DIY Outdoor Platform Bench
We had intentions of making a pallet couch, but when we started thinking about the logistics, we only have limited space to take on projects that require lots of cutting. It is weird living in a rented space and we are still figuring out lots of work arounds for projects. We decided to build some seating out of pressure treated 2x6 and 1x6 decking which we got cut down at Home Depot. Here is how we did it!
Materials
2 - 2' x 6' x 6'
4 - 2' x 6' x 21"
4 - 1' x 6" x 6'
2" wood screws
driver
stain
I wanted to make my couch 6' wide by 24" deep to fit two of these 24"x24" cushions from Ikea, and then have some of the couch base sticking out on one side to double as a side table. I went to home depot with my cut list and had one of their associates cut down the lumber to these sizes:
Base
2x6 cut to 6' - qty 2
2x6 cut to 21" - qty 4
Top
1x6 cut to 6' - qty 4
I then laid out my pieces on a flat surface to make sure everything fit together. I created a frame by screwing the 21" pieces together with the 6' pieces to give me a total depth of 24". Once this was assembled, I attached the decking to the top which had about a half inch gap between the boards to give it a deck surface look.
I had planned on attaching castors to the bottom but decided against it for a few reasons:
1. The patio slopes down for water drainage and I was a little worried (even with locking wheels) that it would slide.
2. I liked how low the couch sat without them.
3. They were a bit expensive!
I decided to go with a cedar colour stain to match the wood accents of the building. I applied one coat of stain with a brush, making sure to back brush to get rid of any brushstrokes.
I let the stain dry for 12 hours before putting the cushions back on. I got the base cushions from Ikea but the back cushions I wanted were sold out. Since the deck is covered I wasn't too bothered by getting non weather proof fabric, so I picked up some plain black covers (which look like the same fabric as the seat covers anyway) and three 20x20 pillow forms. The pillow forms were a little too small for the covers and looked cheap and sloppy so I ended up putting two forms in each cover to bulk them up. The pillows were only $5 each so it wasn't too outrageous to buy enough for just three cushions.
