Outdoor Storage Bench - Take Two!

2 Materials
So...last year I made an awesome outdoor storage bench for our front porch. Unfortunately, sometimes bad things happen to good DIY projects. In this case, there was an epic battle between the storage bench and the wettest Seattle winter on record. The rain won.
The box part of the bench was still in good shape, but the lid needed to be replaced. This time, I decided to go with cedar instead of plywood to make it more weather resistant.
The widest cedar boards I could find were 7 1/2 inches wide, and three of them planked together were the same width as the previous lid. I used my Kreg Jig to create pocket holes on the underside of the lid, which created a great planked look on top.
To prevent the boards from bending when the lid is used as seating, I attached cross supports. I cut a cedar fence post to the interior dimensions of the bench, and screwed them into place.
I painted the lid white to match the rest of the bench, and attached it to the old hinges. I love the planked look, and it looks even better than it did before! Hopefully this one will survive many more rainy winters. I'm looking forward to relaxing in the shade this summer on the bench while watching the kids play in the yard!


If you would like to learn more about this project, and many other DIY and home improvement ideas, please visit my blog, The Handyman's Daughter.
Suggested materials:
  • 1 x 8 cedar planks   (Home Depot)
  • Kreg Jig   (http://amzn.to/1SmfvAe)
Vineta @ The Handyman's Daughter
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Valerie Valerie on Jul 18, 2016
    Sometimes the weather does win! The trick is to use wood that is recommended for outdoor use. Well done on taking up the challenge again, it looks great.
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