Bench warmers.

Finally I can sit down! It felt like I've been doing wall sits for a lifetime now. Yeah that was lame. But it's late and that's all I've got. Let's build a bench, shall we?

(Four) 2x4 pieces of 3/4inch MDF check.

(One box) Itty bitty finishing nails check

Wood glue to help stabilize the piece on my..heavy days. Check

Paint, empty wall space, eager builder Dad to take the lead help you along the way, check, check and check!

Lets go!

Make a frame. Front piece which is essentially like a toe kick to a cabinet. Then add a vertical brace in the middle. This will help stabilize it so it doesn't dip. Nobody wants a wimpy bench. :)

I didn't photo the brace. Shoot. But it goes directly in the middle. Ya know? Yes. Good.

Then we he cut the bottom of the bench, where the shoe baskets will be. He made it hang out a bit further than the frame. Just like cabinets remember? The sides go directly on top of the bottom piece and nailed into the wall and the bottom, with beads of glue along the way.

Add the seat, glue & nail.

Then the middle vertical piece to help hold the weight. We could have stopped there and it would have probably looked just fine, but adding some trim sealed the deal. Using the scraps from the bench we he cut 2 inch strips and made a frame around the opening, with a little lip above the top and bottom. It will help to keep the baskets in place and just make it prettier! :) That's it folks. Yep, easy huh?

Measure, frame, box it out, picture frame trim. If builder Dad wasn't such a perfectionist he would have let me use the power saw. Nope. When will he learn? :) It's not like those battens cut themselves Daaadddd.

Sorry my inner whiny 15 year old was coming out.

Looks sturdy. Shall we do a test run?

Perfect!

Before and After :)

Comin' along nicely if I say so myself! Notice the baskets? Come back tomorrow for the deets on those!