DIY Coffee Table Storage Bench

Sand and paint or varnish all parts of the coffee table storage bench made from 3/4-inch plywood, including: a lid that's 19-by-44 inches; a base measuring 15-by-38 ½ inches; two sides measuring 15-by-18 inches; and a front and back panel measuring 18-by-40 inches.

Form the side panels and the front and back panels into a rectangular box. Make the ends of the side panels on the inside of the ends of the front and back panels. Glue along the joints and allow them to dry with the corners in corner clamps.

Bead a line of glue on the edges of the base panel and place the box over the top of the base. It should be a snug fit. Ensure the box is flush with the base. Allow it to dry.

Insert a corner bracket in each corner of the box, as well as between all four sides and the base--eight brackets in all. Drive a 1/2-inch screw into each screw hole in the corner brackets to secure the box and base together. This way, no screw holes or nail holes will mar the appearance of the table-cum-bench from the outside.

Center a 35-inch-long piano hinge over the back edge of the back panel. The joint of the hinge should be exactly level with the top of the back panel. Secure the hinge into the back panel with 1/2-inch screws through the screw holes in the piano hinge.

Center the lid over the top of the box. There will be a 2-inch overhang on the sides and a little more than an inch overlap at the front and back. Press the free side of the hinge onto the lid and secure it as you did the first half.