Basic 2x4 Bench: free plan
This plan is free. Everything is on this page: sizes, cut list, steps, the PDF for each size and the assembly video.
Designed with AI assistance and checked by software. Lumber sizes differ by store, so measure your boards before you cut.
Choose your size and download the PDF
Each size has its own PDF, parts and cut list.
Small: 36 x 14-3/4 x 18 in
- Overall size (L x D x H)
- 36 x 14-3/4 x 18 in
91.4 x 37.5 x 45.7 cm - Parts
- 11
- Screws
- 28
- Estimated build time
- 3 to 5 hours
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Buy 4 boards, 2x4 by 8 ft. Screws: #9 x 2-1/2 in exterior-coated deck screw.
| Part | Qty | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat slat | 4 | 36 in | 91.4 cm |
| Leg | 4 | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Top rail | 2 | 14-3/4 in | 37.5 cm |
| Lower stretcher | 1 | 33 in | 83.8 cm |
Cut list
Board 1: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 1 | 36 in | 91.4 cm |
| Seat slat 2 | 36 in | 91.4 cm |
| Leg, left back | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 7-1/8 in (18.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 2: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 3 | 36 in | 91.4 cm |
| Seat slat 4 | 36 in | 91.4 cm |
| Leg, left front | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 7-1/8 in (18.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 3: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower stretcher | 33 in | 83.8 cm |
| Leg, right back | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Leg, right front | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Top rail, left | 14-3/4 in | 37.5 cm |
Offcut left over: 14-3/4 in (37.5 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 4: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Top rail, right | 14-3/4 in | 37.5 cm |
Offcut left over: 81-1/8 in (206.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Standard: 48 x 14-3/4 x 18 in
- Overall size (L x D x H)
- 48 x 14-3/4 x 18 in
121.9 x 37.5 x 45.7 cm - Parts
- 11
- Screws
- 28
- Estimated build time
- 3 to 5 hours
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Buy 4 boards, 2x4 by 8 ft. Screws: #9 x 2-1/2 in exterior-coated deck screw.
Download the PDF, Standard size
| Part | Qty | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat slat | 4 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Leg | 4 | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Top rail | 2 | 14-3/4 in | 37.5 cm |
| Lower stretcher | 1 | 45 in | 114.3 cm |
Cut list
Board 1: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 1 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Lower stretcher | 45 in | 114.3 cm |
Offcut left over: 2-3/4 in (7.0 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 2: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 2 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Leg, left back | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Leg, left front | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 14-5/8 in (37.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 3: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 3 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Leg, right back | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Leg, right front | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 14-5/8 in (37.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 4: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 4 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Top rail, left | 14-3/4 in | 37.5 cm |
| Top rail, right | 14-3/4 in | 37.5 cm |
Offcut left over: 18-1/8 in (46.0 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Deep: 48 x 18-1/2 x 18 in
- Overall size (L x D x H)
- 48 x 18-1/2 x 18 in
121.9 x 47.0 x 45.7 cm - Parts
- 12
- Screws
- 32
- Estimated build time
- 3 to 6 hours
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Buy 5 boards, 2x4 by 8 ft. Screws: #9 x 2-1/2 in exterior-coated deck screw.
| Part | Qty | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat slat | 5 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Leg | 4 | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Top rail | 2 | 18-1/2 in | 47.0 cm |
| Lower stretcher | 1 | 45 in | 114.3 cm |
Cut list
Board 1: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 1 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Lower stretcher | 45 in | 114.3 cm |
Offcut left over: 2-3/4 in (7.0 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 2: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 2 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Top rail, left | 18-1/2 in | 47.0 cm |
| Top rail, right | 18-1/2 in | 47.0 cm |
Offcut left over: 10-5/8 in (27.0 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 3: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 3 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Leg, left back | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Leg, left front | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 14-5/8 in (37.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 4: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 4 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
| Leg, right back | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
| Leg, right front | 16-1/2 in | 41.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 14-5/8 in (37.1 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Board 5: 2x4 by 8 ft
| Cut | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Seat slat 5 | 48 in | 121.9 cm |
Offcut left over: 47-7/8 in (121.6 cm). The cut list already allows 1/8 in for the saw blade on each cut.
Want another length? Check sizes in the calculator. The PDFs cover the sizes above.
Assembly video
The assembly steps are the same for every size; the video shows the Standard size.
Video: coming soon
Video: coming soon.
Steps
- Cut the parts. Cut every part from the 8 ft 2x4 boards using the cut plan. Cut the longest pieces first, label each part with its id, and keep every cut square.
- Build the left end frame. Stand the two left legs upright, 3-1/2 in faces front-to-back. Lay the left top rail on edge against the inside faces of the legs, its top flush with the leg tops. Drive 2 screws through the rail into each leg (#9 x 2-1/2 in exterior-coated deck screw), pre-drilling to prevent splitting.
- Build the right end frame. Stand the two right legs upright, 3-1/2 in faces front-to-back. Lay the right top rail on edge against the inside faces of the legs, its top flush with the leg tops. Drive 2 screws through the rail into each leg (#9 x 2-1/2 in exterior-coated deck screw), pre-drilling to prevent splitting.
- Add the lower stretcher. Stand the two end frames up, back legs to the back. Lay the stretcher on edge against the inside faces of the two back legs, its bottom edge 4 in above the floor. It sticks out 1-1/2 in (3.8 cm) past the outer face of each back leg, the same on both sides: do not set it flush on one side. Drive 2 screws through it into each back leg.
- Fasten the seat slats. Lay the slats flat across the rails, flush with the front and back of the frame, spaced evenly using a spacer block. Drive 2 screws down through each slat into each rail.
Safety notes
- This plan was designed with AI assistance and checked by software.
- Drawings are generated from the plan's geometry; they are illustrations, not photographs of a finished build.
- Built with AI-assisted tooling; every dimension comes from a deterministic engine, not from a language model at runtime.
- General-purpose seating for adults: not rated for children climbing or standing on it. Check lumber for splits and wane, and use eye and hearing protection.
Designed with AI assistance and checked by software. No finished build has been photographed or tested yet; the pictures are drawings generated from the plans, not photographs.