Built-In Benches Double as Furniture, Storage

Customized Built-In Bench (click to enlarge)

Building and installing benches will take several days, but once completed, they will work well in a kitchen, bedroom or family room.

Materials and Tools

measuring tape
pencil
graph paper
level
stud finder
utility knife
putty knife
hammer
pry bar
masking tape
scrap plywood (for template)
duct tape
cabinet-grade plywood
dimension lumber
safety glasses / dust mask
table saw
circular saw
miter saw
pneumatic nailer
wood glue
nails and screws
220-grit sandpaper
cloth
cabinet-grade stain and clear coat
piano hinges

Steps

1. First of all, consider the size of the bench. You don't want one so big that it overpowers a room, yet it should be large enough to be functional.

2. Take your measurements. Start from angled corner to wall edge, working right to left. This specific project covers a corner made up of three walls, but your bench can be built into a corner or along a straight length of wall.

Figure A (click to enlarge)

3. To determine what amount of space will be reduced from the area of the room, measure from the wall toward the center of the room (figure A). Transfer the measurements to graph paper, drawing the side, top and front views of the built-in bench (figure B). Since this bench is built into a corner, it will be in two pieces.

4. Find a comfortable chair to serve as a judge for how high the bench should be. The height should be anywhere from 18 to 24 inches. The depth should be 18 to 22 inches. Sitting in a chair (close to the measured area) will give you a good feel of how high and deep you want your bench to be. Also decide how you want to address any heating and air conditioning vents. You may need to relocate them and any electrical switches that might be covered by the bench.

Figure C (click to enlarge)

5. Check the walls with a level to see if they are plumb. The bench should be constructed so that the back is plumb to the wall. Locate studs in the wall with a stud finder and mark them (figure C). The studs will serve as anchors for the bench.

6. Score baseboard caulk with a utility knife, then with the help of a putty knife and hammer ease the baseboards from the walls. Finish removing the baseboards with a pry bar, being careful not to damage the walls.

7. At this point, it is a good idea to consider the carpet. You have two options: peel the carpet back, install the bench, then trim the carpet around it or simply install the bench on top of the existing carpet. Either way is fine.

Figure D (click to enlarge)

8. The next step at this stage is to build your template. Start by marking the location of the built-in bench on the floor with masking tape. Use plywood to make a template of the shape of the bench top (figure D). Do this by laying scrap pieces of plywood on the floor in the corners of the angled wall and tape them together with duct tape. This pattern will now be used in the workshop to create the angle.

9. Once you are in the workshop, it is time to transfer your measurements onto wood. Basic woodworking skills are required. If you don't have those skills, a cabinet shop will be glad to make these cuts. Select a cabinet-grade plywood. Also select dimension lumber for the trim to give the bench a nice look. In both cases the plywood and lumber used in this project are both oak. Don't forget your safety glasses and dust mask.

Figure E (click to enlarge)

10. Use a table saw to cut 3/4-inch plywood into your dimensions (figure E). For this project, the cuts were 23-and-3/4 inches and 10-1/4 inches. These pieces will form the outer frame of the bench.

Figure F (click to enlarge)

11. Next, draw 22-1/2 degree angle lines across the plywood and cut using a circular saw. These pieces fit into the angled wall areas and form the tops and bottoms of the bench. Using a miter saw (figure F), cut 1-by-2 pieces of dimension oak to create the face frame of the bench.

Figure G (click to enlarge)

12. Now that the pieces are cut, start the assembly. Butt joints, a pneumatic nailer and wood glue are key here. Lay out top, side and bottom wood pieces. Using the nailer and glue, attach a wood cleat to the bottom of one side to fasten the side and bottom together (figure G). Also add cleats and legs along the bottom for support. Wood glue should be added to all surfaces that will be joined. Nails should be driven at an angle for more security and strength in the joints.

Figure H (click to enlarge)

13. Next, attach the base frame to cover the edges of the plywood with wood glue and the pneumatic nailer with finishing nails.

14. Use a circular saw and jigsaw to make cuts in the top piece for a door. The door can be used to accommodate electrical appliance cords (figure H).

Figure I (click to enlarge)

15. Once the pieces have come together, the wood is ready for a stain. Use a cabinet- grade stain. Lightly sand with a 220-grit sandpaper and dust off the wood. Apply stain with a cloth, working in the direction of the grain. Remove excess stain with a clean cloth (figure I). After the stain is dry, fill in the exposed nail holes with matching wood filler. After the filler is dry, apply a clear coat with a paintbrush. Once it is dry, sand and apply a second coat. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Figure J (click to enlarge)

16. Remove the masking tape from the floor and dry-fit the benches against the wall. Check the pieces with a level. Attach two sections together by predrilling and screwing two screws into the face frame (figure J). Use plywood braces and 1-1/4-inch screws on the back.

Figure K (click to enlarge)

17. Use 2-1/2-inch screws to attach the back of the bench to the wall at the stud locations. If you have added doors to the top of the bench, add piano hinges to the doors, then attach to them to the bench (figure K).

Figure L (click to enlarge)

18. After cutting trim molding to fit the bench, attach to the top of the bench and wall using three-penny nails. Recess the nail heads using a nail set and add putty to the holes (figure L). Reattach the baseboards to the walls surrounding the bench.

Figure M (click to enlarge)

19. Install shelf standards (figure M) with a hammer and nails. Insert brackets and install shelves. This project runs around $250 (depending on materials) and takes about three days (considering cutting and drying time). Not bad considering the functionality of this beautiful bench (figure N).