DIY Upholstered Storage Bench

By Woodshop Diaries
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diy-upholstered-storage-bench-small
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Kreg Academy Kreg Academy

This DIY upholstered storage bench is perfect for adding storage to the end of the bed and also makes a nice place to sit and put on shoes before leaving the house. The simple design is easy to build from a single plywood sheet. For storage and style, this is the build you're looking for!

Difficulty advanced

Tools

Kreg Tools

Other Tools

  • Circular Saw (cordless)
    Circular Saw (cordless)
  • Jigsaw
    Jigsaw
  • Miter Saw
    Miter Saw
  • Square
    Square
  • Tape Measure
    Tape Measure
  • Clamps
    Clamps
  • Drill (cordless)
    Drill (cordless)
  • Stapler
    Stapler
  • Sander
    Sander

Materials

Wood Products

  • 1 Plywood , 3/4" Thick , Full Sheet

Hardware & Supplies

  • 42 1 1/4" Pocket Hole Screws
  • 2 Hinges
  • 2 Chest lid supports (optional)
  • 8 2" wood screws
  • 1 2" foam for seat
  • 1 Package batting
  • 1 Fabric for upholstery
  • 1 Package 9/16" staples for upholstery
See All Tools & Materials

Cut List & Parts

  • 1 Top Panel , 3/4" x 16" x 46"
  • 1 Bottom Panel , 3/4" x 16" x 46"
  • 2 Front & Back Panels , 3/4" x 9" x 44 1/2"
  • 2 Side Panels , 3/4" x 9" x 16"
  • 2 Long Frame Pieces , 3/4" x 2 1/2" x 46"
  • 2 Short Frame Pieces , 3/4" x 2 1/2" x 11"
  • 4 Legs , 3/4" thick (see template in plans)
See Full Cut List & Parts

Directions

  • Cut Down Plywood Sheet

    Using a circular saw and Kreg Rip Cut (or straight edge), cut a 16" wide plywood strip and two 9" wide plywood strips from your 3/4" plywood sheet. Then, using either a circular saw or miter saw, cut two 16" x 46" pieces to use for the top and bottom panels, two 9" x 44 1/2" pieces to use as the front and back panels and two 9" x 16" pieces to use for the sides.
    Save the remaining plywood to use for the base later.

    Step 1

  • Assemble Bench Box

    Drill 3/4" pocket holes along the bottom edges of all the box pieces and along the ends of the front and back box pieces, then assemble box together using 1 1/4" pocket hole screws.

    Step 2

  • Attach Bottom

    Then, screw this box onto the bottom panel using 1 1/4" pocket hole screws.

    Step 3

  • Upholster Seat

    Cut 2" foam to fit on seat top and attach using spray adhesive. Cover in batting and staple in place on underside of seat. For more upholstery details, check out the video and tutorial links in the extras tab of this plan.

    Step 4

  • Upholster Bench Box

    Staple batting onto top edge of bench box and wrap around the sides. Overlap the bottom corner and staple in place on bottom side of bench. Cover 4 sides of plywood box with batting. For more upholstery details, check the links in the extras tab of this plan.

    Step 5

  • Cover with Fabric

    Repeat steps 4 & 5 with fabric of your choice making sure to completely cover all the batting. For more details on upholstery, check out the links in the extras tab of this plan.

    Step 6

  • Attach Top

    Attach top of bench to bench box using either a 30" piano hinge OR two small cabinet hinges. If desired, install lid supports or soft close mechanisms.

    Step 7

  • Build Base Frame

    Cut two strips of plywood to 2 1/2" wide (OR use 1x3s for this), then cut two pieces 46" long and two pieces 11" long. Drill 3/4" pocket holes on the ends of the 11" pieces and assemble a frame like shown using 1 1/4" pocket hole screws. Apply edge banding to cover the exposed edges if desired.

    Step 8

  • Cut Legs

    Cut four legs like shown from either the remaining sheet of plywood OR 1x material of your choosing using a jig saw.

    Step 9

  • Attach Legs to Base

    Attach legs to base frame from step 8 using two 2" wood screws per leg. Install so that each leg is approx. 1 1/2" in from the corner and is angled 45 degrees.

    Step 10

  • Attach Base to Bench

    Flip bench upside down and install base onto bottom side using 1 1/4" wood screws. Use three on the long side and 1-2 on the short ends.

    Step 11

  • Finish

    Finish as desired. For tufted detail, check the links in the extras tab for details.

    Step 12