Free Wood Bench Plans for the Woodworking Beginner
Page 3 of 3

The next step in your free wood bench plans is to make the the half-circle cut-outs at the bottom of the legs - typical of almost all Shaker bench plans. The following sections will also take you through assembly and completion of these Kreg plans.

Click here to go to page 1
of these pocket hole jig plans
for Shaker Bench with Shelf.

Click here to go to page 2
of Shaker bench plans.

Step Three. Marking & Cutting The Half Circle

Before you assemble these Kreg woodworking plans, you will want to make the half circle at the bottom of the sides.

A compass is the easiest way to do this. Find the center point on the bottom edge of each side, and then make a half circle with a 3" radius.

If you don't have a compass, find a bowl that is approximately 6" in diameter. Center and trace around part of the bowl to get your half circle.

Using your jig saw, cut out your half circle on both of your side pieces of these free woodworking beginner plans.

Step Four. Assembling Your Shaker Bench Plans.

You are ready to assemble your project.

Lay one side piece flat and clamp your shelf along the 4 1/2" guide line your made earlier. Also, make the shelf flush to the front and back of your side piece. When all is clamped, double check that it is square. Then, drive your Kreg screws.

Set your other side piece flat, and clamp the other end of the shelf to it. Again, make sure the front and back of the shelf are flush with the front and back of the side piece, and aligned with your 4 1/2" guide line. Double check that all is square before you drive your Kreg screws to connect these two pieces.

If you decided you wanted to add another shelf to these wood bench plans, you will want to do that now.

The next step in these free Shaker bench plans is to attach the top. Select the best side of your pine panel. Lay that side down on a flat surface. Your 1" and 2 1/4" guide lines will show you where the corners of each side piece will go.

Set the side pieces on top of the pine panel. Align the two side pieces with the corner marks you just made. When positioned correctly, clamp in place. Double check that all is square, and then drive your Kreg screws.

Your wood Shaker bench looks great already! But there are a few more steps in these free wood bench plans.

This next step involves adding side rails and cleats underneath the bench top.

All of our photos show the cleats as being 1 by 2 inches. After making this plan once, we changed the cleats in these free wood bench plans to 1 by 3 inches, so that you will have more room to drill the holes with your pocket hole jig.

Place your bench upside down on a flat surface. Position the side rails under the top, and butted to the end pieces. Clamp in place. Double check for square, and then drive your Kreg screws.

You will now attach a side cleat to each end. Clamp the pieces in position, and drill three small holes through the cleat and into the side piece. Then drive a 1 1/4 inch flat head screw into the cleat to connect it to the side piece.

Double check that all is square. Then drive the pocket screws to connect the cleat to the side rails and to the bench top.

The third piece of short cleats will go NEAR the center of your bench.

The center point of each side rail has a pocket screw connecting it to the top. So, as not to interfere with that Kreg screw, align the center cleat to either side of the pocket hole screw.

Clamp the center cleat in place making sure that the two pocket holes on the long side are set to go into the bench top. Drive the Kreg screws into the side cleats, and then drive the pocket hole screws into the bench top.

You have now assembled a very sturdy, and versatile bench!

Go from 'Wood Bench Plans" to our specially
designed pocket hole jig plans.

Check out the woodworking beginner plans for pocket hole furniture from Kreg Tools.

Go from these Kreg woodworking plans to
start-with-free-woodworking-plans.com home page.

To learn more about Kreg screws, click here.