A good bench, from four boards, in one afternoon. These build plans walk you through a slatted 2×4 bench with a cut list that actually adds up: every part dimensioned, every board accounted for, every joint a straight crosscut, screws and glue — no fancy joinery, no special tools, nothing to figure out at the saw.

The finished bench is 60 in long × 14 3/4 in wide × 18 in high, seats two comfortably, and works anywhere: patio or garden bench, entryway bench, plant stand, extra seating at the table. Build it in pine or fir for indoors, cedar or pressure-treated lumber for a bench that lives outside.

What’s inside the 6-page plan (US Letter PDF):
• Cover with the finished bench drawn to scale and the finished dimensions.
• Materials and tools list — three 2×4 × 10 ft boards and one 2×4 × 8 ft, one box of 2 1/2 in deck screws, and basic tools you probably already own.
• A board-by-board cutting plan — which parts come out of which board, saw kerf included, with the spare offcuts noted.
• Full cut list — 12 parts, each labelled: seat slats, legs, cross supports and side stretchers.
• Dimensioned drawings — front and side views with the measurements that matter, plus a reading guide so the drawings make sense.
• Top view and exploded view — how the twelve parts stack together, every part labelled.
• Assembly in 7 numbered steps, with the screw count for every joint (32 screws in all) and pilot-hole reminders where boards like to split.
• Finishing, safety and care notes — sealing for outdoor use, the annual two-minute screw check, and how to resize the design (shorter, longer up to 72 in, or coffee-table height).

Beginner friendly by design: the whole build is straight crosscuts and butt joints. If you can measure, cut a board square and drive a screw, you can build this bench — most builders finish in an afternoon, including sanding.

Good to know:
• Instant download — the file is available as soon as you check out. Nothing is shipped.
• US Letter size (8.5 × 11 in) — print it for the workshop or read it on a tablet.
• Real lumber sizes used throughout: a 2×4 really measures 1 1/2 × 3 1/2 in, and every measurement in the plan already accounts for that, so the bench comes out exactly as drawn.
• For personal use — build as many benches as you like for yourself and for gifts. Please don’t share or resell the digital file itself.

You receive 1 file:
1. RemodelLedger-Simple-2×4-Bench-Plans.pdf — the complete 6-page plan (cover, materials and cutting plan, cut list with front and side views, top and exploded views, assembly steps, finishing and safety).

About how this plan was made: This plan was designed with the help of AI tools, then reviewed and dimension-checked by hand — the seat-height math, the slat-and-gap width, the cut list against the boards it comes from — the same standard as every RemodelLedger product.

2×4 bench

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