Easy DIY Dining Bench

The Rozy Home
by The Rozy Home
$50
60 Minutes
Easy
Have you ever wanted to venture into woodworking but were worried it might be too hard? This bench is the perfect beginning woodworking project. It takes a little more than an hour and you will love the results! I used 2 inch wood, but recommend one inch wood for beginners (it's a bit easier to work with).
Attach the 1" x 6" x 54" oak boards and the 1" x 3" x 54" white oak board using glue and clamps. I chose to assemble mine with the 3" board flanked on each side with the 6" boards. Allow to dry for a minimum of 30 minutes (although I recommend letting it sit overnight to ensure the strongest bond possible).
Turn the top face down. Attach one 1" x 3" x 12" white oak board vertically 1 inch from the end and 1 inch from each side using 1 1/2 inch self-drilling wood screws. Repeat on opposite end.
Drill a pocket hole on each end of the 1" x 2" x 46" white oak board. Using 1 1/2 inch pocket screws, attach one 1" x 3" x 14" white oak board to each end of the 1" x 2" x 46" white oak board (forming a "T" on each end).
Cut four 1" x 2" x 13" white oak boards at a mitered 15 degree on each end. If your miter saw only tilts in one direction, cut the first end at the mitered 15 degrees and then slide the board down and cut the other end at a mitered 15 degrees.
Drill pocket holes on the inside end of all four vertical legs. These will be used to attach the legs to the T base and support base.
Line up the mitered edge of the vertical leg to the edge of the T base. Attach the vertical leg piece to the T base using 1 1/2 inch pocket screws. Repeat on the opposite end.
Turn the base upside down. Attach the vertical leg pieces to the 1" x 3" x 12" support piece (on the underneath of the top piece) using 1 1/2 inch pocket screws. Repeat on the opposite end. Note: The mitered edges of the vertical leg pieces will naturally guide you to the placement of each leg. If you prefer, you can measure in from each edge to determine the exact placement of each mitered edge.
Place the 1" x 2" x 13 1/8" white oak board centered between the two vertical legs pieces. You may need to use a mallet to tap the piece in place. The piece should be snug enough to not need to be attached with screws (I do this to ensure extra support to the piece). Repeat on opposite end.
Fill any holes with wood filler. I fill the pocket holes with wood filler, but you can use the plugs provided by Kreg if desired. Just ensure you use the stain grade plugs. I also choose to fill in the small spaces between each board on the top to ensure there was no concern of my children getting scratched. Once your wood filler has dried, sand the entire piece using 120 grit sandpaper. Be careful not to over sand.
After sanding, stain the piece your color of choice, followed by two to three layers of polyurethane. Allow to sit for 24 hours before using. That's it! The total assembly time should be around 1 to 2 hours. Sanding and staining should take 30 minutes to an hour depending on proficiency.
The finished piece.
The finished piece.
The Rozy Home
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 8 comments
  • RC RC on Jul 08, 2019

    Getting closer & closer to trying this! Thanks, it looks easy and a nice addition to your space.



  • Barb Barb on Oct 04, 2021

    Would you mind posting the cut list? I would like to try this plan.

    Thanks,

    Barb

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