DIY Easy Outdoor Bench

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by WORX Tools, all opinions are 100% my own.

Our courtyard was my very first impression of our home and I’ll never forget the feeling I had when I walked into it for the first time. It was instant magic. Since we moved in, I’ve been slowly working, piece by piece, corner by corner, to create thus magical little French inspired courtyard that is filled with unique pieces and lots of lush greenery. I just finished up the French Inspired Large Planter Box, now I’m working on designing and making a custom bench for our entry. There is a perfect spot for a little bench (maybe two) but it’s been tough to find the exact size and style I’m looking for. So naturally I’m going to make it instead. Today, I’m breaking down the plans for this DIY Easy Outdoor Bench. This is an easier build that anyone can do!

DIY Easy Outdoor Bench

I’ve done some larger, more intermediate builds lately, but I assure you this one is something anything can do! It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. A little more expensive than I wanted, but still came out to about 1/3 the price of all the other benches I was considering buying for this space. So I call that a win!

Outdoor Bench Supplies

Tools Needed:

• WORX Compound Miter Saw
• WORX Nitro Brad Nailer & Stapler
• WORX Circular Saw
• WORX Impact Driver Combo Set
• WORX Pegasus Work Table
• WORX Power Share Sand Deck 5-in-1 Sander
• Measuring Tape

Supplies Needed:

• (3) 16-in x 8-ft Spruce Pine Fir Board
• (3) 1-in x 3-in x 8-ft Select Pine Board
• (51) 1-in x 15-in Radius Edge Pine Board (You only need 34 if doing two legs)
• Exterior Wood Glue
• Wood Screws
• Furniture Sliders (optional)
• Minwax Special Walnut (or stain of choice)
• Minwax Helmsman Clear Satin Oil-based Interior/Exterior Varnish

How To Build Your Own Outdoor Bench

Step 1: Glue the seat boards together

*Trim your boards to your desired length. If you want an 8ft bench like mine, I suggest trimming 1-2″ off the ends to make it easier to cut your trim. If your bench is 8ft and your trim is 8ft, you can’t miter the edges. So It’s best to trim a little off your bench length.

Building the seat is actually extremely easy, no power tools needed! I took three 16-in x 8-ft Spruce Pine Fir Boards and glued them together using Exterior Wood Glue. Be sure to clamp them together, using as many clamps as possible to keep them tight while they dry.

I started with two boards and realized I wanted one more for thickness so I added a third.

Step 2: Build Your Round Stacked “Legs”

This part is tedious, but it really only took me a few hours to complete! It’s just the same process over and over again! Since my bench is 8 ft long I felt it was best to do three columns to make it extra sturdy. If you were doing a 7ft bench or less, I would only do 2 round columns and move them slightly closer to the center.

Measure out the distance for all of your columns. Make sure they are centered and evenly spaced. To start, glue the first round directly onto the seat, and then place 3 wood screws in using your Impact Driver Combo Set, securing it directly to the seat. Make sure your wood screws aren’t longer than the depth of the seat, you don’t want those poking through!

Slowly start staking your wood rounds, applying wood glue, 1-2 wood screws and then repeating. Keep checking that they are straight.

I did 17 wood rounds on each column.

Step 3: Flip It Over and Add The Trim

Let me just note that this bench is HEAVY. Like you’ll for sure need two people to lift it and it’s for sure not going anywhere in wind storm. I’m pretty sure it could withstand a tornado.

Flip the bench over to the right side, so cut your trim for the edges. This will cover the layers of the bench seat and also just give it a very polished and professional appearance.

You are just making basic 90 degree cuts using your Compound Miter Saw and then securing it together with a Nitro Brad Nailer & Stapler. If needed, you can use a little wood filler on the corners.

Step 4: Gently Sand the Bench

Before you stain, gently sand the bench down to remove any lose pieces of wood and make it extremely smooth. I recommend using 220 grip paper with your WORX Power Share Sand Deck 5-in-1 Sander.

Step 5: Choose Your Stain & Seal

I did two coats of Minwax Special Walnut and then applied two coats of Minwax Helmsman Clear Satin Oil-based Interior/Exterior Varnish.

DIY Easy Outdoor Bench

I absolutely LOVE how this bench turned out! It is the perfect combo if being different and unique but also classic.I love the texture the wood rounds bring. I am so happy with how this turned out that I decided I want a matching one for the other side of the entry!

SO what was the final cost? With the wood, glue, stain and few other supplies, it came out to right around $550. This number would be greatly reduced if you only needed to do three of the wood round columns.

And yes, you see that right. These are my favorite set of 3 planters from Amazon, that are just around $100 for the set. I decided to switch out the flowers I planted in here and go with more simplistic bushes and trees. All of these are artificial and will last forever :) You can shop this whole look here.

Watch The Tutorial