Make a window seat and enjoy the view from your bedroom window.
A window seat in a bedroom not only provides an attractive nook to curl up in with a book, but can also provide hidden storage---and who doesn't need extra storage? Building your own window seat is not a difficult task but it is also not for a novice woodworker. With a bit of know-how you can build a bedroom window seat over the weekend and if you ask the lumberyard to cut the wood to size for you there will be plenty of time left over for enjoying your creation.
Instructions
1. Cut the plywood into a base piece of 50 by 20 inches; two ends at 20 by 20 inches, a front and back of 51.5 by 20 inches and a lid at 54 by 22 inches. Cut the 2 by 2 lumber into 10 pieces at 16 inches long and 4 at 50 inches. Adjust the dimensions to suit your particular window seat if these example dimensions won't fit.
2. Form two of the 50-inch lumber planks and 3 of the 16-inch planks into a frame. Abut the ends of the 16-inch pieces between the two 50-inch pieces so that two are flush with the ends of the 50-inch pieces forming right-angled corners and one is centered. Glue in place, clamp and let dry. Repeat so you have two identical frames. Hammer a nail through each glued joint to secure.
3. Position the frames so that the 16-inch planks are upright. Place the four remaining 16-inch planks between the top and bottom of both frames so that a rectangular box shape is formed. Glue in place, clamp and let dry. Hammer a nail through each glued joint to finish the frame of the window seat.
4. Center the base piece of plywood over the top of the frame. Nail in place, one nail every two inches around the entire frame. Invert the frame so the base is now on the bottom. Position the two plywood ends over the ends of the frame and nail in place; they should be flush with the base and the top of the frame.
5. Fit the front and back over the sides of the frame; they will be flush with the base and abut the ends of the end pieces of plywood to form right-angled corners. Nail in place.
6. Fill the nail holes with wood putty and let dry. Sand the entire box, including the lid piece. Paint the window seat, including the lid, and let dry.
7. Center the piano hinge along one side of the lid and screw in place with the drill. Center the lid over the completed base of the window seat; there should be about 2 inches overhang on the sides and a 2 inch lip at the front. Screw in place along the back to finish the window seat. Position under your bedroom window and add some cushions to the top.
Tags: window seat, 16-inch planks, bedroom window, flush with, window seat