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A six-foot park-style bench with arms and a backrest, framed in 2x4 and decked in 1x6 — glue at every joint, because a public-duty bench earns it.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat frame rails | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 72" | — | ☐ |
| Seat frame crosspieces | 5 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 21" | — | ☐ |
| Back legs | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 31" | — | ☐ |
| Front legs and stretchers | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 24" | — | ☐ |
| Arms | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 25 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Bottom stretcher | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 69" | — | ☐ |
| Backrest supports | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 18 1/4" | — | ☐ |
| Seat and back boards | 6 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 72" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ft The entire frame. | 7 each | ☐ |
| 1x6, 6 ft Seat and back decking. | 6 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive | 60 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/2" to 2", self-tapping, star drive Decking. | 60 each | ☐ |
| Exterior wood glue At ALL joints — the plan's first instruction, and the right one. | 8 oz | ☐ |
| Exterior finish | 1 quart | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood glue
Assemble the two 72" rails with the five 21" crosspieces — glue every joint, two of the longer screws per joint. Five crosspieces on a six-foot bench is the anti-sag budget; space them evenly.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood glue
Attach the front and back legs to the seat frame with glue and THREE screws per joint. This is the bench's highest-leverage connection — every sit levers the legs against these screws, which is why this joint alone gets the third screw.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood glue
Set each arm on top of its front leg and tie it into the taller back leg — glue, two screws per joint. Check the arms are level with each other; on a bench, mismatched arms read instantly.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood glue
Screw the short stretchers between the bottom of each leg pair, glue and two screws per joint. Their job is exactly what the plan says: they stop the legs splaying under load.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood glue
Center the 69" stretcher between the two leg assemblies, low, and attach with two screws per end. It ties the ends into one frame — the difference between a bench and two chairs holding hands.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2" to 3", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood glue
Attach the three backrest supports with glue and two screws per joint — ends and center. These set the back's angle; dry-fit a back board and sit against it before the glue grabs if you want to fine-tune the lean.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 1x6, 6 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/2" to 2", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior finish
Lay the 1x6 seat and back boards with even gaps and screw down with the shorter screws, two per joint. Sand the arm tops and the seat's front edge until they're kind to skin, then finish exterior-grade.
Place it where the afternoon light lands, and accept that it will become the most-photographed thing in the yard.