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Hi, I built this bench and I’m so impressed with myself. I feel so corny but I’m also so proud. This project was my second major wood working project and I’m loving how it turned out. I posted a How-to video on TikTok and overnight it blew up with comments and love. I’m so thankful for the comments because you know how social media can be. A lot of opinions and trolls. Well, the majority of the comments on this video are positive. I’m stunned. Thank you to the amazing people who have loved this project as much as I do.
Before this project, I built a tactical gear stand for my husband‘s military gear and the responses had me a little discouraged. The positive comments from military servicemembers really helped me power through but there were so many comments telling me that they thought my husband had died and that the stand was “bad juju” and I should destroy it. Listen, I know the stand looks like a memorial—but he requested this stand because they used them overseas when he was deployed and they have smaller versions at the armory where he drills. Long story short, one guy even commented and said that the project should be my first AND my last woodworking project. Wow. Thanks. Well, this video and project is dedicated to him. Hey guy, look what I did...
Thank you to everyone who showed me some love on this project. I appreciate it so much and now I have the confidence to keep on building and learning.
Interested in making one of your own? Here’s everything you need to know, plus some questions and answers from the comments of my video.
Here's what you'll need in lumber:
NOTE: I used treated lumber since this bench is going outside. If your bench is going inside, you can use untreated. Keep in mind that you have to wait to stain the bench so that the treated wood can really dry out first
Seven 1x4x8 boards (pine) | Cut them into twelve 18” 1x4's You’re going to use six 18” 1x4 pieces on each leg IMPORTANT: If you want the ends of the bench to be flush, cut your 1x4x8 pieces to 17.5” instead of 18” so that they will be flush
Ten 2x4x8 boards (pine) | Cut them into fourteen 2x4’s and also into seven 5’ 2x4 pieces You’re going to use seven 14” 2x4 pieces on each leg and seven 5 foot pieces for the top of the bench
You’re going to have some leftover so you can use that to make a skinnier smaller bench to match.
Here’s what you’ll need in supplies:
Ever since I posted this video on TikTok, I’ve received a ton of love but also some questions about things. Here are the answers to the most common questions.
Question: Where did you get that circular saw?
Answer: I found it on Amazon and I’ve been impressed with it since day one. It helped me cut laminate flooring, it’s the perfect size for my smaller hands and it has all the features I need for my DIY projects. It’s linked here.
Question: What if you don’t want the end pieces to stick out?
Answer: You can cut the 2x4 leg pieces to 14.5” instead so that the edges are completely flush. This just kind of happened in my project and I was pleasantly surprised with the look. So, this is totally up to you if you want them to be flush or have them stick out a little.
Question: How much did the lumber cost?
Answer: I purchased the wood from Home Depot and I used our Military discount (10% off) so the wood was just under $100.
Question: How long do you have to wait to stain the treated lumber?
Answer: It really depends on the project and the wood. I’m going to wait about a month to be safe and check it before I stain. You can check the wood with a simple water test. Just sprinkle some water on the wood and if the wood absorbs the water within 10 minutes, it’s ready to stain. If the water beads or pools, the wood needs more time to dry.
Question: What happens if you stain it too soon?
Answer: If you stain it too soon, the stain won’t be able to really penetrate the wood and you won’t get the results you want. The wood also won’t get the protective benefits of the stain. It’s also best to use an oil-based stain on pressure-treated wood.
Do you have a question? Let me know! I’m here to help and we might both learn something in the process!
***Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means, at no cost to you, I will receive a commission if you decide to purchase. I love sharing the products that make life easier and are practical and useful, so thank you for your support on this journey as an Amazon Home & Lifestyle Influencer.