Completed outdoor bench

This easy to build outdoor bench is made from a pressure treated wood and assembled using corrosion resistant screws to stand up to the elements. It’s perfect on a back porch for taking off muddy shoes before coming inside. Here’s how to go about making it.

Tools:

  • Tape measure and pencil
  • Square
  • Safety glasses and ear plugs
  • Circular saw
  • Jigsaw
  • Drill/driver (drill and screwdriver bits, countersink)

Materials:

  • 1 – 2” x 12” x 8’ pressure treated pine
  • 1 – 2” x 4” x 4’ pressure treated pine
  • Medium grit sandpaper
  • Corrosion resistant deck screws

Cutting List:

  • Legs: 2 – 1½” x 11” x 16”
  • Top: 1 – 1½” x 11” x 48”
  • Brace: 1 – 1½” x 3½” x 39”

Note

Pressure treated wood is often slightly thicker and wider than standard dimension lumber and may require minor adjustments to the lengths on the cutting list.

Building the Bench

Start by cutting the top and legs square and to length. Next, set your circular saw for a 14° angle, and bevel the top and bottom of the legs so they flair out from each end of the bench and rest firmly on the floor. The top and bottom cuts on the legs should be parallel with each other.

Reset the angle on your saw to square and rip 2” off the top edge of each side of the legs so they are 7” wide at the top and 11” wide at the bottom.

Use a gallon paint can to mark a semicircle on the center of the bottom of each leg, and cut it out with a jigsaw.

Use a quart paint can to mark each of the corners of the top and round them off with a jigsaw.

Measure 4” in from each end of the bench, align the outside of the legs to the mark, and attach the legs to the top from the inside using screws.

Cut a matching 14° angle on each end of the 2”x 4” brace. Fit the brace in place so that it’s centered between the legs and flush with the bottom of the top. Screw the brace to the legs and top, countersinking the screws so they are flush with the top.

Round the edges of the top with sandpaper or a roundover bit in a router.

Watch the video above to find out more.

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

Learn More