How to Make a Kitchen Bench

Cut three pieces of plywood to 16-by-60 inches for the front, back and bottom of the bench. Cut two more pieces to 14 1/2-by-16 inches wide for the ends of the bench. Cut four 16-inch long pieces of 2-by-2 lumber for corner braces. Make all of these cuts using a circular saw.

Lay one of the end pieces on a flat surface. Lay one corner brace on top of each 16-inch end of the plywood. Align the edges of the brace with the 16-inch edges of the plywood piece. Attach the brace to the plywood by screwing three wood screws through the brace and into the plywood. Place one screw in the center of each brace and one 4 inches from either end. Repeat this process for the other end piece.

Place one 16-by-60 inch piece of plywood on a flat surface. This will be the front piece of the bench. Stand one of the end pieces upright on its 16-inch edge on top of one 16-inch end of the front piece. Align the broad side of the end piece with the edge of the front piece. Attach the end piece to the front piece by inserting wood screws through the brace and into the front piece. Place one screw 6 inches from each end. Repeat this process for the other 16-inch end of the front piece. You should have three sides of a rectangle put together at this point.

Place a second piece of 16-by-60 inch plywood, the back of the bench, on top of the ends of the bench to finish the rectangle. Attach the back of the bench to the ends by screwing wood screws through the braces into the back piece on each end. Place one screw 6 inches from each end.

Stand this rectangle up on a flat surface so that it looks like a box with no bottom or top. Place the third piece of 16-by-60 inch plywood, the bottom of the bench, on top of this box and align the edges. Attach the bottom to the box by screwing wood screws through the plywood and into the corner braces. Turn the box right side up. You should now have a box with a bottom, but no top.

Cut the 1 inch-by-16 inch-by 6 feet board to a length of 62 inches with a circular saw. This will be the lid of the storage box and the bench seat. Attach one hinge at the center of the board, and one 7 inches from each end. Place the board hinge side down on top of the box with the hinges on top of the back of the bench. The 1-by-16 inch board should extend past each end by one inch. Lift the unhinged edge of the lid and attach each hinge to the box.

Paint or stain the bench following the manufacturer's directions.