DIY Storage Bench
I have had this vision of a bench in Sienna’s room for forever! I just needed somewhere to store all of her books (there is A LOT of them) I looked for so long but I could not find anything that was similar to what I had envisioned. So I decided to design my own. Full disclosure, I told my Dad and George that I wanted this bench made for Mother’s Day. We sketched it up, measured and I told them the paint color. They did all the heavy lifting on this DIY though. I am OBSESSED with the results, it is just like I pictured it. Sienna loves it too, and even helped me choose the pillows and plants that she wanted put on top of it. Now let me take you through the steps, if you want to create one too. The total cost, for wood and paint was $75. The legs I already had but you can purchase them at Pretty Pegs, and the bins are from Target.
1.) Materials
The Pieces of Wood ( We used 3/4'“ particle board)
Sides- 16” x 16 3/4” (2 Each)
Back - 53 1/2’ x 16 3/4’ (I Each)
Bottom and Seat- 53 1/2’ x 15 1/4’ (2 Each)
Middle Stabilizer- 12’ x 15 1/4’ ( 1 Each)
The Paint
1 Gallon Pinecone Hill by Behr (We used a Matte finish) However, i would recommend a semi-gloss if you have kids or it will be in a high traffic area. It is easier to wipe off stains, or messes.
Target Bins
We got four of these bins from Target
14” deep
13”wide
11” tall
Pretty Peg Legs
Estelle Slim Legs by Pretty Pegs (4-5) We only used four but if you expect more weight to be put on it I would put one in the middle for extra stability.
Wood Glue
Chaulk
2.) Tools Needed ( I linked the ones we used)
Paint Gun (Optional)- If you don’t use a paint gun you will need a roller and/or paint brush
Hammer/Nails ( 1 1/4” wood screws)
3.) Steps to Assemble
First, you put wood glue along the edges of the two sides except the top. Then you attach them to the bottom, hold, and nail them in with the nail gun. Next, you put the middle stablizer/support and glue the bottom of that to the bottom of the bench, hold and nail in. Then, you put the seat of the bench on top of the middle support and nail to the sides and to the middle. You would then chalk around all the edges.
Then we took the slats for the barn door look and glued them to the outside of the ends. We added one diagonal one, we tried for two but it laid all funky so we left it at one. If you choose to do this step you will have to cut down the diagonal, we used a chop saw.
Next, comes the paint. I used a paint gun for a nice even look, however, you can also use a roller and a brush. It only took two coats of paint before it was finished. Finally, we added the legs, Pretty Pegs gives you all of the adapters for adding on the legs, so you don’t need to purchase those. Ta Dah-! There you have it, a storage bench that fits Sienna’s books and bins perfectly. If you are going with these bins, it fits like a glove, so you need to make sure you aren’t off on the measurements of the wood or it could be too tight. Additionally, this is a two person job when it comes to holding it in place while you nail, so you will need some help for that portion. Have fun, and let me know if you decide to make one.
Cheers!
Janelle
