How to Build a Cubby Bench

A cubby bench is the perfect addition to a front porch or entry, where weary home-comers can take off their shoes or boots and store them neatly in the cubbies. Such a bench is also ideal for use as extra storage and seating in bedrooms, or even in the kitchen. These versatile pieces of furniture are simple enough for even a carpentry-challenged do-it-yourselfer to make.

2 sheets 3/4-inch plywood, 15 by 45 inches
4 sheets 3/4-inch plywood, 15 by 15 inches
Wood glue
Carpenter's square
Drill
1-1/4-inch screws
1 sheet 1/2-inch plywood, 16 1/2 by 45 inches
2 sheets 3/4-inch plywood, 16 1/2 by 47 inches
Paint and paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Lay a sheet of 15-by-45-inch 3/4-inch plywood flat on a work surface. Take four sheets of 15-by-15-inch 3/4-inch plywood and stand then upright on top of the flat panel. Space the upright planks so that two are flush with the ends of the flat panel, forming right-angled corners, and two are evenly spaced between.
- 2
  Glue the 15-by-15-inch pieces to the flat panel and let dry. Turn the flat panel over, so that it is on top of the upright pieces of plywood, then drill five evenly spaced pilot holes through the bottom of the flat panel into each upright panel. The pilot holes should be countersunk and sized for 1-1/4-inch screws. Secure the flat panel to the upright planks with screws through the pilot holes.
- 3
  Turn the flat panel back over so that it is again on the bottom. Place a second 15-by-45-inch panel of plywood over the top of the upright pieces. The top flat panel should parallel the bottom panel. Secure to the upright pieces in the same manner as you did the bottom flat panel. This is the cubby section of the bench.
- 4
  Position a 16-1/2-by-45-inch piece of 1/2-inch plywood over the back of the cubby bench. It should be flush with the top, bottom and sides. Secure with screws driven every 5 to 6 inches around the perimeter of the bench as well as into the upright cubby dividers. This will stop the rectangular bench from becoming a sharply angled parallelogram if too much weight is set on top.
- 5
  Lay a piece of 3/4-by-16-1/2-by-47-inch plywood flat on a work surface for the base of the bench. Place the cubby unit on top and position it so that the back of the cubby unit is flush with the back of the base, with the base having an overlap of 1 inch at the sides and front of the cubbies.
- 6
  Secure the cubby unit to the base with a screw through the corners of each cubby into the base.
- 7
  Place a second piece of 16-1/2-by-47-inch plywood, the bench top, on top of the unit, mirroring the positioning of the base. Secure with screws through the upper corners of each cubby into the underside of the bench top.
- 8
  Paint the bench and let it dry thoroughly before using it.

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