One of my favorite furniture builds I’ve done has been this simple slatted coffee table. It’s one of the few pieces I brought with me to my new house when I moved, and I love it so much I decided to build a bench for my entryway to match! Today I’ll show you how to build this DIY slatted bench with hairpin legs. I’ll also be showing you a few new tools I used for this project, all of which I love.
I wanted just a small, simple bench for my little narrow entryway, but of course you could modify the dimensions to make it larger depending on your space.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Home Depot. All opinions are my own.
Supply List:
- RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 7-1/4 in. Sliding Compound Miter Saw
- RYOBI 18V ONE+ HP 18-Gauge AirStrike Brad Nailer
- RYOBI 40V 10 Gallon Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum
- (7) 1×3 Select Pine Boards (Modify this amount depending on the dimensions you want your bench to be)
- 4 Hairpin Legs (15″ H)
- 1 1/4″ Brad Nails
- Wood Glue
- Stain or Paint
- 1/2″ screws (to attach legs)
- Sander
Step 1: Cut Your Wood
First, cut your 1×3 boards to the following dimensions:
(7) at 3′ long (or modify to your desired length)
(6) at 26″ long (or modify to your desired length)
I used my RYOBI Sliding Compound Miter Saw for this, and I can’t say enough about how much I love this new saw. I have had an old school corded RYOBI miter saw for a decade, and it was finally time for an upgrade.
I love the fact that this saw runs on the same 18V battery the rest of my RYOBI tools use, and another bonus is it’s not nearly as loud as my old saw. It did the job easily and was a breeze to use. It’s super portable thanks to its light weight and being battery powered, can make up to 800 cuts per charge, and includes a 40-toothed carbide-tipped blade for clean cuts.
Step 2: Sand Edges Smooth
Sand to get rid of any jagged edges and to smooth the ends of your boards.
Step 3: Attach Boards
Alternating long and short boards (with the longer ones being first and last in the sequence), measure and mark the center of each board. Then, line up the center points and attach using wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails.
I used my new RYOBI 18V brushless brad nailer for this, and I absolutely love it. I love the convenience of a battery powered nailer (no need for a compressor), and this one is capable of sinking up to 2-1/8″ nails in hardwoods.
It also has the ability to drive up to 2,250 nails per charge and delivers 60% more nail driving power compared to the brushed model. You can adjust the depth of drive and air pressure, and I love that it’s not overly bulky or heavy which makes it easy for me to use.
Step 4: Sand Again
I used a random orbit sander to smooth the top and bottom of what will soon be my bench, and to remove any remaining glue residue.
Step 5: Stain or Paint
I opted to use a Provincial stain, but any stain or paint will work. I used a foam brush to get into the nooks and crannies, and a cloth to smooth the stain out on top. I added a polycrylic topcoat for added protection.
Step 6: Add Legs
I ordered some basic steel hairpin legs online. I had planned on spray painting them gold, but for now I actually like the black so I’ll leave them as is until I change my mind. I attached them with 1/2″ construction screws.
Finally, when the bench was finished, I cleaned up the workshop using my new RYOBI battery powered wet/dry vac. I cannot even begin to tell you how convenient it is to have a battery powered shop vac. It moves around the workshop with me easily, and I can even take it out to the driveway and vacuum out my car. Love it.
This shop vac runs on this 40V battery which I charged using this 40V lithium-ion charger. This vac delivers up to 60 minutes of runtime per charge, has a drain plug to easily empty liquids, and provides integrated storage for the hose and accessories. It’s definitely a must-have for any workshop.
And here is the bench now that it’s finished!
I’m so happy to have this new little bench to complete my entryway, and the fact that it was a simple build makes it even better.
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