Untitled - Wood Tools

deck it out &
DRESS IT UP
With the "skeleton" of the bench
conrpleted, it'.s tine to add thc "skin."
That is, the decking for the benchtop
and shelves and the cedar side and
back panels (see Illustration bclou).
Decking: f\ro $pes
I used two types of decking: a conrposite
nrrterial for tl're benchtop and
bottorn shelf (G) arrd cedrr decking
for the nriddle shelf (H).Why not Lrse
the sanre decking in botlr places?
First of all, coniposite decking is
easy to clerrr, so it's icle:rl for the
benchtop, which will get potting soil
dunrped on it. It nrakes sense for the
shelves, too.The only problenr is it
sags if not properly supportecl. J'hc
lower fi"lnre provicles the nceclecl support
for the bottorn shelf, but the
nriddle shclf is only sr"rpported at the
ends. So for it, I used cedar decking
which can span the opening without
seggine. espcci:rlly with thc lightweight
itenrs likely to go on this shelf.
l{ep;.rrc'liess of the type of decking,
iti installed the sarne way. Notch the
front and back boards to fit around
the legs (Notclt Dctails). Tl.ren space
tl're boards evenly, and attach with
pocket screws (1)orfrcl Srruu l)ctail).
Side& Bock Panels
Once the dcckins is installccl, the
sides and back of the bcnch can be
enclosecl with ceclar panels. These
panels lrc functional, br,rt I wantecl
to clress thcnr up a bit, too. Hence
the curved profiles on top of each
panel, the decorative circular cutouts,
and the wide notch in the botton.r
edge (Panel Assembly).
Each panel is built like a picket
lence. The "pickets" are 3/+"-thick
ccdar slats (l) ripped 4114" wide.To
srve nrrterirl, itls best to use vrrying
lengths of slats. (Note how the top
ends of the slats are staggered./
Thc slats arc evenly spacc'd and
assenrbled into a pancl using temporary
cleats (Fiq.1).Locate the cleaLs as
shown in the Pancl Asscmbly. Later,
they'll be used to hold the panels in
position when attaching the individr-ral
sl:rts to the bench (sr:c Fig. 3).
llut flrst, vou'll need to lay out
tl're shape of the panels. A tenrplate
c coP
l3/t" x4Vt" x4th"l
uppPsur
(1" x 572"x
4)t $t/r"l
A
\
Notch shelf
oround leg
so.t P9*t stot,
l3/l'x{Vz" x
-vorioble lengths)
3y6', x2',
/-
-"f
6u
- I-
.:1( )
Y
Bock Ponel
Cleot
l3/4tt xllztt x
45h"1
Temporory
Cleot
(remove
ofier ponel
inslollotion)
#7 x ls/s"
Stoinless Scel
Trim Heod Screws
62
DECKING
& PANELS
V
Bonom Shelf
llVg" x5Y2" x48Vt"l
Side Ponel Slots
(3h" x 4th" x
vorious lengthsf
2Vz" Pockel
Screw