• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • START
  • SHOP
  • About
    • Welcome To My Repurposed Life Home of Repurposed Furniture
    • My Repurposed Life™
    • More About Gail
    • MRL On Etsy
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Information
  • Project Gallery
    • Repurposed Furniture
  • Repurposed Items
    • Building Supplies
    • Miscellaneous Household Items
    • Picture Frame/Chalk Board
  • DIY
    • Home Reno
    • outdoor living
    • Painting
    • Shop Talk
    • Tips for Around the House
    • Build It
      • Furniture
      • Home Decor
      • Storage
    • Crafts
      • Dollar Store
      • Easy
      • Holidays Seasonal
  • Furniture
    • Chair
    • Desk
    • Dresser/Chest
    • Headboard | Bed Parts | Cribs
    • Kids Furniture
    • Table
    • Kids Furniture
My Repurposed Life® Rescue Re-imagine Repeat
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Project Index
  • Furniture
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Cabinet Doors » Repurposed Cabinet Door Bench

    Repurposed Cabinet Door Bench

    Published by Gail | Published April 11, 2017 | Updated June 23, 2021
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Share
    Making a cabinet door bench is easy with this step by step tutorial. Boxing in the cabinet doors is easy using scrap pieces. More scraps trim the bottom. Step by step directions included. #MyRepurposedLife #repurposed #cabinet #doors #bench via @repurposedlife

     

    Today’s project is something I’ve never done before. I made a small cabinet door bench. After I saw a bench on pinterest that had some sides with detail, I remembered that I had many of these cabinet doors in my shed.

    ReStore Cabinet Doors

    one dollar cabinet doors

    I bought about 20 of these a couple of years ago for $1 each. At the bottom of this post, I’ll share the other projects I made using these bargain cabinet doors.

     

    trim cabinet door edge on table sawBecause two sides of the doors had a beveled edge (or slant) I had to trim them slightly on the table saw. All four sides needed to be squared off. Hindsight 20/20, I should have trimmed all four sides up against that small edge. I’ll share later why I should have done this.

     

    ripped cabinet door edgeYou can see I removed only a small portion. of the edge.

    *This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. read more here *

    Designing the Bench

    tools for a cabinet door benchTo make the left and right side of bench base I needed two cabinet doors, two small pieces of 1x4, quick clamps, gorilla wood glue and my nail gun. I was definitely making this up as I went along. Winking smile

    Left and Right Leg Components

    cabinet door boxed bench legsSpreading the wood glue, carefully clamping, and shooting the brad nails left me with a little boxed in section.

    trimmed out bench legsUsing some scrap 1x6’s I added some height to the bench as well as making the base of the bench supports look nicer. You can see the difference of these two. The one on the right has already received the router treatment.

    Router Table

    router tableI really didn’t want to drag out the router table, but I knew that the base would look so much better if I dressed it up a little.

    glue and nail base boards togetherI love using my nail gun as a glorified clamp!After I spread the wood glue, I popped in a couple of brad nails to hold the pieces together—so much easier than trying to secure screws. The glue makes the pieces slip. The brad nails hold everything secure for the next step.

    Draw Outline of Legs

    trace cabinet door bench support onto the baseTracing the outline of the base on the top board helps me know where to drill the pilot holes that will secure the base to the support.

    Secure Legs to Base

    start screws from the bottomI started all of the wood screws to make it easier to attach the base to the support.

    attach the base to the bench supportUsing more wood glue and these strong wood screws will give a great hold for the bench supports.

    countersink screwThe soft wood allows me to easily countersink the wood screws so the base will rest flush on the floor.

    bench supportYou can see by looking down into the bench support that the screws are securely positioned perfectly thanks to tracing the outline and pre-drilling the pilot holes.

    Cabinet Door Bench Base

    repurposed cabinet door bench supportscool, eh? This part of the project went really smoothly and quickly.

    Attach Bench Seat

    raise project onto table trace position of bench supportsI found this was the easiest way to figure out the placement of the bench supports onto the bench seat which consists of two 1x6’s and one 1x4.

    spacing bench seatTo get the spacing equal on the right and left support I used my kreg multi-mark tool and my combination square. After getting them perfect, I traced around the edges with a carpenter’s pencil.

    Attach Seat with Wood Glue

    glue and nail bench seatThere is only one spot in my driveway that is level enough to work on a project like this. See how I have traced around the edges? That will guide me when I go to shoot the staples that will hold the seat in place (as well as the wood glue). I chose to do the middle board first, gluing and stapling each end to keep the supports from shifting.

    glue and staple all boardsI repeated the process with the front and back bench seat boards. Glue and staple.

    voila the bench is builtTracing really made all the difference! I wouldn’t have been able to hit the center of those cabinet doors and 1x’s had I not traced the outline.

    Cabinet Door Bench Ready For Paint

    cabinet door benchI used spackling to patch the small staple dents.

    heirloom traditions repose grayHeirloom Traditions chalk type paint in the color Repose was chosen to keep the bench a nice neutral color. (use the promo code MYREPURPOSEDLIFE to get this month’s deal from HTP)  The paint was applied with a cheap chip brush. I always start painting my projects upside down.

    gray chalk paint cabinet door benchI did two coats of the Repose on the bench.

    Pretty Gray Bench

    gray bench before waxingThis is the bench after two coats of chalk type paint, but no wax yet.

    htp clear waxI used clear wax from Heirloom Traditions along with one of their wax brushes. I buffed the wax with a soft cloth.

    before and after clear waxIn this photo, you can see how the wax changes the hue of the color. See the small portion of the support that got some wax on it while I was doing the underside of the bench seat.

    Earlier I mentioned that I should have trimmed all the edges of the cabinet doors. See the small gap where the cabinet door meets the underneath side of the bench seat? I don’t think it’s something anyone will notice, but sure wish I had cut it.

    repurposed cabinet door small gray bench MyRepurposedLife.comHere is the finished bench after it was waxed. This was a really fun project.

    DIY Cabinet Door Bench

    repurposed cabinet doors make a cute diy bench MyRepurposedLife.comI think this bench is very versatile—great for outdoor seating, extra seating indoors, or even makes a great coffee table for the patio.

    PIN IT!

    What do you think? Do you love benches as much as I do?

    Here are the other projects I did with these cabinet doors.

    Planter made from $1 cabinet doors

    ABC Toy Box made from Repurposed Cabinet Doors.

    Have you repurposed cabinet doors? If you’re looking for ideas, maybe the projects below will get your creative juices flowing.

    [categorythumbnaillist 359]

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    Related Posts:

    • How to Move a Garden Shed
      How to Move a Garden Shed
    • backyard shed makeover
      backyard shed makeover
    • Double Pedestal Table
      Double Pedestal Table
    « Spindle Crate
    How to Line a Suitcase | Vintage Suitcase Makeover »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      See comments Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. girlfromwva

      April 13, 2017 at 11:40 am

      i really love how this turned out. great re-purpose of those cabinet doors.

      Reply
    2. chris aka monkey

      April 12, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      another awesome bench from cabinet doors, this might just be my favorite so far xx

      Reply
    3. Teckla

      April 12, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      This was a great project! I loved how it came together. Don't have any cupboard doors right now or even a work station, but it's something I'd definitely keep in mind. Still putting things together after my move last Sept. Hoping to create a "work" bench in the garage. Since I rent, I have to really think about how I do things, so I don't break any rules and for taking everything with me when the day comes that I need to move.

      You have so many great ideas! I love looking through all your posts and getting great ideas for potential storage projects and just fun decorative items. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 12, 2017 at 3:38 pm

        I so appreciate you stopping by to check out this project Teckla! As for a work bench, you could always get a banquet table and raise it up, or find an old door and set it up on some sawhorses. Where there's a will there's a way! 😉

        gail

    4. Brette

      April 12, 2017 at 12:40 pm

      I've been wondering what to do with my old cabinet doors. There are 22 of them, all plywood. This is the best idea I've seen on what to do with them.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 13, 2017 at 9:19 am

        Awesome Brette! So happy to inspire you, it makes my day!

    5. Cindy marosovitz

      April 12, 2017 at 8:54 am

      hi Gail. love the new bench you made from the cabinet doors. love your imagination. I'm the lady you made the distressed shelf for. they are finally up. now waiting for window in that room to be done so I can put up the ironstone. as soon as that's done I will take pictures for you.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 12, 2017 at 9:14 am

        Thanks Cindy!

        I look forward to seeing the shelves in their new home. I know my friends will love seeing them and the tutorial on the blog very soon!

        gail

    6. Sandy

      April 11, 2017 at 9:13 pm

      I really enjoyed this. Thanks!

      Reply
    7. Julie@followyourheartwoodworking

      April 11, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      I really like the look of those "legs" with the cabinet doors on each side! Again you come up with something great that I never would have thought of doing.

      Reply
    8. Gail ebeling

      April 11, 2017 at 5:11 pm

      Stunning and very clever to use simple cabinet door and 1x lumber.

      Reply
    9. Mike Bartley

      April 11, 2017 at 1:25 pm

      My wife keeps asking me why do we need so many benches? i love making them too.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 11, 2017 at 3:28 pm

        I'm glad I'm not alone Mike! Aren't they fun to make? Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

        gail

    10. Mary

      April 11, 2017 at 12:02 pm

      I love it! I have some cabinet doors just waiting for a purpose! One question on wax ... is it durable to stand up to the elements? Thank you for sharing! I can't wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 11, 2017 at 3:29 pm

        Mary,

        No, I'm sorry to say that wax is not durable enough to withstand the outdoor elements. Some sort of poly sealer would be in order if this bench were to be left outdoors unprotected

        gail

    11. Mary G. M.

      April 11, 2017 at 11:16 am

      Wow! Gail, you never disappoint. I am not a blogger, just a reader. Your projects really encourage us females to do more woodworking projects. This is another one done with minimal cost - I love it. My woodworking projects don't always come out straight, but I keep trying. I think I need more clamps in various sizes to hold things so they don't move. 'Love your blog.
      -Mary G. M.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 11, 2017 at 3:30 pm

        Mary

        Clamps are great when you work alone. I also use my nail gun to get a temporary hold until I can use screws. It has taken me years to figure out all the tips and tricks I share with you!

        gail

    12. Carol S

      April 11, 2017 at 10:32 am

      Great job again, Gail! I love the "tailored" look of the support legs. I can see why this was a fun project. Tracing the design for placement of the screws is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    13. Carole

      April 11, 2017 at 6:21 am

      Benches are so much fun to build. This is a great tutorial and love all the details. I don't normally build with glue I may have to give that a try on a future project.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        April 11, 2017 at 8:30 am

        I almost always use Gorilla wood glue on my projects. Sometimes I skip it when I use my Kreg jig, but it adds so much extra strength.

        Thanks for stopping by Carole!

        gail

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally!

    More about me →

    36 Repurposed Furniture Projects eBook
    Buy Gail's eBook

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    Might I Suggest

    • Start Here
    • Furniture Makeovers

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    About

    • Gail's Favorites on Amazon
    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 My Repurposed Life · Privacy Policy · Disclosure