This is how to build a bench for the foot of your bed. A quick, inexpensive and easy DIY project. If you haven’t done a do it yourself project this is a simple one to get started.
Step 1 Finding the Legs
I wanted metal legs for this bench so I started looking. There are so many options out there. I took my time looking but decided on these beauties I picked up on Amazon. I liked the clean lines and wanted them to match a desk I had created for our bedroom. You can check out the desk Here.
Step 2 Deciding on the Top
I knew I wanted to build the top but I had a hard time deciding between paint and stain. I finally made a decision. It really didn’t matter because I can change it at any time. Because DIY is what I do and I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty.
So I started the hunt for beautiful wood. I used a 2 x 10″ piece of wood I found a Home Depot for our laundry room shelf. See it Here. I knew something similar would create the look I was after.
We were off to Home Depot to see what we could find. There were a lot of 8′. 2 x 12’s but we only needed about 4′ and didn’t want to buy a whole board. My husband and I made a discovery. They have a section of 4′ premium pieces and happened to have 2 x 10’s.
One thing to remember. You will want to take your time and find a dry straight piece. It is worth looking through the whole stack if necessary. You can do this by looking down the board. I always close one eye so I can see any bends in the board. After you decide on a piece you can even lay it on the floor to see if it lays straight. Sometimes you have to decide on the lesser of two evils. Since this is a shorter piece of wood we were ok with just a little bowing in the board.
Step 3 Preparing the Wood
We have all the materials and I now get to do my favorite step, the sanding. I feel like a broken record but I love to sand and make wood so soft and smooth.
I used my mouse sander and a couple grits of sand paper. Starting with the coarse paper and moving to finer grit.
I love to run my hand along the board as I’m sanding to check for smoothness. You will be able to feel the difference. After I’m done I like to wipe off the wood with a dry blue shop towel. Then I use a wire brush along where I’ve sanded. This will loosen any saw dust trapped in the grain of the wood. I will then wipe it off again with a clean shop towel. Followed by a barely damp towel so it is perfectly clean and ready for stain.
Step 4 Staining the Board
I have a stain combination that I am loving in my home. Because it’s three steps it takes a little more time but the results are worth the dry time.
These Varathane pre-stain and stain can be picked up at Home Depot. I have tried a couple other brands and was not happy with the results. You can see them here, here and here.
Read and follow the directions on the can for best results. I of course started with the pre-stain. Because the board wasn’t too large I applied it to the whole board with my foam brush before I started wiping it off with the blue shop towel.
Step 4 B Sand Lightly Between each Coat of Stain
To get the beautiful custom finish you want be sure to sand between each application. I have a very very very fine sanding sponge that I run over the wood. It is so quick and easy but makes a huge difference. When you stain or paint a piece of wood the super fine fibers of the wood will raise making it a little rough.
After the light sanding I applied the white wash. Covering the whole board before wiping off. If you are working with a larger piece you will want to work in sections. I then let it dry. I always us gloves because I get stain on my hands all the time. When I went to get a glove my box was empty. Because I was in the middle of it I was too impatient and didn’t run to the store quickly. Leaving me a sticky mess. Thankfully mineral spirits takes it off easily.
Be sure to sand after the white wash stain is dry then apply the final stain, the special walnut.
When I do the special walnut I apply it against the grain and then wipe it off with the grain.
Let it dry overnight or longer then get ready to put the bench together.
Step 5 Marking the Leg Application
The metal legs came ready to install with screws. But the screws aren’t a good enough quality so we purchased some better ones.
To find where the legs go I decided how far in from the end I wanted them to be. I then measured and made sure they were centered. The last piece was marking where the the screw holes were going.
This little guy saved the day. Once I figured out where the metal legs were going to go I was able to set the square and check and make sure it was in the right position and centered. Then using the same distance to mark the second leg.
Step 6 Pre Drill the Holes
Using a drill bit smaller then the screw is the best way to pre drill the holes. To make sure I didn’t go through too far I put a piece of black tape on the bit so I knew where to stop. Pre drilling makes the screwing in so much easier.
Step 7 Screw on the Metal Legs
It is now time to screw on the legs. Because the holes are pre drilled it’s a matter of lining it up and screwing them on.
When you put your first screw in do not make it tight. This allows you to adjust if needed. When you put in a second screw check to make sure it’s still straight then tighten both screws when everything is good.
The Final Product
This was a super fun, quick, easy and inexpensive project. The bench was under $50. That is a win win in my books. This is a perfect for the beginner do it yourself enthusiast. You will have a beautiful bench for the foot of your bed in no time.
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