Today I am showing you how to build this super cute, easy, AND stylish DIY mudroom bench! The bottom shelf  is perfect for shoes, purses, storage baskets, or whatever you’d like!

This project turned out MUCH better than I had anticipated. Most of the wood came from my scrap pile. I love when that happens!! I literally spent less than $10 in lumber on this. Holla!

If you are new to the blog, you may not know about my obsession with benches. If you are just starting out with woodworking, benches are easy and cheap to build and oh-so-stylish! You can find a place for a bench in every room of the house. And I have!

Side note: I wonder how many times I’ve used the words easy and cheap on this blog.

This bench will be gifted to a friend and co-worker of mine, who graciously let me stay in her beach house last summer. The house has a tiny mudroom, and finding a bench that would fit in there is pretty much impossible, so I built one for her!

Here are the dimensions of the piece. Keep scrolling for the step-by-step tutorial.

I told you it was a small bench!

These measurements can be easily adjusted to fit your space. add some length to the seat and the shelf and you’re there! That is the beauty of DIY!

DIY Mudroom Bench with Storage

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Materials and Cuts

• • • • (1) 1″x 6″ x 6′ —–> Cut 5 pieces at 12″ for the seat
      • (2) 2″ x 3″ x 6′—–> Cut two pieces at 24″ and 4 pieces at 16 1/2″
      • 1″ x 2″ ——> Scroll down for measuring and cutting these
      • 1″ x 12″—–> Cut one piece at 24″
      • Bar clamp 
      • Level
      • Miter Saw (or hand saw, or have pieces cut at the store!)
      • Drill
      • Wood Glue
      • Sander (or sand paper)
      • Kreg Jig
      • Pocket Screws 
      • 2″ Wood Screws  (to attach the seat to the frame)
      • Finish of Choice. I used General Finishes Brick Red and a Flat Finish Top Coat for the frame and I stained the top with a dark walnut stain
        

Step 1: Build the Seat

Take your 1×6″ pieces and glue them together to make the seat. You could use the kreg Jig here, but I chose to glue them because I knew I would be screwing the frame to the seat later. Use a bar clamp (the kind of clamp that goes really wide) to hold the pieces together for a strong hold.

When using stain, it is easier to stain the pieces before the entire thing is assembled, especially if you will be painting the frame a different color. I learned this the hard way before! I waited a few hours to make sure the pieces were well glued, then I a applied a dark walnut stain with a rag and let it dry while I built the frame.

Step 2: Build and Attach the Legs 

To build the frame, drill pocket holes on the 24″ 2×3 pieces. Then attach the 4 legs pieces to the ends using pocket screws. Use glue at every seam!

You should end up with two “U” pieces like these.

Next, attach the U pieces to the seat using 2″ wood Screws (these are my favorite screws because you don’t have to drill pilot holes. I got no time for pre-drilling!) The two U pieces are pretty close to the same width as the seat, so I pretty much eye-balled the placement and drilled the two pieces on either side on the seat with three screws on each side.

Step 3: Measure, Cut, and Attach the Crossbars

You should have some leftover 2×3″ pieces. Measure the distance between the legs underneath the seat, then cut the crossbar that goes between the legs at the bottom.  Measuring on top lets you end up with nice parallel legs after you attach the crossbar!

To attach the crossbar, drill a pocket hole on each end and attach them one inch from the bottom using pocket screws and glue.

If you are a visual person like I am, just look at the pic below and it will make more sense!!

Step 4: Attaching the Shoe Shelf

Attach a piece of 1 x 2″against the crossbar using wood glue and nails. Make sure it’s level. This will support the shelf.

The 1 x 12″ shelf piece will be glued to the top of these, or it can simply rest on top if you want the shelf to be removable.

The pic below shows the end result with the shelf resting on top of the 1×2″

Step 5: Sand and Finish

After it was all put together I gave the whole thing a little sanding using my handy dandy battery operated sander .

Like I mentioned before, I used a dark walnut stain on the seat. Then I used General Finishes Brick Red and a Flat Finish Top Coat on the frame and the top. Now I get to give it away. That’s hard 🙂

Be sure and pin this for later

If you are obsessed with benches like I am, allow me to feed your addiction with these other bench tutorials! You’re welcome 🙂

DIY Upholstered Bench with Faux Metal Frame

DIY Wood Bench-only $15 in lumber!

DIY Bench with Storage Compartments- IKEA Nornas look alike

How to Make an Upholstered Bench

DIY Narrow Coffee Table or Country Bench Tutorial

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Until next time!

Janice

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