Simple bench using recycled timber

[AnitaH25]

A large bench made using recycled timber that's an easy D.I.Y. project for beginners.

• The project
• More bench seat projects

The project

I made myself a trough party table and needed some benches to go with it. I can't follow plans, all my projects are made up as I go along. This was how I made my benches. My benches were made from all recycled wood that I put through a thickness planer to clean it up. The table I wanted the benches for was bigger than an average table, so my sizes were to fit this table. I started by making my frame, which was so simple. I drilled the holes and lined the wood up and screwed in the screws.

I cut 12 pieces of wood to the correct height (this will depend on the table you use and the height you want the bench to be). The legs were sanded with an orbital sander and the edges removed with a wood router to soften the look.

I used a spade bit to drill halfway through the legs because I was unable to get longer carriage bolts to attach the legs. It does not show in the image but I added a long screw through the legs into the base to stop the legs from moving. I also glued the legs in place for extra support.

The carriage bolt heads add a nice look to the bench, but any bolts can be used.

I cut smaller sections of wood to fit between the legs to make them more sturdy. I used a countersink drill bit to drill out the screw hole so I could hide the screws. These were later filled with wood filler.

The tops of my benches were also recycled wood planks leftover on a building site. The sides of the wood planks were damaged, so I cut these using a table saw. I started in the middle of the bench frame, adding the top planks working my way out. The screws were countersunk so the heads did not stick out and cause injury.

There was too much excess wood hanging over the sides. These were trimmed down using a circular saw. The edges were rounded off with a wood router and round over bit. The surface was sanded using an orbital sander, using 120 grit up to 320 grit sandpaper.

And that was it, a simple bench made from recycled wood. 

More bench seat projects

Workshop member AndrewJones crafted this bench seat that features mortise and tenon joints using hand tools.

Workshop member cadsman made this outdoor bench seat using three Pine sleepers.

It can be surprisingly easy to create an attractive and functional piece of furniture for your home or outdoor areas. Find ideas for your next D.I.Y. piece in our top 10 most popular indoor and outdoor furniture projects. You can also get great ideas from our Top 10 most popular woodworking projects.