How to Build a Simple Farmhouse Bench

This particular bench is 18 3/4″ tall, 6′ long and 12″ deep. The bench top (the seat) and legs are made from  1 x 12 poplar. Because of the length, the side rails are 1 x 6 to support any weight in the middle — plus the height of the rails is 1/3 of the overall height of the bench making for visually pleasing proportions. For a shorter bench, a 1 x 4 could be used instead. The round holes in the legs are 6” from the bottom, which combined with the rail height, divides the legs into thirds (6 + 6 + 6 = 18). I used poplar for the bench because it is widely available in 12” widths and it is great for painting.

Measure and cut the top (bench seat).

Using the length of the top as a guide, mark the length of side rails.

Cut the rails to length, then cut the angles on the ends. I measured 4″ up on the end and 8″ down the length of the board, which turned out to be about 60°. My miter saw will make that cut, but a lot of them won’t. A jig saw or a hand saw will work just fine.

Measure and cut both the legs from the 1 x 12. My legs are 18″ long, which makes the overall bench height 18 3/4 high.

Mark the location of the circle (mine is about 6″ on center from the bottom) and the angle of the cutout. The cutout starts about 3 inches from each edge of the board.

Cut out one side of the first leg. I used a jig saw, but a band saw or a hand saw would work just as well.

Drill out the hole using a 1 1/2″ forstner bit. Be careful not to break out the back side of the board. Drill until the center of the bit pierces the back side, then flip the board around and drill from the other side.

Using the first piece as a template, mark the cut lines on the other leg. Flip the “template” over and complete the transfer. Cut and drill the second leg and use it as a template for marking the other half  of the first leg. Finish cutting out the first leg.

The notches are the mechanical support for the side rails. Use the height of the rails to mark where the cuts will be. Cut out the notches using the jig saw.

Use some scrap to make some cleats. These are 3″ long by 1″ x 1″ with 2 holes in one side and a single hole in the perpendicular side. The purpose is to hold the bench seat to the legs and rails. I used 3 on each side rail and one on each leg (8 total per bench).

It’s time to get all of the parts nice and smooth. Sand all of the pieces up to 150 grit. This leaves a little texture for the paint to stick to. If you plan on staining yours, sand to 220. I also like to use a hand plane on the edges, instead of sanding. To get in the notch in the legs, I wrapped a piece of sandpaper around a piece of 1/4″-thick wood.

Assembly. My workbench is not level by any means, so I took extra care to create a level surface. Apply some glue in the notches in the legs then attach the side rails to the legs.

Attach the cleats using glue and screws. Leaving a little space at the top will help hold the seat tightly to the rails.

Attach the bench seat to the rest of the assembly starting with a line a glue. Line up the seat and screw into the cleats.

Glue plugs in the side screw holes. The difference between plugs and using a dowel is that the plugs will be long grain wood and the dowel will be end grain wood. The long grain runs in the same direction as the side rails. And do yourself a favor. Don’t use cherry plugs if you don’t have to. When the glue is dry, level off the plugs. I find that a hand saw and hand plane works perfectly.

Clean the whole thing using a damp rag or mineral spirits. This does two things. One, it removes sawdust and two, it raises the grain. In a lot of species of wood, when it gets damp (like when painting) the loose grains stand up, making for a rough surface. Pre-raising the grain helps to minimize the effect.

Sand again to get rid of the raised grain.

I used General Finishes Antique White Milk Paint. Being a traditional material, the Milk Paint lends to the timeless look and feel of the benches.