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This bench is designed to nest efficiently on a sheet of plywood — if you're building three at once, cutting them as a set uses only two sheets instead of three, so lay out all the parts before cutting if you're making more than one. Every panel joint here is nailed and glued edge-to-face, not pocket-holed, so keep the reference overhangs exact: the top overhangs the sides by 1/4" on both ends, and that's what gives the bench its finished look rather than a boxy one.
Build and install the drawer without its face first, centering it in the opening with an even 1/8" gap, then attach the face from inside the drawer box (leaning the drawer toward you to reach the back of the face) — nailing from inside hides most of the fasteners on the finished front.
| Item |
|---|
| Qty |
|---|
| 3/4" plywood, 1 sheet | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 30 in | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x2, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x10, 10 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x12, 6 ft | 1 each |
| 1/2" plywood scrap, for the back | 1 each |
| 2" nails | 1 box |
| 1-1/4" nails | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 3 oz |
| 22" drawer slides, pair | 1 pair |
| Drawer knob or handle | 1 each |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sides3/4" plywood, 1 sheet | 2 | 3/4" × 17 1/4" × 23" |
| Bottom3/4" plywood, 1 sheet | 1 | 3/4" × 23" × 28 1/2" |
| Top3/4" plywood, 1 sheetOverhangs the sides by 1/4" on each side. | 1 | 3/4" × 23" × 30 1/2" |
| Inset footerPine 1x4 | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Top front trimPine 1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 30 1/2" |
| Side trimPine 1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Bottom trimPine 1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 27 1/2" |
| Back1/2" plywood scrap, for the back | 1 | 1/2" × 18" × 30" |
| Drawer bottom3/4" plywood, 1 sheet | 1 | 3/4" × 22 1/2" × 27 1/4" |
| Drawer sidesPine 1x10 | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 22 1/2" |
| Drawer front and backPine 1x10 | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 25 3/4" |
| Drawer facePine 1x12Two boards edge-joined to make the full face width. | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 27 1/4" |
Buy 9 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
1 board
1 board
1 board
Save your scraps — laying out the cuts efficiently means three benches only need two sheets of plywood.
Use 2" nails and glue to nail through the sides into the end edges of the bottom, following the diagram measurements. Then nail the top to the sides with 2" nails and glue — the top overhangs the sides by 1/4" on both sides.
Nail the inset footer in place, keeping the outside edges flush, using 2" nails and glue through the sides and bottom into its edges.
Nail the top front trim to the top and sides of the bench with 2" nails and glue. Nail the side trim in place, nailing into the side edges, the bottom edge, and the footer (use 1-1/4" nails into the footer). Finish the trim by nailing the bottom trim to the bench, using 2" nails and glue into the top, and 1-1/4" nails into the footer.
Use 2" nails and glue to nail through the drawer bottom into the edges of the drawer sides.
Place the front and back boards in the drawer and nail through the bottom and sides into their edges with 2" nails.
Attach the drawer slides to the bench and drawer box, then insert and push the drawer into the bench without its face.
Position the drawer face on the drawer with an even 1/8" gap all around. Glue and nail one nail per corner with 1-1/4" nails, then pull the drawer out, lean it toward you, and nail into the back of the face from the inside to hide most of the nail holes. Avoid nailing where the handle will go.
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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 →