DIY Deck Benches

Taking Inventory

• Inventory your surplus material. List whether the leftovers are two-by-two, two-by-four, two-by-six or larger sizes. Measure the lengths of all the scraps and write down the measurements. With luck, you will have at least 5 feet of two-by-six material and six pieces of two-by-four, each around 6 feet long.

Cutting and Assembly

• Cut the two-by-six into four 14 1/2-inch pieces to make legs. Cut two two-by-twos to 11 1/2 inches to make leg-to-deck mounting strips. Cut a two-by-four into four 14-inch pieces to make leg-to-seat supports.

  To create the bench seat, cut four pieces of two-by-four at 69 inches (the bench seat), two pieces at 72 inches (front and rear fascia) and two pieces at 17 inches (side fascia).

  Space two legs 1/2 inch apart. Assemble the deck bench using 3-inch deck screws and a power drill. Lay one of the leg-to-seat supports on top of the legs, so the tops are flush and the ends of the support extend about 1 1/4 inch past either side of the legs. Place four screws in a staggered pattern across the support, so that two screws fasten each leg. Attach a leg-to-deck mounting strip across the bottom of the legs, and attach it with four slightly staggered screws.

  Flip over the legs and attach a second leg-to-seat support and leg-to-deck mounting strip on the other side. Use a new staggered screw pattern to avoid striking the existing screws. ??

  Repeat these steps to make a second set of legs.

  Stand up the two pairs of legs on your deck about 56 inches apart in the position they will hold when finished. The bench seat will overhang the seat supports by about 8 inches on each side.

  Place the bench seat two-by-fours on top of the leg supports. Push the two-by-fours together to leave no or very small gaps. Clamp the two-by-fours if necessary. Make certain the two-by-fours do not extend past the leg support edges. Screw the two-by-fours to the seat supports. You should have a 14- by 69-inch bench seat.

  Cut 45-degree angles on the seat fascias on a miter or chop saw. Measure carefully to make sure the mitered edge lines up well with the ends of the seat two-by-fours. Clamp or have a friend hold the fascia front piece against the outside board of the bench seat. Check that the edge of the fascia is flush with the top of the two-by-four. Screw one end and then the other of the fascia into the bench seat board. Add more screws about 12 inches apart.

  Repeat this step for the rear fascia piece.

  Position the end fascia pieces. They should fit perfectly. Screw one screw through the fascia to each end of the bench seat boards and two more screws at each miter corner.

Finishing

• Stain or paint the benches to match your deck.

Additional Pieces

• If you have additional scrap in your inventory but lack the necessary 72-inch pieces to make a second bench, you can either design a slightly shorter bench or have shorter two-by-four pieces, meeting in the middle at a butt joint, complete the fascia. If you have wider, two-by-eight planks, you can use one of these in place of two two-by-fours for the seat.