This was a test project and if this DIY rustic bench seat was successful my next project was going to be a new table for my living room made basically with the same plan.

This was going to be a “rustic” bench seat partly because you can’t get 4 x 4 lumber without knots so that dictated the lumber for the rest. Clear pine wouldn’t go with knotty legs.

I thought it odd I ended up spending almost as much on screws as I did on lumber but I used self-tapping, quality screws that were easy to put in without pre-drilling. But still, less that $40 for a big, beautiful bench? I think it’s a deal.

I wanted glued and screws construction for strength BUT I didn’t want so much as one screw showing on the outside. Exposed connectors was not the look I was going for and I have not mastered the whole pocket hole screw thing as of yet. That’s not how the bench worked out.

Gluing before screwing is assumed in all the steps as well as using clamps and other tools to ensure squareness.

I wanted a 48″ bench so it would only require buying one 2 x 8 that would be cut in half for the top – the top, or bench seat, will measure 15 by 48. Finished bench will sit 17 1/2″ high.

I wanted an inch overhang on all four sides so the assembled legs, frame, and aprons would have to measure 13 by 46.

Steps in construction

1. Cut legs to desired height, strap the legs together standing up on each end and use power sander to sand ends uniform and level on top and bottom
2. Attach spacers 3/4″ in for end aprons – make sets for each side and screw in with 2 1/2″ screws. If you make all four legs exactly the same you won’t be able to attach the apron pieces, so reverse 2.
3. I attached the end aprons next making sure everything was square screwing through the spacers from behind into the aprons – two 2″ screws on each end of apron piece.
4. Measure back of leg assembly to verify 8 1/2″ frame piece will leave 2 1/4″ open on each leg to attach front and back frames (2 x 4) and then aprons (1 x 4) or 1 1/2″ + 3/4″ = 2 1/4″.
5. Making sure everything is square, screw end frame pieces into legs – 2 screws through each leg with 2 1/2″ screws
   

   The neighborhood kids thought the grain was so beautiful on the ends of the legs and were sorry it would be covered up on the finished bench. I agreed with them.

6. I took the coward’s approach here and cut my 2 x 8 for the seat of the bench to make sure it would be exactly 48″ before completing assembly of bottom. The 8′ board was actually 96 1/4″ so after cleaning up the ends and cutting in half I had exactly 48″ boards. Woohoo!
7. Making sure everything is square, screw front and back frame pieces into ends of side frames with 2 1/2″ screws.
8. Turn bench upside down and place brace pieces at top edge (on the floor) of frame and use 2 screws in each end to attach to frame with 2 1/2″ screws. These screws will be hidden by the apron.
9. Measure (mine ended up being 39 1/16th for tight fit) and cut front and back aprons and insert in place – screw from back with 2″ screws that will go through frame and into apron.
10. Use pocket hole screws to connect 2 48″ 2 x 8 boards in several places (this is optional).
11. Lay top (bench seat) down on floor making sure you have the side down that you will want to have showing on the finished bench (put on cardboard or something to prevent scratches), center base on seat – screw through 3 braces with 2 1/2″ screws, 2 screws at each end of braces.
12. Flip it over, sand and finish with paint or stain of your choice. At this point I didn’t have any nail hole or screw heads to cover up. That changed.

First problem encountered – warping

The boards for the bench were firmly attached by screws from the bottom through the cross braces. of course there was no way to screw from the bottom through the corners, so after a couple of days all four corners had lifted and the top was visibly warped.

Need I say how disappointed I was as I sunk 4 screws into my previously unblemished top to flatten out the warped boards? I buried the screw heads into the wood, filled, and sanded them smooth. So much for my hope to have no visible screws. My guess is an experienced woodworker would have known this wouldn’t work, that it’s the nature of pine to warp.

Next problem encountered – “corning”

I sanded the heck out of the bench with my little palm sander and it looked and felt perfectly smooth. I thought it looked gorgeous.

I used the Minwax Classic Gray stain again on this bench. After the first coat I was utterly appalled by how the bench looked. Not the color, but all the minute scratches in the wood that looked like someone had taken a highlighter to accent them. Where did they come from?

 

I ran out and looked at my palm sander that still had the last piece of sandpaper I had used on it. There were little dots on it.

Ever heard of “corning”? While it had happened to me before, I didn’t know what it was called until I researched to find out what had happened this time. When it happened to me before it was while sanding a painted surface. This was the first time on raw wood. Sanding residue has solidified into little dots stuck to the sandpaper and cut scratches into the wood.

I sanded — this time by hand since I was afraid of the palm sander – and sanded. Those stained scratches would not come out. I felt I had reached the point of the ridiculous with sanding so I added another coat of stain and the scratches faded. A third coat of stain and they were gone. The bench was just a hair darker than I would have liked, but I could definitely live with the color a whole lot easier than the scratches.

By the way — I couldn’t find a solution to corning. I was using quality sandpaper and other than change it every 30 seconds, I don’t know how to prevent it from corning. Maybe not use the palm sander, but that means a much lengthier process to hand sand.

Finishing

I put multiple coats of water based poly on. I started with the bench flipped over and did the bottom and the legs. The I put it upright and put several coats on the top. Water based poly has to be put on in extremely thin coats. I use a small plastic dish and a folded piece of microfiber towel to apply it. Wipe it on and stop — don’t go back and forth because it dries too fast. Do a lot of really thin coats to avoid runs.

I am going to switch to oil based poly for my next project and thin it with 50% mineral spirits and use the same basic technique.

I set the bench in place with the plan to not use it (hit it, bump it, put anything on it) for 30 days so the finish can cure.

I painted some crates so I could store hats and shoes under the bench (no guest closet in the house) but the jury is still out on whether I like them. Do they need casters or what? I’m not sure about the crates, but I absolutely love the bench and have already designed a table for the living room (taller and wider) and plan to start that soon.