Featuring a curved seat shape and slatted backrest, this bench brings comfort and style to your outdoor living space. We’ve included a template pattern for the seat curve to take out the guesswork, so you can spend more time relaxing.
First, a frame
1 From ¾" stock, laminate the legs (A) and cut them to size [Materials List, Drawing 1]. Cut the mortises in the legs.
2 Cut the rails (B–E), and seat supports (F) to size [Drawings 1, 2]. Cut the tenons on the ends of the rails [Drawing 2a].
3 Lay out the seat curve on a piece of ¼" MDF or hardboard [Drawing 3]. Cut and sand to the line. Trace the template on the side mid rails (C) and seat supports (F) [Photo A, Drawing 2], then cut and sand to the line. 4 Finish-sand the side rails (B, C, D) and inside faces of the legs (A). Apply glue to the side rail tenons and assemble the sides.
5 Finish-sand the front and back rails (E), then assemble the frame [Photo B].
6 Cut the arms (G) and armrest back (H) to size, mitering the ends [Drawing 2].
7 Cut the biscuit slots, then glue up the armrest assembly. After the glue dries, attach it to the frame [Photo C].
Put your back into it
1 Cut the backrest parts (I–L) to size, beveling the bottom ends of the stiles (J, K) [Drawing 4].
2 Mortise the top rail (I) and stiles (J, K), and cut the tenons on the stiles and slats (L) [Drawings 4, 4a].
3 Lay out and shape the outside stiles (J)
[Drawing 4a, Photo D].
4 Assemble the backrest stiles (J, K) and slats (L) [Photo E]. Cut and sand the curved ends of the backrest top rail (I), then glue this in place [Drawing 4]. Finish-sand the backrest assembly.
5 Cut to size the backrest support (M) and screw it to the bottom of the backrest, centered [Drawing 5].
6 The backrest support (M) overhangs the side bottom rails (D) by ¼", so drill countersunk shank holes ⅝" from the ends [Drawing 5]. Then, screw the backrest to the frame [Photos F, G].
7 Finish attaching the backrest by screwing the stiles (J, K) to the armrest back (H) [Drawing 5].
Nearly ready for relaxation 1 Screw the seat supports (F) between the front and back seat rails (E) [Drawing 2].
2 Cut the seat slats (N, O) to size and finishsand them, rounding the top edges slightly.
3 Screw the front and back slats (N) between the legs (A), and positioned front-to-back flush with the inside face of each leg [Drawing 5].
4 Position one of the center slats (O) against the backrest, centered side-to-side. Mark and notch out the locations of the backrest stiles (J, K) [Drawing 5].
5 Evenly space the center seat slats (O) on the seat and screw them in place [Drawing 5].
6 Cut and install plugs in the screw holes. Touch up any remaining sanding and apply an outdoor finish. We used General Finishes Outdoor Oil. Once the finish dries, move the bench outside and take a load off.
the top edge.
F
A
Align the template with the edges and ends of each workpiece, then trace along
Learn four ways to make mortise and tenon joints. woodmagazine.com/ mt4ways A
Seat-curve template C B D
B
Glue and clamp for square.
SIDE ASSEMBLY (Right side shown) A
E
E the front and back rails (E) between the side assemblies. Check 1 5/8" ½" 15/8" 24" ½" mortise 11/16" deep ½" 5/8" 3¼" 53/8" ½" mortises 11/16" deep 2¼" 28" 41/8" ½" mortise 11/16" deep 1/8" round-overs 2¼" 2¼"
A B C D
Tip! Increase the reach of your pipe clamp by joining two shorter clamps with a threaded coupler. A
FRAME EXPLODED VIEW G H F
SEAT CURVE TEMPLATE PATTERN E C F F E front-to-back. G
C
Glue and clamp the armrest assembly C
FRAME RAIL TENON DETAIL D B 1/8" E ½" 1/8" 1/8" 1" to the frame, centered left-to-right and 3 2 2a 48¼" ½" 30" 1/8" 1/8" 45° miters 1" 1/8" #20 biscuit 4" 1/8" 13" 24" 13" 7/32" pilot holes with a 3/8"counterbore, ¼" deep #8 x 1¼" F.H. screw 3/8" plug Front end of template 24" 3½" One square =1" Enlarge 400% for full-size pattern
L J L L L L
J
D
Cut the straight portion at the tablesaw,
stopping about 2" before the curve. At that point, turn off the saw and hold the workpiece in place until the blade stops. Bandsaw the remaining portion, and sand the transition smooth. Keep the cutoff for use as a clamping caul later.
BACKREST ASSEMBLY I K
BACKREST TENON DETAIL ¼" ¼" ¼" ¼" ¼" 1" ¼" L L L L 5" ¼" 4" J 1" 3½" J 51/8" H
Use the cutoffs from as clamping cauls. J N
K B L I G C D
J M
J
ASSEMBLY VIEW K A N J O woodmagazine.com/ fairing E
L
E
Assemble the back in two stages. Glue and clamp four backrest slats (L) between an outside stile (J) and the center stile (K). After the glue dries, glue and clamp the remaining slats and stile in place.
Use a fairing stick to lay out curves. 4 5 46" 21¼" 3¼" 3½" 3¾" 1½" 4" ¼ x 3½" mortise 11/16" deep ¼" mortise 11/16" deep 1" 16" 1½" 4" 1½" 4" #8 x 1¼" F.H. screw
3/8" plug
7/32" pilot holes with a 3/8"counterbore, ¼" deep 1½" 33" ¼" mortise 11/16" deep 4" 14" 4" 15º bevels O O 4a #8 x 1½" F.H. screw
F
Position the backrest assembly legs (A). Clamp it in place. A J O O D on the side bottom rails (D), 4½" from the back A G J N L O E K A L B
G
Screw the backrest support (M) attachment in your drill. L to the side bottom rails (D) using a right-angle
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O Materials key: Supplies: biscuits.
Blade and bits: Dado set; 21⁄4"
Watch a video with tips on cutting and installing wood plugs. A M D D woodmagazine.com/ screwplugs Produced by Zach Brown Kevin Boyle
Project design: Kevin Boyle Illustrations: Roxanne LeMoine, Lorna Johnson with RGL RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG RG plug cutter. 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 8 1 2 6 Cutting Diagram Materials List ¾ x 5½ x 96" Red Grandis (2 needed) F C F C FINISHED SIZE ¾ x 7¼ x 96" Red Grandis Part T W L Matl. Qty. D G legs 21⁄4" 28" side top rails 13⁄4" 24" side mid rails 31⁄2" 24" side bottom rails 21⁄2" 24" front/back rails 31⁄2" 44" seat supports 31⁄2" 24" arms 4" 30" armrest back 4" 481⁄4" top rail 3" 46" outside stiles 5" 33" center stile 4" 33" slats 2" 16" backrest support 31⁄4" 46" front/back seat slats 21⁄2" 42" center seat slats 33⁄8" 46"
RGL-laminated Red Grandis, RG–Red Grandis. #8×11⁄4" flathead screws, #8×11⁄2" flathead screws, #20 3⁄4" ¾ x 7¼ x 72" Red Grandis 3⁄4" 3⁄4" 3⁄4" ¾ x 5½ x 96" Red Grandis 3⁄4" N H 3⁄4" 3⁄4" ¾ x 7¼ x 96" Red Grandis 3⁄4" 3⁄4" M I 3⁄4" 3⁄4" ¾ x 7¼ x 96" Red Grandis 3⁄4" 3⁄4" 3⁄4" ¾ x 7¼ x 96" Red Grandis 3⁄8" ¾ x 7¼ x 48" Red Grandis woodmagazine.com