Building Benches

As with basically every aspect of DIY Van Building, you have MANY options when it comes to building your bed benches. In the past, we have used steel studs to frame out our bed benches. What we found with this method was that we lost usable space inside the bed benches. Additionally we feel that using 3/4” plywood provides plenty of strength is used correctly.

Other options including using 80/20 to frame out your benches or angle aluminum.

Below we will show you how we currently build benches.

MATERIALS LIST

• 4x8’ Sheet of Birch Plywood - 1 Sheet for each bench

• Wood Glue

• 18 Gauge 1 1/4” nails

• Primer

• Paint

TOOLS NEEDED

• 18 Gauge Nail Gun

• Jigsaw

• Table Saw

• Circular Saw

• Straight Edge

BENCH DIMENSIONS (DOES NOT INCLUDE BENCH TOP)

18.5” TALL X 23” DEEP X 72” LONG

We have found 18.5” is a good height for the benches. This gives you enough height to fit a 33 Gallon Freshwater Tank. The 23” depth allows you to fit the 33 Gallon Tank on It’s side next to the wheel well.

CUT LIST

• 18.5 x 72” (2 Per Bench) - 4 total

• 18.5 x 21.5” (2 Per Bench) - 4 Total

• 2.5 x 96” (2 Per Bench) - 4 Total

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by ripping the plywood sheets into 18.5” sections.

2. Cut down extra plywood into 2.5” wide x 96” long pieces.

3. Next, cut 18.5” wide pieces from 96” to 72” or whatever your final length of the benches will be.

4. Take Left over material and cut down to make your end pieces. Cut to 18.5x 21.5” for a 23” Deep bench

5. At this time do any scribing you need to do in order for your benches to fit around the wheel well.

6. Measure & Mark 3/4” at either end of your 72” Bench Section.

7. Cut 2.5” pieces down to 70.5”. Glue and Nail onto top, inside edge of both 72” Pieces for each bench.

8. Measure and Cut remaining 2.5” pieces, glue and nail from the cleat down to the bottom along the 3/4” line.

SAND, PAINT & ASSEMBLE

At this point is is easiest to sand and paint the benches before assembling. Just remember NOT TO PAINT areas well you will be using wood glue to Assemble the benches. See pics above.

Once done with painting benches can be assembled with wood glue and 1 1/4” nails.