Entryway Bench

ByBuild to Made

I built this DIY entryway bench from one board and just $17 in lumber to organize the shoes and umbrellas piling up by our front door. It features angled legs, lower shoe storage, built-in umbrella holders, and chalkboard-painted legs for the kids.

Materials

  • 1 wood board (2x12x8)
  • 3-inch wood screws
  • Wooden dowels for covering screw holes
  • Antique oak wood stain
  • Black chalkboard paint
  • Sandpaper

Tools

  • Drill/driver
  • Miter saw or circular saw
  • Measuring tape
  • Square
  • Pencil
  • Forstner Bits
  • Sander or sanding block
  • Paintbrush or finishing applicator

Steps

  1. Plan and measure the bench. I used four main pieces: a 33½-inch top, two 17¼-inch legs, and a 23¼-inch center brace. The design creates a compact bench with room underneath for shoes.
  2. Cut the bench top. Measure and cut the board to 33½ inches long. My board was approximately 11 inches wide, so make sure your saw has enough crosscut capacity. A 10-inch miter saw without a sliding mechanism may not cut across the entire width.
  3. Cut the angled legs. Cut two pieces to 17¼ inches each. Set your saw’s bevel to 10° and cut both ends of each leg parallel to one another. These angled cuts allow the legs to flare outward when installed.
  4. Cut the center brace. Cut the remaining brace to 23¼ inches with matching 10° angled cuts. This piece connects the legs and helps create the lower shoe-storage area.
  5. Attach the legs to the bench top with wood glue and screws. Measure 4½ inches inward from each end of the top to position the legs. One trick that helped me was starting the 3-inch screws through the top before holding the legs in place. This made assembly easier because I wasn’t trying to hold everything together while starting each screw.
  6. Install the center brace. Position the 23¼-inch brace between the angled legs, aligning the beveled ends with the leg geometry. Secure it in place and check that the bench sits evenly without rocking.
  7. Plug the screw holes and sand. I used wooden dowels to cover the visible screw holes. Trim the plugs flush, then sand the bench until the surfaces and edges are smooth.
  8. Add the umbrella holders. This was an idea I came up with during the build. I added two openings in the sides of the bench to create dedicated umbrella storage. Check your umbrella handle sizes and available clearance before laying out the openings.
  9. Apply the finishes. I stained the top with antique oak stain + polyurethane and painted the legs black with chalkboard paint. The contrast gives the bench a clean look, and the chalkboard legs give my kids somewhere to draw while they’re hanging out by the front door. Follow the finishing products’ instructions for preparation and drying.
  10. Organize the entryway. Once the finish has fully cured, move the bench into place, use the lower area for shoes, and place umbrellas in the built-in holders. The finished project combines seating and storage without taking up much space.

Notes

  • The $17 price was for lumber only. Screws, dowels, paint, stain, tools, and other supplies were not included. Lumber prices vary depending on location and retailer.
  • Both ends of each leg receive parallel 10° bevel cuts. The center brace also uses 10° angled cuts. These are not parallel cuts.
  • The recorded cut lengths do not specify whether angled pieces were measured along their long edges, short edges, or another reference point. Confirm this before treating the measurements as a complete precision cut plan.
  • Always check your saw’s actual crosscut capacity. Blade diameter alone doesn’t determine how wide a board the saw can cut.
  • Starting the screws before positioning the legs made assembly noticeably easier. Predrill as necessary.
  • The exact screw quantity, pilot-hole layout, and center-brace mounting height may vary.
  • I added the umbrella holders before finishing, which saved me from having to drill or cut into freshly painted wood.
  • The chalkboard-painted legs were a fun addition for the kids, but a built-in coat rack could be another option for a future variation.
  • The bench’s load capacity has not been tested or documented. Check the rigidity of the assembled bench and verify that its construction is suitable for seating before use.
  • The lumber cost was low because I used a simple one-board design, but the actual materials cost will depend on what you already have available.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Estimated Time: 3-6 hours

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