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This bench is built as eight identical sections rather than one continuous ring, which is what makes it possible to build around an existing tree instead of a fixed circular frame — build all eight leg sets first, then all eight deck sections, and only bring the whole thing together around the trunk at final assembly. Prestain every board before assembly — the plan is explicit that finishing this project after it's built is genuinely difficult, since the octagon's inside faces become hard to reach once the sections are joined.
Each leg set is a 4x4 with a 2x4 top cap and beveled 2x4 side pieces mitered at 22.5° so eight of them ring a full octagon; add blocking inside each leg set to tie the top cap and sides together solidly. Lay out the full bench on a flat, level surface first to dry-fit every deck board before final assembly — building blind, straight around the actual tree, makes mistakes much harder to catch and correct.
A hexagon (6-sided) version is a genuine variant, not an afterthought: build six leg sets instead of eight, cut the side pieces at 30° instead of 22.5°, and cut the deck boards' end angles at 30° as well — everything else about the build carries over unchanged.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 4x4, 12 ft | 2 each |
| 2x6, 8 ft | 5 each |
| 2x4, 10 ft | 3 each |
| 1x4, 10 ft | 2 each |
| Self-tapping star bit exterior screws, 2-3/4" | 200 each |
| Exterior penetrating wood stain | 1 set |
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 set legs4x4, 12 ft | 16 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Leg set tops2x4, 10 ft | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 19" |
| Leg set sides2x4, 10 ftOne end cut at 22.5° bevel off square, long point measurement. | 16 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 18" |
| Leg set blocking2x4, 10 ft | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" |
| Deck boards, outer2x6, 8 ftLong point measurement, both ends cut at 22.5° off square. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 26 1/4" |
| Deck boards, inner2x6, 8 ftShort point measurement, both ends cut at 22.5° off square. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 11 7/8" |
| Deck boards, middle2x6, 8 ftLong point measurement, both ends cut at 22.5° off square. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 21 3/8" |
| Deck trim1x4, 10 ftLong point measurement, both ends beveled at 22.5° off square. | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 26 1/4" |
Buy 18 boards at 8 ft.
4 boards
6 boards
5 boards
3 boards
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 →
Prestain every board before assembly — the octagon's inside faces are much harder to finish once the bench is built.
Attach the leg set top to the tops of the legs with screws and glue, three screws per joint. Build eight leg sets (six for the hexagon variant).
Attach the beveled side pieces to both sides of each leg set — one on each side, mirrored. For the hexagon variant, cut the side pieces at 30° instead of 22.5°.
Add blocking inside each leg set to tie it all together.
On a flat, level surface, lay out the bench with the deck boards and confirm everything fits before final assembly around the tree. For the hexagon variant, cut deck board ends at 30°.
Build the bench in sections, then attach the sections together around the tree on final assembly.
Add the remaining deck trim pieces as a finishing edge.
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