It’s no secret that decorative home trends come and go quickly. In light of this ever-changing sense of style, it’s not surprising that cupboard doors that were once on the cutting edge of design are ready to be replaced. Instead of throwing out those doors when revamping the kitchen, combine a pair into a decorative bench. The dimensions and option to add a personalized colorful finish make this bench one that fits right in to a living room or sitting space.
Designing a cupboard door bench comes with the added benefit of using the hardware already in place. Repositioning the brackets allows one of the doors to be simply and quickly attached to the other as a supportive back. Personalize the project by painting it according to its final destination. For instance, choosing a solid earth tone makes it ideal for resting fireside. Alternatively, mixing and matching pastel colors lends itself to enhancing a child's reading nook. The pairings are limited only by your imagination.
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Materials
- Cupboard doors with the hardware still attached (2)
- Cordless power drill
- Pallet boards, ¾ inch thick (4)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Unfinished chair legs with attachment hardware (4)
- Jigsaw
- Electrical sander
- Sawhorses (2)
- Wood glue
- Table clamps (2)
- Sanding sponge
- Drop cloth
- Hand towel
- Home Décor Chalk in Pine
- Large paintbrush
- Home Décor Wax
- Screws (4)
- Cordless power drill
- Pallet boards, ¾ inch thick (4)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Unfinished chair legs with attachment hardware (4)
- Jigsaw
- Electrical sander
- Sawhorses (2)
- Wood glue
- Table clamps (2)
- Sanding sponge
- Drop cloth
- Hand towel
- Home Décor Chalk in Pine
- Large paintbrush
- Home Décor Wax
- Screws (4)
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Flip a cupboard door upside down and remove the two sets of brackets with a cordless power drill. Set the hardware to the side.
1. Flip a cupboard door upside down and remove the two sets of brackets with a cordless power drill. Set the hardware to the side.
2. Position a ¾-inch pallet board along the short end of the cupboard door. Mark the dimensions of the cupboard door on the board with a ruler and pencil. Repeat this using with the remaining three sides of the cupboard door.
3. Place an unfinished chair leg on the corner of each board. Trace the outline of the leg in pencil, and draw a diagonal line through the square outline beginning at the bottom corner and moving in toward the center of each board.
4. Place the boards individually on top of a pair of sawhorses, and cut them with a jigsaw along the diagonal lines.
5. Sand each board smooth with an electric sander, paying particular attention to the edges.
6. Place the cupboard door upside down on the sawhorses and position the boards along the edges to create a stabilizing frame.
7. Apply wood glue liberally to the back side of each board, and press each firmly in place on the cupboard door. Apply table clamps to the first board you glue, and rotate them around the frame until the glue is dry.
8. Position one of the chair legs at one of the corners of the frame, and mark the square dimension in pencil. Draw a diagonal line across the square, perpendicular to the diagonal line where the two pieces of the frame meet, to identify the center point.
9. Drill a hole through the center point of the corner, and sand away any ragged edges with a sanding sponge.
10. Position the chair leg attachment hardware above the drilled hole, and mark attachment points with a shallow hole at each circle.
11. Secure the attachment hardware with screws, and twist the table leg into the attachment. Repeat this process with the three remaining legs. As an alternative to attachment hardware, you can apply wood glue to attach the chair legs to the frame.
12. Flip the cupboard door (with legs attached) right-side up, and place it on the floor on top of a drop cloth.
13. Place a second cupboard door upside down on top of the first cupboard door and remove the two sets of brackets. Set the brackets to the side.
14. Place the second cupboard door on the floor right-side up.
15. Sand both cupboard doors with a sanding sponge.
16. Wipe down both of the cupboard doors with a hand towel.
17. Paint both cupboard doors and each of the table legs using Home Décor Chalk in Pine.
18. Lightly sand the edges of the cupboard doors with a sanding sponge to add shabby chic texturing.
19. Cover the cupboard doors and table legs in Home Décor Wax as a protective finish. Wipe away excess wax with a hand towel.
20. Flip over the second cupboard door so the unfinished side faces up.
21. Reattach both sets of brackets.
22. Position the two sets of brackets removed from the first cupboard door onto the second cupboard door. Evenly space the additional brackets with the two already attached. Mark the attachment points in pencil before securing the brackets with screws and a drill.
23. Flip over the brackets and position the second cupboard door horizontally at the back edge of the first cupboard door as a bench back. The painted side should face out.
24. Mark all of the bracket attachment points in pencil on the first cupboard door before drilling shallow holes into each.
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25. Attach the second cupboard door to the first by securing the brackets with screws so the door is firmly attached.