Simple Bench Build Guide

Table of Contents

Materials & Tools

Customizable Design: This bench design is modular! You can build it to your own custom length, depth, and height by varying the cut lengths and layer counts. Below are standard material estimates based on a 20" high by 19.5" deep bench structure, with lengths of 4ft, 6ft, or 8ft.

Materials List

  • 8ft 2"x4" lumber:
    • 4ft Bench: 9 boards
    • 6ft Bench: 11 boards
    • 8ft Bench: 13 boards
  • 8ft 1"x4" lumber: 4 boards (same for all 4ft, 6ft, and 8ft variants)
  • Fasteners: 64 3" wood screws
  • Leveling Feet: 4 Furniture Leveling Feet (here are the ones I use)

Tools Required

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Check out my other build plans. 🙂 View Build Plans

Cut List & Cut Diagrams

The standard dimensions below are designed for a 20" High x 19.5" Deep bench. Select the length column (4ft, 6ft, or 8ft) that corresponds to your project size, or adjust part lengths for custom dimensions.

Part Notes 4 ft bench 6 ft bench 8 ft bench Qty
A Bench Top 48" 72" 96" 9
B Legs 16½" 16½"
 16½" 18
C Leg Spacers 20" 20" 20" 16
Custom Depth Tip: To adjust the depth of your bench, increase or decrease the overall number of stacked layers. These plans have 1 base layer (one A & two B's) and 8 stacked layers (one A, two B's & two C's). The base layer thickness is 1½". Each stacked layer thickness is 2¼". So, each stacked layer removed or added decreased or increases the bench depth by 2¼".
Custom Height Tip: To adjust height, change the length of Parts B and C (they should be changed by the same amount). For example, to shorten the bench by 2", each B should be 14½" and each C should be 18" (I subtracted 2" from the default lengths of each B and each C).


1x4 Cuts

4 ft bench 6 ft bench 8 ft bench

All C parts will be cut from the (4) 1x4 boards using the following digram (for all variants 4ft, 6ft, and 8ft).

2x4 Cuts

4 ft bench

If you're building a 4ft long bench, follow this cut diagram. 

Boards 1-9:

6 ft bench

If you're building a 6ft long bench, follow this cut diagram. 

Boards 1-9:

Board 10:

Board 11:

8 ft bench

If you're building an 8ft long bench, follow this cut diagram. 

Boards 1-9: No cuts needed, just set aside 9 A boards.

Boards 10-12:

Board 13:

Overview Diagram

Refer to the overview diagram below for part labeling and overall assembly geometry prior to starting the build.

Stain, Paint, and/or Poly

Prior to assembly, stain or paint all of the parts. Add polyurethane to protect the finish. It's a lot easier to do this prior to assembly, especially if you are alternating colors. In my example, I stained C lighter than A and B.

Assembly Instructions

1 Base Layer Alignment

  • Pick the best looking A you have. Lay it flat on the ground, with the best face down. This will be the most visible board.
  • Place two B boards perpendicular to board A at each end.
  • Align board A so its outer ends are perfectly flush with the outer side edges of each board B.

2 Middle Spacer Layer

  • Place one vertical spacer board (C) flat on top of each B board.
  • Position board C so its top 3.5 inches extends upward past board B and overlaps flat onto the face of board A.
  • Place a second board A and two more B boards directly over the C spacers, mirroring the base layer perfectly.
Check out my other build plans. 🙂 View Build Plans

3 Aligning and Securing (Pattern 1)

  • Check that all edges of the stacked boards are completely square and flush. Boards B should butt tightly against board A.
  • Drive screws down through the top layer, through the C spacer below, and into the previous A & B layer, following the precise layout in Screw Location Diagram 1.

Screw Location Diagram 1

The symbol ⨁ indicates where to insert 3" screws.

4 Layering and Securing (Pattern 2)

  • Repeat the layering sequence from Step 2 by placing a new set of C spacers, followed by board A and two B boards on top.
  • Ensure all stacked edges remain flush and aligned with the lower layers.
  • Drive screws down into this new layer following Screw Location Diagram 2.

Screw Location Diagram 2

The symbol ⨁ indicates where to insert 3" screws.

5 Complete the Stack

  • Continue stacking layers by repeating Steps 3 and 4 until all remaining boards have been installed.
  • Alternate screw placement: Alternate strictly between Screw Location Diagram 1 and Screw Location Diagram 2 for every new layer of A, B, and C.
Important: Alternating patterns prevents new screws from colliding with screws driven into the lower layers!

6 Leveling Feet Installation

  • Flip the assembled bench structure upside down so the bottom side is accessible.
  • Mark the exact center on the bottom end-grain face of each corner leg (the B boards on the front and back of each side).
  • Drill a straight hole into each center mark. The hole diameter must match the outer shaft of your threaded insert, and the depth should match the length of the threaded portion of the leveling foot.
  • Gently tap the threaded insert into each hole using a hammer until full set in the wood, then thread in the adjustable feet.
Tip: Wrap a piece of masking tape around your drill bit at the exact depth of the insert to act as a visual stop guide while drilling.