How to make a woven bench seat
Weave some interiors magic with this simple but stunning – and practical! – DIY woven bench seat.
This classic woven bench could be just the furniture piece your home is missing. It’s ideal for the hallway or walk-in robe – anywhere you might want to take a load off for a few minutes.
Made from dressed pine and cotton webbing, this project shows how simple materials can have a great impact. To secure the webbing to the timber frame, invest in an air stapler or use a hand stapler with 10mm flat wire staples.
Tools and materials
10G 30mm timber screws
10G 50mm timber screws
180-grit abrasive paper with a sanding block
42mm x 19mm-wide DAR pine @ 1.8m x 3 lengths
42mm x 42mm DAR pine @ 1.8m
8G countersinking bit
Air stapler with 16mm crown staples
Black screw caps
Combination square
Drill with driver bit
Hammer
Measuring tape and pen
Mitre saw or handsaw with mitre box
Safety equipment
Scissors
Superglue
Timber adhesive
Two 10m packs of 50mm-wide cotton webbing
1. Measure and mark the legs
On the 42mm-square pine, mark out four legs 450mm long. On the 19mm-wide pine, mark four side rails at 900mm and four end rails at 450mm. Cut with a mitre saw.
Tip: measure and cut one of each to use as templates for the rest.
2. Drill the holes
With a combination square, mark holes on the side rails 40mm from the ends and on the end rails 10mm from the ends, drilling with an 8G countersinking bit.
Tip: holes should be 10mm in from the side to prevent the timber splitting.
3. Assemble the end frames
To assemble the end frames, set out pairs of legs with end rails over the top, and 120mm up from the base. Apply timber adhesive and secure through the countersunk holes with 30mm screws.
Tip: attach top rails first, ensuring they’re flush with the side legs.
4. Add the end rails
With the end frames upside down, position side rails against the top end rails, apply timber adhesive and secure with 50mm screws, then repeat with the lower rails. Sand all over with abrasive paper, rounding over the edges. Dab superglue onto the screws and tap in the black screw caps with a hammer.
Tip: our hall bench makes a comfy seat, but is not for standing on!
5. Weave the webbing
With the completed frame upside down, run the webbing underneath lengthways, wrapping it around an end rail to staple inside the frame. Use the excess to pull the webbing taut, wrapping around the opposite rail to staple and trim with scissors. Repeat to attach five evenly spaced lengths.
Tip: to keep the seat secure and comfortable, alternate the under-and-over weaving, pulling it as tight as possible while stapling
6. Weave the webbing widthways
To weave widthways, thread webbing over and under the long pieces, positioning it flush against the legs at either end. Staple the ends, pull the webbing taut to wrap around the opposite rail, staple and trim. Attach webbing at the centre (a) and halfway along either side. Fill the remaining spaces by threading under then over to alternate the weave (b).
Tip: when you’ve finished weaving the seat, spritz water onto the webbing to dampen it slightly, so the cotton shrinks and tightens as it dries
Photography credit: Anna Robinson, Natasha Dickins and Beck Rocchi Photography.