Weekend Projects: 5 Stand-Out DIY Benches
Consider the DIY bench and its beautiful simplicity: It celebrates the union of form and function, don't you think? Whether indoors—perhaps in the mudroom or foyer—or out in the backyard, a DIY bench welcomes you to park your weary bones or rest your burden (shopping bags, gardening tools, and the like). Sure, you can buy a bench at a retail store or find one at your local flea market, but when you take the time to build your own, you can be sure that it meets your needs exactly. 1. START WITH SPINDLES
To make this charming DIY bench via Ana White, start with four matching spindles. Cut your spindles to the desired height, then proceed to fasten them to a one-inch-thick wooden slab. Finish by painting the legs different colors, or choose a single hue that boldly contrasts with the finish you've chosen for the bench top. 2. HACK WITH SCRAPS
If scrap wood has been piling up in your workshop, why not use it to build a one-of-a-kind DIY bench like this one from Operation Paper Cut. The steps involved are straightforward; note, however, that besides the requisite materials and tools, you're going to need basic woodworking skills and an equivalent degree of patience! 3. DISPENSE WITH COFFEE
What do you do with a coffee table whose only redeeming quality is "good bones"? One option is to paint and upholster the piece, transforming a down-and-out eyesore into a chic and comfortable DIY bench, versatile and attractive enough to sit at the foot of your bed or in the entry hall. Visit Curbly for the full project tutorial. 4. PROCEED WITH PALLETS
Do-it-yourselfers love to build things out of wooden shipping pallets, because they are readily available free of charge (ask around at your local nursery or hardware store). One great reason to use pallets for a bench is that they come with a ready-made storage shelf. Get the details at Jenna and Calder. 5. BUILD WITH BEDS
Check out Little House in the Suburbs to see how a wooden bed frame can be transformed into a garden bench. Here, the headboard forms the back of the bench, while the footboard (cut in half) serves as the sides. Since the surface can be painted so easily, making a secondhand bed frame look like new is no problem at all.
Related Articles
