Around-the-Tree Bench

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.