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A slim 54" bench built from nothing thicker than 1x stock. The legs are built up from notched 1x3 and 1x2 pieces rather than solid stock, which keeps it light and lets you use up cheaper boards, and an X cross-brace between the legs keeps it from racking side to side. The seat is a single 1x12.
The notches on the leg pieces are the only cut that takes attention — mark the 1x3 leg parts as shown and cut the notch with a jigsaw so the pieces interlock. The cross supports get cut to fit: use a square to lay out the angles on the board before cutting, and measure the actual span rather than trusting a number, because the exact length depends on how your legs landed.
It's a forgiving build. If you want to hide the screws in the top, predrill up through the aprons and drive into the underside of the 1x12 so nothing shows on the seat; otherwise screw down from the top and fill. Either way it comes together in an afternoon.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x3, 8 ftLegs, aprons, stretcher, cross supports. | 4 each |
| 1x2, 8 ftCompletes the built-up legs. | 1 each |
| 1x12, at least 54"The seat. | 1 each |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4" | 30 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
Overall cost: $. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Leg pieces (notched)1x3Notch out per step 1. | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17 1/4" |
| End aprons / side stretchers1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 11 1/2" |
| Leg completion pieces1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 17 1/4" |
| Aprons and stretcher1x3 | 3 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 45" |
| Cross supports1x3Cut to fit; lay out angles with a square first. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 25 3/4" |
| Top1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 54" |
Buy 6 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
4 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Mark the 1x3 leg parts for their notches as shown and cut them out with a jigsaw. These notches let the leg pieces interlock into a built-up leg.
Attach the end aprons/stretchers (B) to the 1x3 leg pieces (A) as shown to form each end assembly.
Fasten the 1x2 leg pieces (C) to the rest of each leg, keeping the outside corner flush. This builds each leg up to full thickness from thin stock.
Cut the cross supports to fit. Use your square to lay out the angle cuts and mark the board before cutting — measure the actual span between the legs, since the overall long-point-to-long-point length depends on how your legs came together.
Fasten the long aprons and stretcher between the leg assemblies, then fasten the X cross supports in place. The cross-brace is what keeps the bench from racking side to side.
Fasten the 1x12 top to the bench. To hide the screws, predrill up through the aprons and drive into the underside of the top so nothing shows on the seat; otherwise screw from above and fill. Sand and finish.
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