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.
A whole small bench — top, two legs, and an optional stretcher — cut entirely from a single 2x10. Three pocket holes a side is the whole joinery.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top | 1 | 1 1/2" × 9 1/4" × 42" | 2x10 | ☐ |
| Legs Jigsaw a tapered profile at the top and a cutout at the bottom before sanding smooth. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 9 1/4" × 16" | 2x10 | ☐ |
| Stretcher (optional) | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x10 board, 8 ft (Oak (or pine)) Top and both legs all come from this one board. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 2x2 board, 30 in (Pine) Optional stretcher between the legs, for extra stability. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Wood screws, 2-1/2" | 8 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 2 oz | ☐ |
| Tung oil | 8 oz | ☐ |
| Square-head decorative nails (optional) | 10 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Circular Saw, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x10 board, 8 ft
Decide your top length and cut it from the 2x10 (42" is a comfortable entryway-bench length). Cut the two legs at 16" from the same board.
Tools: Jigsaw, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 2x10 board, 8 ft
With a jigsaw, cut a tapered design into the top of each leg and a cutout at the bottom. Cut both legs' profiles as close to identical as you can — clamp them together and cut through both at once if your jigsaw and stock thickness allow it. Sand each profile even and smooth before assembly.
Tools: Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x2 board, 30 in, Wood screws, 2-1/2", Wood glue
Drill three pocket holes on the inside face of each leg and attach to the top with pocket screws and glue. If you want a stretcher for extra stability, add it now between the legs — pocket holes work here too, or simply screw through the outside of each leg into the ends of the 2x2.
Materials: Square-head decorative nails (optional)
If you like the look, drive a few square-head nails into the top where it meets each leg, purely for visual effect — they aren't doing structural work, the pocket screws are.
Tools: Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Tung oil
Sand thoroughly, working up through the grits, then apply tung oil to bring out the natural grain — this is the finish that makes oak worth using over pine here. If you built the stretcher from pine and want it to read differently from the oak, a vinegar-and-steel-wool stain under the tung oil ages it to a darker tone.