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This bench is built almost entirely from a single sheet of 3/4" plywood: two sides, two shelves, and a top, with the smaller trim pieces cut from 1x2 and 1x4 afterward. Cutting order matters here more than usual — mark and cut the sides and shelves first while the sheet is still full-size and easiest to handle, then cut the top from what's left over, and cut the remaining trim pieces to fit as you go rather than pre-cutting everything to the plan's numbers. A table saw gives straighter plywood cuts than a circular saw if you have access to one.
The toekick at the base isn't just a style detail — it recesses the bottom shelf's front edge so you can stand close to the bench without stubbing your toes on it, the same reasoning behind a toekick on kitchen cabinetry.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 3/4" plywood or MDF, 4x8 sheet | 1 each |
| 1/4" plywood scrap, for the back | 1 each |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft | 1 each |
| 1x4 board, 30 in | 1 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" and 2" | 60 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shelves3/4" plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 23" × 28 1/2" |
| Sides3/4" plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 23" × 17 1/4" |
| Top3/4" plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 23" × 30 1/2" |
| Back1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 18" × 30" |
| Toekick1x4 | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Top trim1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 30 1/2" |
| Side trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Toekick trim1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 27 1/2" |
Buy 5 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
1 board
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 and cut the sides and shelves first from a full sheet, remembering the saw blade eats about 1/4" — don't mark all pieces at once and cut blind. From what's left, measure and cut the top. Cut the remaining trim pieces to fit as you build rather than pre-cutting to the plan's numbers. Use 2" nails and glue at every joint unless noted otherwise, predrilling and countersinking if you use screws instead, and check the bench is square at each step.
Mark the sides where each shelf will fasten, accounting for the 3/4" plywood thickness, then fasten the shelves to the sides with 2" nails and glue.
Mark the top 1/4" in from the sides on both the front and back, then position and fasten it so the sides overhang 1/4" on each edge while the front and back stay flush.
Check the assembly for square, then fasten the plywood back with 1-1/4" nails and glue.
Measure and cut the top trim to fit, then nail it in place flush with the top and overhanging the sides by 1/4" to match the top panel. Cut and mark the side trim 1/4" in and fasten it the same overhanging way, nailing through the top trim into the side trim's top edge. Finally, cut and fasten the toekick trim flush at the top, nailing through the side trim into its end edges, then nail through the face of the trim into the toekick itself.
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