This modern, rustic shelf and bench set work well in a mudroom where you can kick-off boots and shed coats. It could also be used to provide storage and stage outfits in a bedroom. The bench is made from 8 foot long, 4x4 posts and the shelf is made from 3/4” black iron plumber's pipe and half of a 8 foot long, Fir 2x12.

SUPPLIES:

 Bench: 

4x4 Posts – 8 Feet Long
Purchase at Home Depot
I bought five 4x4 Douglas Fir posts at Home Depot. While I was there, I had the two 9” sections cut off of each post.

1lb Box of #10 4” Exterior Screws
Purchase at Home Depot
1 box of screws should be enough to put the entire bench together. Longer screws are an option but are more expensive and harder to drive in.

Large, Thick Washers
Purchase at Home Depot
I used about 40 large thick washers as spacers between the 4x4s.

 Shelf: 

¾” Black Iron Pipes
Purchase at Home Depot
Here's the list of pipes I used:



Premium Fir 2x12 – 8 Feet Long
Purchase at Home Depot
I spent the extra money on a premium grade 2x12. Premium grade is straighter, smoother and has fewer knots or chips. I had it cut in half at Home Depot.

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill with Extension

 Optional: 
RYOBI 18 Volt Impact Driver
In addition to a drill, an impact driver makes this project go a lot faster. You can pre-drill the holes and drive the screws without constantly switching bits.

RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw
I had the cuts made at Home Depot, but you could do them yourself with a circular saw.

INSTRUCTIONS:

 Bench: 

STEP 1: Select 5 4x4s
I picked out 5 nice-looking, 8 foot long, 4x4 posts and had two 9” sections cut off of the ends of each post. The result is 5 posts about 6’6” long and a bunch of 9” longs ends.



STEP 2: Screw together the 4x4s
Screws aren't long enough to go through both 4x4s and longer screws are more difficult to drive in and also more expensive. Drilling large diameter holes about 1.5” into the 4x4 will allow the 3.5” screws to bite into the second 4x4. I used large washers as spacers in between the 4x4s.













STEP 3: Cut plywood back and bottoms
I used some scrap 3/4” plywood to make a bottom for the bench and 1/4” plywood to make the back. If you want a deeper bench you could use three more 4x4 posts and make a wider bench with solid 4x4 back.











STEP 4: Use hinges or cleats to secure the top
The top is quite heavy, so I prefer cleats to hinges.









STEP 5: Sand the bench
A quick sanding with 220 grit sandpaper will clean up the bench.













 Shelf: 

STEP 1: Select 8’ Fir 2x12
Pick out a nice 8 foot long 2x12. I chose a nice Fir 2x12 that was a bit more expensive than typical Spruce 2x12s and had it cut in half at Home Depot.



STEP 2: Assemble the pipes
There are a lot of different ways you could layout the pipe supports, but feel free to follow the plan I used. Screw the bottom section of the pipes together and mark where the holes need to be drilled.



STEP 3: Drill holes in board
The exterior diameter of the 3/4” pipes are NOT 3/4”. I used a 1 1/8” diameter bit to drill the holes for the pipes to go through.





STEP 4: Screw the pipes through the board
The 2” pipes go into the holes and the couplings and caps are used to secure them. You should assemble the bottom piece first and then insert the pipes into the board and secure it.



STEP 5: Install on a wall
This shelf is quite heavy, so either get a second person to help you install it or set up some scaffolding to for support while you screw it to the wall. I recommend using a stud finder to ensure that the screws go through gypsum board and into a stud. Don't worry if the pipes are a bit loose when all three flanges are screwed to the wall. The assembly will get stronger. You may also want to add an additional L bracket to connect the wood to the wall.













Good luck making your own modern, rustic mudroom, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

---