How to Turn a Door Into a Bench

Determine how large you want your bench to be. A large, flat bench can be made without even cutting the door. First, measure the door and see just how large it is and decide how big your new bench should be. For example, if the door is 6 feet tall, you can make it one large bench or cut 2 feet off for a 4-foot-long bench.

Cut the door to size. Once you know how big you want the bench to be, measure this out and make pencil marks on the door. Remember, measure twice, cut once. Use a circular saw to cut the door.

Prepare the wood. The door will need to be refinished for use as a bench. Sand down the entire surface with a rough grade of sandpaper first, then a medium grade to remove any other surface marks. The entire surface should be smooth. Use steel wool if the door has detail marks that are hard for sandpaper to get into. Once the surface is prepped, you can either paint or stain the door. If the bench will be placed outside, use an exterior latex or wood stain.

Assemble the bench. For one large bench without a back, cut 2-by-4s into the desired height for your legs. Attach these to the bottom of the door with screws. Paint or stain the legs to match the door.

Make any touch-ups as needed. Assembling the door may create small marks on the surface. Touch these up with stain or paint as necessary. If you stained the wood, now apply a clear coat of polyurethane to protect the finish.