How I Made a DIY Rope Bench for under $50

I’ve always loved the roped bench look. After shopping at various stores, I decided to go for a budget friendly approach and try my hands at a DIY rope bench.

This bench from Made by Carli was my inspo. The rope feature was inspired by this hack from KinAndKasa

Here are the tools and supplies you need.

Tools and Supplies

• Mitre Saw
• Tape Measure
• Speed Square
• Sander and paper (I used 120 grit)
• Drill or Impact Driver (I prefer the driver)
• Kreg Jig for pocket holes
• 2.5” and 1.25” pocket hole screws
• 2.5” and 3” wood screws
• 3mm Cotton Rope
• Stain or paint of your choice. I used Golden Oak
• Lumber in 2×6 & 2×3 (See cut list below)

See Sources Below

The Process

Cut all pieces of lumber per the cut list.

The next step is to make pocket holes using your Kreg Jig. Pocket holes are one of the best ways to secure pieces of wood together without the screws/nails showing.

The pocket holes are drilled in the leg support (braces) and at the top of each leg.

Pocket holes in the leg braces will be used to secure each set of leg braces together.

The pocket holes on the top will be used to attach assembled leg component to bench seat.

Use the 2.5 inch pocket hole screws to attach the braces to each leg on either side.

You should have an A shape leg component for each end of the bench once complete.

Next step is to sand down the pieces thoroughly.

Always use a tack cloth or a damp cloth to remove particles prior to stain or paint .

I chose the Golden Oak Stain for my bench because I wanted something lighter to match with my overall color scheme for the room I’m working on.

Here is a side by side of the stained piece compared to the unstained lumber.

Once the stain was dry, it was time to start the rope process. To achieve the DIY rope bench look.

The bench needs to be held together while you apply the rope around both pieces. To secure the pieces, I used scrap wood and screws on the back side for stability. I also used the scrap wood placement as a guide for the rope placement.

Measure about 8 inches from each end of the bench (your scrap wood should be about the same distance), to start.

Carefully wrap the rope around the bench from one end of the bench seat to the other. pay attention to ensure that any visible knots are placed at the bottom part of the seat.

The wrap process took about 1.5 hours to complete.

Remove the scrap wood that was used as a temporary fastener. You should notice that the two pieces of your bench seat are pretty secure with just the rope.

There should be 6 bench braces. Two braces will be attached to either side of each leg. The inside brace should be 8” from the end of the seat. This should be easy to gauge by using the rope line which is also 8” from the end of the seat. I always measure multiple times to ensure accuracy.

Attach the bench brace using 3” wood screws. Place the bench leg component after the first brace and place a second brace on the opposite side ensuring a snug fit. Attach the second brace using 3” wood screws.

Using 1.25” pocket hole screws, attach leg component to bench seat.

Attaching the bench support braces on the bottom part of the seat secures both pieces of the bench seat together. This will also prevent the rope from shifting when used.

Repeat in the opposite side.

There should be 2 braces left. Attach them evenly across the bottom of the bench using 3” wood screws.

To add additional support which is optional, take the 43.5” 2×3 piece and secure to the leg braces using 2.5” wood screws.

Your DIY rope bench is complete and ready to use

This DIY rope bench was everything I imagined. Creating a custom look for under $60 is unbeatable. Hoping to reveal it’s final destination soon.

 

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