NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
The back of this bench is a row of X's built from short mitered 2x2 pieces set between two vertical posts, and the one detail that separates a clean result from a sloppy one is entirely about hole placement, not cutting: every pocket hole in the lattice gets marked and labeled BEFORE drilling (letter each crossing joint — A to A, B to B — so you know which face of which piece needs the hole) specifically so no pocket hole ends up visible on the front of the bench. On the 45° mitered ends you can still drill a pocket hole even though there's less material to work with there; it holds fine despite looking marginal.
The back legs and back rail are the one place the plan asks you to build custom rather than to a fixed number: scribe them to fit by holding a long board in place against the actual back assembly and tracing the cut lines with a pencil, rather than trusting a cut-list dimension that assumes your frame came out exactly on spec.
The seat itself is a straightforward framed rectangle — 2x4 front, back, ends, and under-supports for mid-span stiffness under a bench this long — topped with four 2x6 slats. The arms cap the front legs, screwed from both the top and the back, and are wide enough to set a drink on without the bench feeling like a chair.
Build the seat frame and legs first and get them screwed together solid; the back lattice is decorative and structural bracing both, but it goes on last, once there's a stable base to build it up from.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ftLegs, seat framing, arms. | 7 each |
| 2x6, 12 ftSeat slats. | 2 each |
| 2x2, 8 ftThe X-back lattice and decorative verticals. | 2 each |
| Exterior self-tapping star bit screws, 2-1/2" | 50 each |
| Exterior pocket hole screws, 2-1/2" | 30 each |
| Exterior 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Back legs2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 43 1/2" |
| Back horizontal boards2x4Treat as an estimate — scribe to fit by holding the board in place against the assembled back and tracing the cut lines. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 57 3/8" |
| Seat framing, front and back2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 61 3/8" |
| Seat framing, ends2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 23 1/2" |
| Seat framing, under supports2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 20 1/2" |
| Front legs2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 23 1/2" |
| Seat slats2x6 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 64 3/8" |
| Arms2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 26" |
| Decorative back verticals2x2Centered so there's 18-1/8" of space between each vertical and the back legs. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 16" |
| X-lattice, long pieces2x2Both ends cut at 45°, ends ARE parallel, long point to long point measurement. | 3 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 22 5/8" |
| X-lattice, short pieces2x2One end cut at 45°, longest point measurement. | 6 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 11 3/8" |
Buy 12 boards at 8 ft.
4 boards
6 boards
Join the back legs and back horizontal boards with 1-1/2" pocket holes and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws. If you'd rather work flat on a benchtop than reach around the back of the assembled bench later, you can add the decorative 2x2 verticals now instead of after the lattice step.
Assemble the seat frame — front, back, and ends — with either pocket holes or 2-1/2" self-tapping exterior screws, whichever you used for the back frame.
Screw the two under-support pieces across the seat frame's mid-span — this is what keeps a bench this long from developing a bounce in the middle. Then attach the completed seat framing to the back frame with 2-1/2" exterior screws.
Attach the front legs to the front of the seat framing with 2-1/2" screws. Add the arms on top, screwing from both the top and the back of each front leg for a solid, wobble-free connection.
Attach the four 2x6 seat slats across the top of the seat frame, evenly spaced, with 2-1/2" screws into the frame and under-supports below.
First, add the two 16"-long 2x2 decorative verticals to the back frame, centering them so there's 18-1/8" of open space between each vertical and the 2x4 back legs.
Then cut all the X-lattice pieces and dry-fit them into the openings. Once every piece fits, mark the pocket holes that need drilling on the BACK side of each piece, and letter the joints as you go (A-A on one crossing joint, B-B on the next, and so on) — this is what keeps you from accidentally drilling a hole that ends up facing the front of the bench. On the 45° mitered ends you can still drill a pocket hole; there isn't much material to work with, but it holds.
Attach every piece from the back side with 2-1/2" pocket hole screws and glue.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.
2 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 →