We designed this bench to be strong without complex
joints. An experienced woodworker can complete this potting bench in a day. If
you're a beginner, allow two or three days.
You'll need basic carpentry tools like a tape
measure, large and small squares, and a chisel. You could make most of the cuts
for this potting bench with a circular saw. However, a power miter box will
ensure perfectly square end cuts, and a table saw is almost essential for
cutting the grate slats. If you don't have a table saw, ask a friend,
neighbor or the staff at the lumberyard to cut the pieces for you. You'll
also need a drill with the bits mentioned in the story and a
jigsaw.
Choose Straight, Nice-Looking
Lumber
Use the Shopping List above to buy your materials. We used
cedar for our bench, but pine is cheaper. Consider using pressure-treated pine
if you'll be leaving the bench outside. All of these are available at
home centers and lumberyards. But make sure to pick straight boards with at
least one nice-looking side. You can hide a few minor defects on the back or
underside of the bench. Also, avoid boards with large knots, which will weaken
key parts and make it harder to cut the notches.
When you get your materials home, cut the pieces to size
using the Cutting List above. Many of the parts, like the 1 x 1-in. slats for
the grate and the 2-1/2 in. wide legs, have to be cut the length of the board.
This operation, called ripping, is possible with a circular saw, but it's
much quicker, easier and more accurate with a table saw.
Make Tight-Fitting Joints for a Strong
Bench
Photos 1 and 2 show how to
notch the legs for the horizontal cross members. Notching looks tricky, but
it's simple if you follow these key steps: First clamp each pair of legs
together, and using dimensions from
Fig. A, mark the lower edge of each notch. Use a
square to draw lines across the boards at these marks. Then align the
corresponding horizontal board with this line and mark along the opposite edge
to get an exact width. Using the boards in this manner to mark the width of the
notch is more accurate than measuring. When you saw the notch, cut to the waste
side of the pencil line, leaving the line on the board. You can always enlarge
the notch or plane the board to fit a notch that's too tight, but you
can't shrink a notch that's too wide. Tight-fitting joints
strengthen the bench and look better too.
Assembly is Quick Once the
Parts are Cut
Photos 3 and 4 show how to
assemble the leg sections and connect them to form the bench frame. Before you
screw the horizontal pieces to the legs, pick the best-looking side of the
boards and make sure it's facing the front of the bench. (The best sides
are facing
down in
Photo 3.) Drill 5/32-in. clearance holes through
the cross members to avoid splitting them and to allow the screws to draw the
boards tight to the legs.
Use only one 1-1/4 in. screw to attach parts F and G to
the front legs. Center the screw so it doesn't interfere with the 3-in.
screws you'll be installing to secure the leg assembly (Photo 4). Use a 3/4-in. spacer block (Photo 4) to align the cross members (E) before
you drive in the 3-in. screws.
If you'll be leaving your bench outdoors, use
stainless steel screws or corrosion-resistant deck screws. For extra strength
and durability, put a small dab of construction adhesive on each joint before
you screw the pieces together. To hide the 3-in. screws that secure the front
legs, use a 3/8-in. brad point drill bit to drill 1/4-in. deep recesses before
you drill the 5/32-in. clearance holes. Then glue 3/8-in. wood buttons into the
recesses after you screw the parts together.
Keep a framing square handy as you assemble the leg
sections and bench frame and use it to make sure the assemblies are square
before you tighten the screws.
Photo 5 shows how to mark and
cut the plywood that supports the potting soil container. We used a plastic
wastebasket, but any container with a lip will work. Trace the shape on a piece
of plywood and then cut the hole a little smaller so the plywood supports the
lip.
The bench top is made of 1-in. thick bullnose cedar
decking. Join two pieces with cleats to make a removable cover for the dirt
container (Photo 7). Glue 1 x 1-in. slats together with
water-resistant wood glue to form the grate (Photo 6).
Scrape off excess glue before it dries. Then allow the glue to dry overnight
before you sand the grate and trim the ends flush. Screw cleats to the bottom
of the grate to keep it positioned and allow easy removal.
The width of the end pieces (P) varies, depending on the
dimensions of your decking. To determine the width, first center the grate,
removable cover and three more boards on the bench top, leaving an equal space
on each end. Then measure the distance from the last board to the outside edge
of the back leg and cut and notch the end pieces to fit.
Glue
3/8-in. wood plugs into 3/8-in. by 1/4-in. deep recesses to hide the screws
that hold the two end pieces (P) and lower shelf boards in place. Sand them
flush after the glue dries.
Complete the potting bench by notching the 1x8 shelves
(Photo 9) and securing them with 2-in. screws
through the horizontal 1x4 shelf rails (H). We used black metal shelf brackets
to support the ends.
Protect Your Bench With a
Good Finish
Unfinished cedar has some resistance to decay, but the
best strategy is to apply a top-quality exterior finish to keep the wood from
cracking, splitting and rotting. Penetrating oil–type finishes with a
small amount of pigment provide a natural look and reduce fading. Finishes that
leave a film provide the best protection. Spar varnish or Sikkens are two
examples. Take extra precautions to seal the bottom of the legs to keep them
from absorbing moisture from the damp ground. For interior use, any
good-quality varnish will work.
