How to Make an Indoor Bench Seat

Lay out the two 2-by-4-by-52-inch boards and the two 2-by-4-by-12-inch boards to form a rectangle. Set the ends of the longer boards along the inside edges of the short boards. Line up the corners. Apply wood glue between the boards to hold the frame together. Allow the glue to dry.

Nail the frame together by hammering the nails through the sides of the short boards into the ends of the long boards. Use two nails per corner.

Set the two 2-by-6-by-60-inch boards side by side. Line up the ends. Measure 3 inches from both ends of the boards with the measuring tape. Mark a line at that spot on both boards.

Apply wood glue in a zigzag pattern along the top of the frame. Flip the frame over and set it between the two lines on the 60-inch boards. Even up the long sides and leave a 4-inch overhang on both ends of the short sides. Put the books on top of the frame to hold it while the glue sets. This creates the top of the bench seat.

Remove the books once the glue dries. Flip the frame over so the top of the seat is facing up. Hammer nails through the seat into the frame. Place one nail per corner of the frame at the center of the corner and then every 2 inches between the corners.

Flip the seat over again. Set one 13 1/2-by-24-by-3/4-inch plywood sheet against the outside edge of the 12-inch board. Line up the ends so that there is a 3/4-inch overlap of the plywood on both sides. Drill a 2-inch screw through the middle of the plywood into the board. Repeat the process for the opposite side of the frame. These are the legs.

Lay out both 8-by-8 inch plywood squares. Use a straight edge to draw lines from one corner to the opposite corner on both pieces. Cut both pieces into triangles along those lines. This should give you four 8-by-8-by-11.3-inch triangles.

Line up the triangles so that one side is against the underside of the seat and another side is against the back of the plywood leg. Drill a screw through the triangle into the frame at the center top of the triangle into the frame. Drill two screws through the side of the plywood leg into the end of the triangle. Repeat this process for the other three triangles.

Measure 4 inches from the top of the plywood along the side facing the frame. Do this for both legs at the middle of the plywood. Mark the spots. Set the remaining 2-by-4-by-52-inch board between the two legs with the 2-inch side forming the top and bottom. Drill two screws through the plywood into each end of the board. This forms the brace of the seat.

Apply the stain according to manufacturer's instructions. Allow to dry and apply a second coating.