My first attempt at building something functional AND nice-looking. Clarissa asked if I could make a bench for our front porch, and I was determined to deliver.
2 weekends
Approx. 48" x 18" x 17"
August 2025
After the hat rack, I had a taste for building things. Then Clarissa asked the magic question: "Do you think you could make a bench for the front porch?"
Challenge accepted.
I didn't use any plans for this. Just completely winged it. I had a rough idea in my head of what a bench should look like, and I figured I'd work it out as I went. This was my first attempt at making something that needed to be both functional AND aesthetically pleasing – a bench on the front porch needs to look intentional.
I went back to my trusty source of free materials: pallets. By now I had a small stockpile from previous scrounging missions. The wood isn't perfect – it's rough, has nail holes, and varies in color – but that's part of the charm. And you can't beat the price.
I kept the design simple: a rectangular seat with angled legs. The construction was a lot of hoping it would work out:
• Disassembled pallets and selected the best boards
• Cut boards to length for the seat
• Built the leg assemblies with angled cuts
• Realized it needed more support – added the frame connecting the legs at the bottom
• Sanded everything smooth (pallet wood is ROUGH)
• Assembled the seat and attached the legs
This was also my first time painting a woodworking project. I learned that you can't just slap paint on raw wood and expect good results. The process:
• Applied primer first to seal the wood and help the paint adhere
• Painted with black exterior paint
• Finished with spray polyurethane for protection
The black paint was key. It hides the imperfections in the pallet wood, gives it a clean modern look, and ties in with our house. Sometimes the right finish can elevate simple construction into something that looks intentional and designed.
It worked! All that hoping and figuring it out as I went actually paid off. The bench is solid, the frame at the bottom gives it the support it needed, and it looks good on our porch.
Clarissa was happy with it, which honestly meant more than anything. There's something special about building something for someone you love and having them genuinely appreciate it.
Is it perfect? No. Would I build it differently now with more experience? Probably. But it works, it looks good, and it was my first real piece of furniture. That's a win.