DIY Custom King Sized Bed Bench
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | One of My First Projects
I polled my Instagram stories and asked which DIY project they wanted to a blog post for first and this one was the number one pick! So let's talk about how to DIY custom king sized end of bed bench.
This was one of the very first projects I did when we moved into this house, even before the deck furniture. Which means I don't have a lot of pictures and I have zero videos of the process, so you will have to bear with me on this one!
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Building Over Buying
When we moved into our Tennessee house, we bought a king size bed. We finally had the room for a bigger bed and after 8 years of marriage, we were excited for a big bed! I searched high and low for king sized bed frame that was under $300 and I love the one I found. I may make a new bed frame at some point, but that's not a project on my list right now!
Our bedroom is big enough that I wanted some kind of seating at the end of out bed. I went back and forth between a bench, stools, chairs or nothing at all and landed on a bench. Then I started researching benches. And they were so expensive! I wasn't thrilled with the price points I was seeing, $500 and up, so I decided to tackle building one instead. I knew I could build one for much less.
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Supply List
Materials
(4) 2x4s
2 1/2 pocket Screws
3" wood screws
1/2 inch MDF
2 yards Batting
1 inch Foam
Wood Stain
2 yards of Fabric
Staples
Tools
Drill
Sander
Staple Gun
Scissors
Pocket Hole Kreg Jig
Circular Saw
Miter Saw
Cut list
In order to make the base, you need to have all the wood cut first! I like to cut all of the pieces I need before I get started so I can just assemble everything at the same time. Once you have made all of the cuts, sand down all of your wood.
(2) 2x4 @ 63” - add pocket holes to both ends
(5) 2x4 @ 13.5”
(1) 2x4 @ 7" - add pocket holes to both ends
(3) 2x4 @ 16” cut at opposite 45° angles - add pocket holes to both ends
(6) 2x4 @ 7.5” cut at same direction 45° angles - add pocket holes to both ends
69” x 13.5” mdf
69” x 13.5” foam
2 yards of batting
2 yards of fabric
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Making the Base for the Seat
Start by making the frame for the cushion. Take your two 63" cuts and attach them to the 13.5" cuts to create a rectangle. Use the pocket screws to join the boards in the pocket holes you made when you cut all of your boards. In the middle of the frame, add the 7" cut using the pocket holes. This will give additional support to your cushion. Set this aside and we will attach it to the feet after we have made them!
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Making the X feet
When you are making the cuts for these pieces, make sure the 45 degree cuts are going the right directions, otherwise it won't work. You should have 3 pieces of wood that have 45 degree cuts, measuring 16" long end to short end on each side. The 45 degree cuts should be going the same direction, making two parallel lines if you drew them on a piece of paper. For the shorter pieces of wood, you should have 6 pieces that have 45 degree cuts with one end measuring 7.5". The other end will be shorter. If you were drawing these lines on a piece of paper, they would intersect just above the short end of the board. You can reference the picture above if you are a visual learner like me!
Once you know for sure you have the right cuts for your boards, you can start assembling your "X" feet. Using the 3 remaining 13.5" cuts, attach the 16" cut to 13.5" board using pocket screws in the pocket holes you made. This is the first side of your "X". Take one of the 7.5" cuts, with the shorter side facing the 13.5" cut, attach each end to the 13.5" cut and the 16" cut using the pocket screws. Now take a second 7.5" cut and repeat this step on the top side. You will want the shorter side of the board facing the inside of the "X". Make sure the two smaller cuts line up so you have a smooth "X". Once you have done this one time, repeat it two more times for your other two feet.
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Attaching the Feet to the Seat Base
Now, let's attach the feet to the seat base! With the seat base on the floor, flip the "X" feet upside down and place them on the two ends and the center where the support board is. These are the three places you will be attaching them. Use the remaining pocket holes on the "X" feet to attach the feet to the seat base. This may require some shims or wedges to make sure the bench is level when you flip it over. Be sure to check that your bench is level before you move on to the seat!
Now that the feet are attached to the base, you can stain the bench. I have linked the stain that I used but you can paint it or use any stain that you want!
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Making the Cushion & Attaching It to the Bench
Now, let's make the cushion! Using the MDF piece that you cut out as the bottom, place the foam piece of the same size on top and then wrap it with the batting. This will help soften the edges and make your cushion comfier. Use the staple gun to secure the batting to the bottom of the seat. Repeat this step with the fabric. I used a pretty faux fur fabric I found at Hobby Lobby and I linked a similar one, but you can really use any fabric.
Once you have finished making the cushion, you need to secure it to your bench. Use the 3" wood screws and attach the cushion to the ends and center support piece of the frame. You want the screws to go into the MDF to make sure that they are attached. It is ok if some of the screw goes into the foam, you won't be able to feel it when you sit on the bench!
DIY Custom King Sized End of Bed Bench | Shop
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