If you have a free time about 2 hours and want to do something fun and useful for your house, why not try building a chic corner bench!  It can be installed anywhere in your house.  Just find a suitable triangular corner and maybe a friend to help you.

You might put it in a front entry to let your guests take their shoes off before walking inside.  This is a great idea, right?  Let’s start it now.

What you should know & have:

• Time: 2 hours
• Cost: $1 – $50
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Step 1: What’s your Bench Size?

Define the size of bench by using a framing square along two sides of wall to corner.  Please do it carefully and beware of scrape on the wall.

Step 2: Prepare Seats

Cut the first part of seat from 3/4″ birch plywood by using a circular saw and the second part for upholstery which is 3/4″ longer.  Then rout the front edge both sides of the bigger portion by a router with round-over bit.
Cut 2” x 4” pieces following the length of each side of the triangle corner and miter the edges on the compound miter saw.

Make a pad of 3” from foam to equal the plywood.  You should undercut all edges at an angle and use an old electric carving knife to cut through foam.

Step 3: Stick the Foam Pad and Quilt Batting

Apply adhesive on one side of the bigger portion of plywood and spray underside of the foam pad to prevent from moving.  Wait until the glue is sticky and file the edges to turn the foam over the plywood.  You might adjust it as you want before squeezing down.

Use quilt batting to cover the seat and then cut around the seat, leaving a 3” deviation on each side.
Spray adhesive on the top of the foam pad and all edges.  Press into place and turn the seat over.  Then pull the batting taut and staple into place.  Do the same around the seat.

Keep the staples down flat with a hammer.  Trim any surplus at ends or cut toward the corners if necessary.

Step 4: Make the Soft Seat with Muslin

Cut a 6” piece out of cotton muslin fabric which is larger on all sides to cover the seat.  Then turn the seat over and pull the muslin taut to staple around.  Trim the excess from every corner.  Fold extra fabric at the corner smooth and staple into place.  Repeat it to cover the whole seat with muslin.

Trim the surplus muslin and feather the batting to thin all edges.  Cut and staple the upholstery fabric like the batting and muslin process.

Step 5: Set Up your Bench

Draw a line on the wall at the height you prefer before setting up the bench.  Then use a stud finder to define the level of the studs.

Attach two 2” x 4” ledgers to the walls with screws.  Use 3” screws to add the front ledger to the side rails.
Countersink the screws from the top to install the bottom piece of plywood first.

Step 6: Affix the Molding and Upholstered Plywood

Cut crown molding which has been stained already to attach the front edge by using a nail gun to add it under the plywood.

Fix 3/4″ pre-stained nose molding to the front edge of the plywood.

After that, affix the upholstered plywood to the top by using 1-1/2” screw through the bottom of the base plywood up into the bottom of the seat.

Image Credit: www.diynetwork.com