H-Leg Benches
Quick answer: These H-leg benches are the seating for our cedar H-leg dining table — one set of materials makes two benches, so guests can slide in and out without wrestling one long bench. The legs are 4×4 cedar milled down to a true 2½″ square so the proportions match the table, joined with glue and Simpson Strong-Drive structural screws. Build video below; the printable plans are $10. Designed, built, and documented by Jamison Rantz.
A while back we built the cedar H-leg dining table and it has been quite the hit — but we never got around to the benches, until now. I took the time to mill the 4×4s down to an actual 2½″ × 2½″ so the benches look proportionally right next to the table, and made two benches per side instead of one long one so it’s easier to get in and out of the middle. This build started as a collaboration with Simpson Strong-Tie — their Strong-Drive structural screws are what hold these together.
H-Leg Bench Plans
Makes two cedar benches — full cut list, dimensioned diagrams, and step-by-step assembly in one printable PDF.
Tools & materials
Dimensions
Every part dimension, the full cut list, and the assembly diagrams are in the printable plans — and the video above walks the whole build, including milling the legs.
How it goes together
Each bench is two milled H-frames — legs, a top rail, and a low stretcher glued and screwed with the 4″ Timber screws — tied together by the aprons, with the 2×6 seat boards fastened from below with the 2½″ Framing screws. If you can build the matching table, the benches are the easy part of the weekend.
H-Leg Bench Plans
Makes two cedar benches — full cut list, dimensioned diagrams, and step-by-step assembly in one printable PDF.
Not sure this is the right bench for your spot? We compared all six of our outdoor benches — cost, tools, time, and skill — on the outdoor bench plans page.
Questions? Comments?
As always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to comment below — and don’t forget to post pictures of your finished benches in the comments! ENJOY!
