NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
Use your browser's Print (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and choose Save as PDF. This page works offline once you've opened it with a signal.
The classic first build: a farmhouse dining bench from three 2x4s and half a 2x6, needing only a saw and a drill. About $20 in lumber, one afternoon, zero excuses.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long aprons | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 66" | — | ☐ |
| Legs | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 16 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| End aprons and stretchers | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 7 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Middle support | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 4 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Seat boards The two halves of the 12-footer. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 72" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x6, 12 ft The seat — cut exactly in half at the store. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 2x4, 8 ft Legs, aprons, stretchers. Two benches? Five boards covers both. | 3 each | ☐ |
| Self-tapping wood screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive | 40 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive, Wood glue
Screw each pair of legs to an end apron and a stretcher with 2-3/4" screws and glue. The trick for the 3/4" offset: lay a piece of 1x scrap or 3/4" plywood under the apron as a spacer while you drive — the apron ends up exactly 3/4" down from the leg tops without measuring anything.
Congratulations, you just made your first jig.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive, Wood glue
Screw the 66" aprons to the tops of the leg sets, into that 3/4" recess. The bench frame now stands on its own — set it on the flattest floor you have and check for rock before the glue grabs.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pencil, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive, Wood glue
Find the center of the span and screw the little 4-1/2" block between the aprons. Small part, two jobs: it stops the aprons spreading apart over time, and it gives the seat boards something to be screwed to at mid-span so they never develop a bounce.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x6, 12 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, #9 x 2-3/4", star drive
Center the two 2x6 seat boards — about 1" of overhang past the ends, 1/4" past the sides — and screw them to the legs, aprons, and middle support.
Ease the top edges with sandpaper (this seat meets the backs of knees), finish to match your table, and slide it under. First project, done, and someone will sit on it tonight.