DIY Mudroom Bench

This DIY Mudroom bench was an awesome addition to our mudroom! We left the bottom open so the kids could easily kick off their shoes and slide them underneath. Ideally, we like to keep the shoes in the baskets, but we all know living life with a busy schedule, that doesn't always happen :)

The thing I love about this bench is it can be stained any color to match your home's style and can be adjusted easily to accommodate any space! Good luck!

Materials Needed (Bench only, not wall):

One 1"x3"x8' board

One 2"x4"x8' board

Three 1.5" Thick 42" x 48" Pine Project Panel/Craft Wood (Can substitute for something else)

Fifteen 1.5" Kreg Screws

Six 2.5" screws

Brad nails

Tools Needed

Circular Saw

Table Saw

Impact Driver

Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

Measuring Tape

Brad Nailer

Oscillating Multi-tool

Tip: We recommend painting your legs/trim pieces and wall prior to assembly/installation. You can use a sprayer or a foam roller for trim work and legs. We painted everything SW Iron Ore and used a white wash and Polyacrylic on the bench. You can watch this process on our Instagram stories!

Measure your space for the bench. Find out how wide and long you want the bench. A standard bench height should be 16-19" high. Ours is 20.5" high from top to floor and feels a little high, but my husband is 6' 3" and has had back problems. I wanted it to be a little higher so it was comfortable for him and it honestly feels perfect to me! For the width, it depends on your space, try taping it off and see how it feels for a couple of days. Ours is 20.5" deep. This tutorial will be the exact measurements we used for our bench but you can adjust as needed to fit your space. You can also use whatever kind of wood you want for the bench. We use Craft Making Pine from Lowe's and it was a little pricey but looks beautiful!

Step One: Making the Seat of the Bench

Cut two 1.5" thick craft making pine boards with table saw or circular saw to 46" x 17" each. Join the 2 boards to make one 92" long board. To join: on the bottom of one board (bottom of the seat) drill 5 pocket holes spaced evenly apart where the boards will be joined. Apply wood glue to each end that will be joined together. Spread evenly, then press the 2 ends together and drill 1.5" screws into pocket holes to connect the 2 boards. Save excess wood, you'll use this to make the legs.

Step Two: Making the Legs

Using the excess craft making pine boards, cut down 2 pieces to 16"deep x 19"high and one piece to 11"deep x 19"high. Drill 4 pocket holes in the larger 16" x 19" boards. Two should be going up into the seat of the bench and 2 going towards the wall the bench will sit up against. Drill 2 pocket holes on the 11" x 19" leg, only going up into the seat of the bench (the legs are 19" high). I recommend painting your legs before attaching with a small foam roller or a sprayer if you have one! Using 1.5" screws, attach the two 11" x 19" to your bench seat on each side leaving a 1" overhang on the front and side but flush with the back.

Depending on the size of your room and bench you may need to install the legs in the room so you don't have trouble getting it through the door.

TIP: Before attaching the legs, bring one inside and hold it up to the trim. Measure the width of the space to find out where each leg will end up and use a pencil to trace the width of the leg where it will be installed (it's about 1.5") and notch out part of the base using a oscillating multi-tool so the legs of the bench can easily slide into the trim. That way the bench sit flat up against the wall behind it. You may also need to remove a piece of the trim if it sits in a corner like ours

does.

Step Three: Install the Bench

Slide both legs into the spaces you notched out of your base to ensure it fits in those notches. You now have a bench! Yay!

Go ahead and slide the middle leg under the center of the bench. It should sit 1" back to match the same 1" overhang you have on the front of the other 2 legs. You can slide the bench back out if you need to and flip it over to attach. Use the same method (1.5" screws) to attach the center leg to the underside of the bench seat.

Step Four: Additional Support

Use a stud finder to find studs on your bench wall. Cut down two 42" long 2x4's and place them underneath, one on each side, towards the back attaching them with 2.5" screws into the studs. I would also recommend painting these prior to installation.

Step Five: Finishing Touches

Measure the length of the front of your bench from end to end of the outside LEGS. Trim down a 1" x 3" to length and install just under the overhang of the bench using a brad nail gun. Ours ended up being about 91.25" long. Depending on exactly where you installed your legs, this could vary slightly. Stay tuned for a wall/board and batten tutorial!