How to Construct a Built In Bench
When we moved into our house, there was an alcove at the top of the stairs. We really needed something to fill that area and came up with three options: a piece of furniture, built-in shelves, or a built-in bench. As you can probably guess, we decided on a built-in bench. I completed this project a couple of years ago and I don't have a "before" picture, but I'll do my best to describe what I did.
The width and depth of the bench were determined by the size of the alcove, so the only dimension that I need to determine was the height. I sat in several different chairs around my house, found one that was a comfortable height, and took the measurement. I ended up with 20 3/4".
The next step was to prepare the area. I removed the base and shoe molding. There was no carpet to remove because the area has hardwood flooring.
I went to Home Depot and purchased the materials- 2"X4"s for the base, MDF for the frame, 3/4" oak for the top, 1/4" maple for the face, and finish molding. For the 2"4"s and the MDF, I found enough wood in the scrap bin (which is very inexpensive). The molding included base and shoe molding, shadow box molding (to match the walls), and an end piece for the bench seat. I chose maple for the face of the bench because I wanted to blend with the adjacent drywall and maple has a very smooth finish. Also, I didn't design the bench to have a hinged top for built-in storage. If you want to go that route, purchase the additional hardware. I did not need the extra storage and the fixed bench has a very clean, finished look.
There was no magic blueprint for the inside frame of the bench. The frame needed to be 3/4" sort of my target height and 1/4" short of my target depth to allow room for my 3/4" top and my 1/4" face. The bench is 6 1/2' long, so I split the base into two modules. In addition to making it easier to carry (I built the modules in my garage and carried them upstairs), I now had a good center support to prevent the top from sagging over time. The center support also serves as a nailing point for the bench face. I used wood screws and nails to secure the frame.
I place the frame into the alcove and nailed it to the wall. I did not nail anything to he hardwood floors. Then I cut and nailed the face and top. I cut the top 3/4" short to leave room for the overhang molding. If your walls are slightly bowed or your corners are not plumb, cut the wood accordingly. Assuming this is a paint-grade project, you can fill any remaining gaps with caulk.
The next step is to install all the molding. I like to paint and stain my base and shoe molding before I install. Once the molding is installed, caulk the seams and fill and sand all nail holes.
Here's what it looked like before painting. Note: the right wall is about 3 inches deeper than the left wall, so the bench is flush on the left but not on the right.
Prime the wood and paint with a semi-gloss finish. The final step is to purchase or make a cushion. I decided to custom make the cushion. Take accurate measurements of your bench top. Go to FoamOrder.com and enter the dimensions of the cushion. Then select the type of foam (I went with a mid-grade foam). Select the Dacron Wrap- it's a "bookwrap" that gives your seat cushion a proper shape. My total came to about $25. I receive the cushion in the mail in about two weeks. You can also purchase a fabric cover for the cushion from FoamOrder starting at around $50. However, we purchases a custom fabric and had a tailor make the cover.
Here are a couple of pictures of the final product.
Here is a closeup picture of the lip. I used a 1 1/2" strip of oak with a double bull nose edge and a small piece of decorative trim underneath.
If you have any questions, leave a comment.
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