Simple timber bench seats

Bench seats are so on trend right now – and it’s easy to see why. With their clean, minimal design, bench seats are the perfect addition to an entrance, hallway or a bedroom, and they can also be a great alternative to traditional dining chairs.

Much less formal than individual chairs, bench seats tend to feel more relaxed, and they can also be a lot less on the eye.

Late last year, Chris built us a pair of simple timber bench seats with matching end stools to use as outdoor furniture and I’ve been crushing on them ever since.

I love the natural timber look of them, and they’re the perfect match for our outdoor living space. And, the laid back vibe has been perfect for all those summer barbeques and get-togethers with friends and family. 

Best of all, it cost a fraction of what it would have to buy furniture like this new. Chris did a brilliant job and I promised to share more about the process – but with all the chaos of Christmas and New Years, it’s taken me a while to get to. Better late than never!

Here’s how to build a simple timber bench seat that you’ll love for years to come.

Materials:

• Blackbutt decking (or timber of your choice)
• Stainless steel countersunk screws
• Dropsaw
• Battery drill and countersink drill bit
• Sandpaper and sanding block
• 45-degree clamps
• Tape measure
• Wood stain and paint brush
• Non-slip rubber squares

Step 1:

First, work out your dimensions. We wanted our bench seats to sit two metres long, which is a similar length to our existing outdoor table. To demonstrate, we’ll use these measurements, but you might choose to have yours longer or shorter depending on where you plan to use it.

We forgot to take progress photos, but we’ve included some snaps of the end stools we built afterwards to help you visualise some of the trickier parts. Don’t mind the messy workspace!

Step 2:

Carefully measure and cut your lengths of wood to size using a drop saw. To build a bench seat the same size as ours, you will need 85mm width timber cut to the following lengths:

• 5 x 2000mm
• 8 x 350mm
• 6 x 300mm

Lightly sand your timber and remove any rough edges with a sanding block or a power sander.

Step 3:

The next step is to build the boxes that act as the chair legs. Due to the length of our bench seat, we chose to include three (one at each end, and one in the centre) 

To start, take two 350mm and two 300mm lengths of timber. Using your 45-degree clamps to fit them together so that the 300mm lengths are on opposing sides. These will be the height, while your 350mm will be the width. 

Next, pre-drill your holes using your countersink drill bit, so that the screws sit flush with the timber. This helps to prevent the timber from splitting and achieves a professional finish. 

Drill in your screws and repeat with the other boxes. You should have two 350mm lengths left over, which will be used as finishing at either end.

Step 4:

Space the three boxes evenly apart, and position four of the 2000mm lengths on top. The fifth 2000mm length will be used as to finish the front of the chair (like the two 350mm lengths), so you may want to allow a small space between the top side of this and the other lengths, so that everything is spaced evenly.

Take your time to ensure that everything is even, and mark it out with a pencil. Once you’re ready to start screwing each piece into place, be sure to pre-drill and countersink the screws, as with the boxes.

Attach the two 350mm side panels and the 2000mm front panel, and give everything another light sand.

Step 5:

Flip the table upside down, and attach rubber feet to each corner (if using). For the ones we used, we simply had to peel the sticker and press on firmly.

Return the table to the right side up, and use a paintbrush to apply a light coat of timber stain – we used Diesel Dog from Grimes and Sons. Allow at least 48 hours for the timber to dry completely before you use it or bring it inside.

As you can see, the end stools are made essentially the same, only with shorter timber pieces for the top (350mm – same as the width, if you were wondering), but there you have it! Our simple guide to building some beautiful timber bench seats that won’t blow your budget.

As always, we’re happy to answer any questions you might have about this project – so drop us a comment or shoot us a message. And, if you decide to recreate this and build some simple timber bench seats of your own, we would love to hear from you!