the side stretchers and legs into two groups.
Gather two of the legs and set them upright. Get one of the side stretchers and put it in between the legs. The two butts of the side stretcher should be on the bottom sides of the legs. Attach the side stretcher to the legs using the hammer and 2” round wire nails. Repeat this step on the other two legs and one side stretcher.
As for the two remaining side stretchers, they should be attached near the other bottom of the legs, but not exactly on the bottom. Use the hammer and 2” round wire nails to attach these on each pair of legs as well.
5. Turn the legs upside down. Put the seat over the legs. The butts of the 100” wood planks should be on the side of the upper side stretchers. Hammer them down using the 2” round wire nails.
6. As for the shelf, attach them with their butts on the sides of the lower stretchers. You can also use the hammer and 2” round wire nails for this.
7. Using the random orbital sander and 200-grit sandpaper, re-sand the entire bench. Sand it one last time using the 300-grit sandpaper.
8. You can apply your preferred finishing material. If you’re going to use paint, make sure you apply primer first. Instead of paint, you can use either varnish or wood stain. You’ll use old rags or cloths to apply wood stain.
9. Apply wood sealant on the entire bench.
10. Put the cushions on the seat. You may also put a seat cover for the entire bench.
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