266 – Convertible Bench

Video - August 19, 2016

Welcome to the Honda Ridgeline Saturday Project series produced in partnership with Honda. Each project is designed to be approachable using basic tools and materials. And to show you how versatile the all-new 2017 Honda Ridgeline can be, we’ll build each project right in the bed of the truck!

This Convertible Bench is designed for versatility and style. Each section has two positions allowing for numerous configurations. It’s a bench, a 2-seat bench, a table, a love seat, and even a chair with an end table, all in one piece of furniture! I can’t claim credit for this idea as it was inspired by some European designs I’ve seen online. This is just my interpretation. Search for “coffee bench” if you want to see where I got the idea from, though I have no way of knowing if that’s the true original design. Doing more research I came across a Better Homes & Gardens plan that was basically a small shop interpretation of the coffee bench and I used that as the starting point for my version. After all, there are only so many ways to build something like this if you don’t have access to CNC and you can’t make the entire frame out of metal. So if you know who the true original maker of the “coffee bench” is, please let me know so I can give proper credit.

Download the Plans

Materials

5 – 4’x8’ sheets of 3/4″ plywood
2 – Metal EMT Conduit 2 1/4“ OD by 5 feet long

1. Make Your Templates

Print out both the seat and the side support templates and print them out scaling turned off (or 100%). Cut along the dotted lines and tape the various pieces together to create the full-size image. Cut the shapes out and use spray adhesive to attach the paper to the template stock (I like 1/4″ plywood or MDF). Now use a jigsaw to cut the template stock to shape. Use rasps or sandpaper to finesse the shape to perfection.

2. Cut Out the Parts

Trace the template shapes onto the plywood using the arrangement in the PDF Cut List. Cut out each shape using the jigsaw staying about 1/16″ away from your lines. You’ll need 45 center seat pieces and 8 side support pieces.

3. Makin’ Copies!

The templates are used in conjunction with a router and a flush trim bit to make each 3/4″ project part conform to the perfect shape. There are probably several ways you could approach this but I recommend building up your stacks and shaping as you go. Start by flush-trimming your first piece using the template. Once shaped, the 3/4″ piece can now serve as the template as you begin building the stack with glue and screws. Watch the video closely for the details. Each seat section is comprised of three 3/4″ thick seat pieces and each side support is comprised of four 3/4″ thick side support pieces.

4. Cut the Rings

The spacer rings can be cut from the project scrap. You’ll need two hole saws (2 1/4″ and 4″) to get the job done. Start by drilling a 1/4″ starter hole. Next, use the 4″ hole saw to cut out a 4″ circle. With the circle in a vise, use the 2 1/4″ hole saw to cut out the center creating the spacer ring. You’ll need 16 spacers in total.

5. Finish & Assemble

If you plan to finish or paint your Convertible Bench, now’s the time to do it. While I didn’t show finishing in the video, I highly recommend you at least apply a clear protective finish to the project. After the finish dries, do a quick dry assembly to determine the exact length of the pipe. Cut the pipe as needed and then proceed to the final assembly. Feel free to use epoxy in the pipe holes for a more permanent connection.

This was a fun project to build and while this series was intended to showcase projects that could be completed in a day, I have to admit this one will likely take longer. Between cutting out the individual parts and all of the flush-trimming, this project can eat up quite a bit of time. It’s not difficult, just time-consuming. So I recommend inviting a few friends over to help speed things up.

Gallery

Discussion

Christopher ABELA MEDICI August 19, 2016 8:09 am

Thanks for the project

Reply
Chris August 19, 2016 8:12 am

Very cool Marc! Me likey.

Question: Since it’s made of plywood do you think the CPES/Epifanes combo would sufficiently waterproof it, or would it have to be kept in a protected setting? Making it out of treated plywood would do a lot of uglifying.

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 19, 2016 11:15 am
  
  I think that’s about as good as you’re going to get for an outdoor finish other than paint. But due to the many laminations, I don’t think this project is a great candidate for an outdoor project with lots of exposure.
  
  Reply
  - Michael A. Sharpe November 4, 2017 6:33 pm
    
    Have you thought of adding cushions to each piece. Then could custom a finished cloth material. This would add a softer feel plus accent to a room
    
    Reply
- Pisti December 8, 2018 11:04 am
  
  Just use marine grade ply, bit more expensive but it has got some nice grains. Treat it with Osmo UV-Protection oil and you are set. Repeat a maintenance coat every two years and you be able to enjoy the new look for the next 30 years. :)
  
  Reply
Tom McKenzie August 19, 2016 8:55 am

It’s cool but 5 sheets of plywood can be expensive.

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John C. August 19, 2016 11:36 am

Thanks for the upload, Marc! Looks like a fun project. (On a side note: does anyone else see Snoopy’s friend Woodstock in the upside-down shapes of the seat?)

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 19, 2016 1:59 pm
  
  haha nice. I was seeing the star trek logo in the seat sides. :)
  
  Reply
Jarrett Conway August 19, 2016 12:47 pm

Awesome design. I’m opening a bike shop/cafe next year and I think this is something that could be adapted for my customers’ use. Two questions: what would you do to make this a bit more weather resistant (change of material, perhaps?) and if I added additional spacer rings, so the gap would be wide enough to slide a bike wheel between, would everything still be stable and comfortable enough?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 19, 2016 1:58 pm
  
  I’d use marine ply and then apply a good quality outdoor paint. You really need to seal up those plywood ends to make them withstand the outdoors and to help prevent delamination. Also use a waterproof glue. As for additional rings, it’s hard to say if it would still be comfortable. A 3/4″ gap is forgivable. A 1 1/2″ gap? Hard to say until you actually sit in it. Stability should be ok but comfort is my only question.
  
  Reply
Brett August 19, 2016 3:07 pm

Hi Mark,

I love this bench design, great work! I had a couple of questions:

1. Roughly how much does it weigh? Seems like it might be quite heavy, but certainly not as much as the full 5 sheets of ply.

2. Do you think this bench would scale out well to the full 60″ pipe length so that it could be 2 chairs with a shared table in the middle? That would add 4 more sections and 4 more spacers. Do you think that’d be wide enough or would It need to be wider for it to have 2 comfortable chairs with a shared middle table?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 20, 2016 6:31 am
  
  I didn’t actually weigh the bench but it’s pretty heavy. You’ll need two people or a furniture dolly to move it. And yes, I think you can go wider. But a full 60″ isn’t buying you much more space if you want a table in the middle. It’s best to get some real chairs and measure out the spacing that feels ideal, then apply that to your bench/table combo.
  
  Reply
Collin August 19, 2016 6:53 pm

Great idea. Thanks for the video.

Reply
MeCBRobinson August 19, 2016 7:17 pm

I hope the Colorado shop will be a bit bigger than the truck bed storage! Nice, innovative bench project Marc!

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 20, 2016 6:28 am
  
  Oh boy, I hope so too! :)
  
  Reply
Ron August 21, 2016 9:02 pm

Making it 60″ or 68″ was easy but I made 2 extra end parts and spaced them in the place of 2 of the spacers this made it have a stable seating with no sag you need to remember to full figer adults and 7 sheets of plywood is a lot of weight for that large of a span having the to middle legs make a big difference. I also put leg adjustment feet on to allow for a slightly unlevel surface. And a clear epoxy finished seam to be holding it’s own in mmississippi. Thanks

Reply
Shaun Wellington August 22, 2016 5:55 pm

Now that’s a cool design! Thanks for the hard work you do on your videos. Always a pleasure to watch and use!
Thanks Marc,

Reply
Shahar Yabo August 23, 2016 3:48 pm

Thank you for sharing, and thanks for the metric notes for us, humble none American commoners :)

Reply
Jon August 27, 2016 12:12 am

Would glue and clamps be enough to hold the pieces together? Are the screws used just to keep things moving?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 27, 2016 7:51 am
  
  Glue alone would be enough, but you’ll have to wait for each layer to dry before doing the flush-trimming. It would really slow down the already tedious process.
  
  Reply
Brian August 30, 2016 10:19 pm

Hey Marc,
A friend asked me to build this bench for her several months ago. I’m JUST BARELY finishing up as you’re posting your vid. I really wish I would have had your templates instead of having to figure out all the dimensions on my own based on a time lapse video on facebook!! (that sucked) Anyway, the part I’m having a hard time with is the holes for the pipes. So two questions.
First, I couldn’t find a hole saw to fit the exact OD of the pipe I bought (couldn’t get 2-1/4″ OD. The guy at HD told me that the OD was 2-1/4″ but that was actually the ID. The OD is a totally random size. Aggravating to say the least.) So I’m having trouble getting a tight fit because I’m just freehanding the circles for the pipe holes. I know you have an exact size for your holes but how did you actually cut them to be exact circles?
Second, how did you find pipe with an exact OD?
Thanks a ton, I really admire your work.

Reply
- will October 13, 2016 10:58 pm
  
  just get an adjustable hole saw
  
  Reply
Matt T September 2, 2016 7:51 pm

Hey, Marc-
This looks like a great project, thanks for the helpful video/plans.
One question: to reduce weight, could a PVC pipe be used instead of the metal one? Would it make much of a difference?
Love the podcast and all your advice.

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo September 3, 2016 7:20 am
  
  I wouldn’t. PVC is likely to bend significantly under the weight.
  
  Reply
  - Matt R Trickel September 6, 2016 10:47 am
    
    Good to know. Thank you.
    
    Reply
Steven Kirincich September 5, 2016 8:59 am

Very cool. Looks like an excuse to get a handheld CNC router:

https://shapertools.com

I have no affiliation with the company.

Thanks.

Reply
Karen Guc September 6, 2016 3:01 pm

Love this!! I’m taking another wood shop class in a couple weeks (my second) and think this is the ideal project for me! A question, tho: You used plywood — is there a different kind of wood you could recommend, something to maybe make it a little fancier and help it endure the elements better?? I may make a couple of these for friends, and would like something a little nicer than plywood, without breaking the bank. THANKS!!!

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo September 6, 2016 8:42 pm
  
  Well you can use solid wood for this but that could get pretty pricey. This project really is intended for sheetgoods. Not to mention getting your boards wide enough to accommodate the shapes. You’d probably have to do a bunch of glueups to get the width you’d need, adding even more labor to an already labor-intensive project. I highly recommend sticking with some kind of sheetgood.
  
  Reply
- will October 13, 2016 11:00 pm
  
  cypress wood would work but you would have to plane it and glue boards together to get the proper size.. i do that with church pews
  
  Reply
Jacob October 5, 2016 7:39 am

Very cool and multi purpose project, I am going to make one but had a few questions before I start. What size/ length screws did you use? and what type of plywood? and did you use waterproof wood glue?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo October 5, 2016 11:00 am
  
  The screws just need to penetrate into the piece below so I’d go 1″-1 1/4″. Plywood I used is baltic birch and if you are going to put this outside you should definitely use waterproof glue.
  
  Reply
  - Jacob October 6, 2016 8:22 am
    
    Where did you find the pipe? Are you sure it’s 2 1/4″ od, all the places have looked only have 2″ or 2 1/2″ pipe? Which did you use?
    
    Reply
    - Marc Spagnuolo October 6, 2016 8:25 am
      
      Got mine in the electrical section of Home Depot. It’s just simple conduit with an OD of 2 1/4″.
  - Jacob October 10, 2016 8:12 am
    
    This should be the last thing, I know the pipe has to have an OD of 2 1/4″, but they sell pipe by the ID. So when you got yours from home depot what size did you get?
    
    Reply
    - Marc Spagnuolo October 10, 2016 9:13 am
      
      I honestly don’t remember. I just went to HD and bought a piece of conduit that looked to be about the size I needed. I got it home, measured the OD and got the bit I needed to match the OD. All you need to do is take a measuring tape with you to the store and measure for yourself so you know exactly what you’re getting. If you can’t find something that’s 2 1/4″ exactly, you may have to modify the plan slightly to accommodate the conduit or pipe you have access to.
Steve October 10, 2016 8:43 pm

Marc, thanks for all of your videos and help. I’m just starting out as a hobbyist, still trying to learn. I’d like to attempt to make this for our family to use around a fire pit in Texas. However, in your estimate, how much weight do you think it would support, and also, after I’ve read through the comments, in your opinion, what would be the best way to protect it from the elements, or would it be best to simply not use it outdoors?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo October 10, 2016 9:33 pm
  
  I have no way of giving you an actual number but the thing seemed to be incredibly strong. Certainly strong enough to support the things it’s intended to support.
  
  As for the elements, paint is actually your best bet. A good quality outdoor paint. But if you want a clear finish look into Epifanes. And you probably want to use a marine ply instead of interior ply like I used here.
  
  Reply
  - Steve October 10, 2016 10:27 pm
    
    Thanks Marc, I appreciate the insight. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it, I’ll make sure to send you a picture if I ever do get it finished, as long as you promise not to laugh too much out loud! ;-)
    
    Reply
César A. Fdez. October 29, 2016 4:40 am

Hi Marc,

I like your version very much!!
To give credit to the designer, I made a little research and I belive the original design is from this person: https://www.facebook.com/karolina.tylka.1
Some links:
https://www.facebook.com/Coffe.....313846015/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCfhVB_RZAY

Reply
- Fran February 18, 2017 5:37 pm
  
  You are right. As far as I know she is the originator. I’ve had my eye on it for quite a while. Glad some people have finally reverse engineered it. Hoping other projects I’m watching will soon be too.
  
  Reply
Mike October 31, 2016 8:00 pm

I have not figured out how to print out the templates for the seat or end pieces. How do I do that?

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo November 1, 2016 6:59 am
  
  You should be able to print them with a standard printer as full sheets with no scaling.
  
  Reply
Mike November 13, 2016 10:51 pm

Can’t find the PDF file to print out the patterns

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo November 14, 2016 9:49 am
  
  Links are in the writeup above.
  
  Reply
Kyrie Bandao Pugong February 6, 2017 10:10 pm

Thanks a lot for the project, we had saved a lot in our trial and error…

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Fran February 18, 2017 5:38 pm

Here’s another set of plans by someone else.
https://www.bhgshop.com.au/pro.....tion-seat/

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo February 19, 2017 6:45 am
  
  That’s the one I mentioned in the writeup. :)
  
  Reply
Karolina Tylka March 21, 2017 7:54 am

Hi, the proper designer name is Karolina Tylka a Polish Designer

It’s an oryginal design, from her. and connected website: www designatsource.eu
more info about the bench:

http://www.contemporist.com/co.....nd-studio/

that’s her BIO:

Karolina Tylka – Tomczyk graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Design at the University of Art in Poznań (2003) and the Design Faculty at University of Fine Arts In Berlin (2006).

She is now continuing her scholarly activities as a teaching assistant at the faculty’s Inspiring Design Studio, headed by Professor Bogumiła Jung. She lives and works in Poznań and has shown her work at a number of prestigious exhibitions; 100% Design in London, Salone del Mobile in Milan, Designmai in Berlin, as well as in Krotrijk, Saint –Etienne, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Coburg. She has collaborated with such brands as Mitsubishi Electric, Volkswagen Autostadt, Opel and Alape. Together with interior architect Szymon Nawój, she co-founded Beyond Standards as an enterprise dedicated to research and design in the fields of interior architecture, and industrial and exhibition design. Karolina belongs to the specific group of designer for whom form is only 10% of the entire product, and the final effect is dependent upon a lengthy research, a process during which human nature and surroundings are subject to analysis at every latitude.

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Jon Wells May 17, 2017 11:49 pm

I did not read all the above comments, as I am new to your sites and content. However, this project was really cool. I bet with a little figuring on some measurements…. think Futon, and you got yourself some serious outdoor furniture. :)

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Mike September 13, 2017 11:05 am

What size router bit did you use?

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- Marc Spagnuolo September 14, 2017 8:21 am
  
  I honestly don’t recall. I’d have to look at the video and hazard a guess, which isn’t very accurate. Good thing is it doesn’t really matter. Any decent bearing-guided flush trim bit should work.
  
  Reply
Matt Trickel December 7, 2017 9:03 am

Thanks for the project. I do some volunteer work with a local children’s home, and one of the boys is a senior in high school. He needed a senior project and a sponsor, he asked me, I picked this one, and we worked on this together. It was a great project, he learned a lot of new wood working techniques, and he built a quality product that surpassed even his expectations. Thanks for the video and free plans-that is what made this possible. You’ve further kindled the woodworking flame in someone else!

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Gerardo Banuelos August 18, 2018 11:26 pm

What if you wanted to make the bench much higher? Say a 34 inch seat height. Do you think it would still be doable? would metal tubing be a better option if I was to make it that tall?

Reply
Rick Lancendorfer November 28, 2018 5:30 pm

Thanks Marc for the video and templates of the convertible bench! On the printed out template pages the 1″ x 1″ reference scale is actually 15/16″on my printouts, will this scaling discrepancy cause me problems if I use the templates as printed? Thanks again!

Reply
Pisti December 8, 2018 11:00 am

Thank for sharing. Great and easy to understand presentation. 5 Star.

Reply
Laura Z May 26, 2019 7:19 pm

Thank you so much for posting! Is there anyway to turn this into a curved bench around a fire pit? Obviously the spacers need to accommodate the curve to avoid the pieces hitting each other….but how would one address that? Make the spacers wider? Shave the width of the front of the seat? We have a 9.5 ft paver circle with a 36 in round fire pit in the center. This bench around the circle would be ideal. Thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated!

Reply
Gavin Schultz March 10, 2022 3:11 pm

I was watching your video for the 266 Convertible Bench and somehow pressed play on my computer and it started during a portion of “Discovery” Album by Daft Punk overdubbed with your audio commentary of that 5 minute video. It was –pink floyd during wizard of Oz’– level great.! I could hear you but it overpowered your background music enough that I thought it was part of your production. I later realized and went back and paused my music. But just saying, happy coincidence with superb results.
I wanna say it was during the end of Aerodynamic.

Anyway, thanks overall for the great video and instructional with PDF’s and cut sheets. Going to try a mini version of this bench/table for my kids.

Reply

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