DIY Window Seats

Clamp three lengths of the 18-by-20 inch plywood upright lengthwise, spaced 24 inches apart. The 20-inch side of the planks should be up.

Bead a line of carpenter's glue along the exposed edge of each of the 18-by-20 inch plywood pieces. These will be the ends and central support planks for the window seat.

Position a piece of 20-by-48 inch plywood over the top of all three clamped planks. The two end clamped planks should be flush with the ends of the 48-inch plank, forming 90-degree corners.

Hammer in a 1-inch nail every 5 inches along the side of the 48-inch plank into the abutting ends of the end and support planks.

Unclamp the end and support planks, then turn them over, so that the 48-inch plank is now flat on the work surface, with the other edge of the end and support planks exposed.

Position a second piece of 20-by-48 inch plywood over the top of the end and support planks and glue and hammer in place as you did the first plank, creating a box. Turn the box so that the 48-inch planks are upright, and the open top of the box is exposed.

Fill the nail holes with spackle, smoothing it over with a spackle knife, then let it dry for the amount of time stipulated on the spackle packaging.

Sand the box with 220-grit as well as the last 20-by-48 inch plywood piece, which is the lid. Paint the box and lid, using long, even strokes. Allow to dry.

Position a 40-inch piano hinge on the inside edge of one long side of the lid then secure the hinge in place with 1/2-inch screws drilled through the screw holes in the piano hinge.

Center the lid over the top of the box; there will be a 2-inch lip at the front. Secure the remaining portion of the piano hinge to the inside edge of the back of the box. Move the box into position under the window.