How To Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

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Take the materials list with dimensions to a hardware store, and learn a trick to build easy breakfast nook benches with this DIY tutorial. 

Happy throwback Thursday!

I love breakfast nooks. I like how built-in benches automatically add space to the rest of the kitchen by pulling the table closer to the wall. 

We added a breakfast nook in our second fixer-upper as well which you can read about here in our Foreclosure to French Country kitchen makeover.

We loved the nook so much that we replicated the same dimensions again in our third fixer upper house. 

I had a custom 60″ x 60″ Douglas Fir table made in California, so our nook dimensions are tailored to this table.  Check out Wayfair for lots of square tables!

For more kitchen inspiration be sure to check out:

How To Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

Here is the breakfast nook before picture.  If you missed our French Country Cottage fixer-upper before tour check it out here!

You Will Need:

• Drill
• Miter saw

• (4) 2×4’s 60″ long
• (4) 2×4’s 76″ long
• (14) 2×4’s  9″ long
• (14) 2×4’s 15″ long
• 2 1/2″ box of wood construction screws
• (1) 1/2″ sanded plywood 18″ L x 60 1/2″ W*
• (1) 1/2″ sanded plywood 18″ L x 16″ W*
• (2) 1/2″ sanded plywood 18″L x 60″ W*
• (2) 3/4″ sanded plywood 16 1/2″ L x 60″ W*
• (1) 3/4″ sanded plywood 16″L x 60″ W*
• Base cap molding
• Quarter round molding

*Did you know that you can get the large plywood pieces cut at Home Depot in the store?  Ask an associate to cut the sanded plywood to these exact dimensions prior to leaving the store. 

Make sure to write the dimensions on each piece after they are cut with a pencil so you know which is which!

How to Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

#1.  Secure bench foundation and stack your pieces.

Ok here is the tip to making easy breakfast nook benches.  *Build the two benches prior to installing*

First layout your bench on the driveway or even in the nook itself. 

You will build the two benches separately prior to installing them.  There are lots of 2×4 pieces that go into the benches and the key is to lay them all out to keep them in order!

Here is the base for the two benches which includes (2) 76″ 2x4s on the left with (4) of the 9″ 2x4s bracing them.  On the right are (2) 60″ 2x4s with (3) 9″ 2x4s. 

Fasten the long pieces to the perpendicular short pieces with screws.  Do not attach the two bench bases together though! 

They are laid out to give the visual but do not fasten them together.

Next lay out all of the 15″ vertical supports on either side of the short 9″ braces. 

Now we are going to lay out the rest of your 2x4s, so the pieces do not seem as overwhelming. 

All of these supports laying flat will ultimately stand upright to support the benchtop.

Like this.  Make sense?

Here every piece that I need for the benches is stacked on top of each other to simplify your process. 

Can you see that basically the foundation is repeated on top of the vertical pieces?

How to Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

#2.  Secure the vertical supports.

Add all of the vertical supports perpendicular to the cross-sections of the bench foundation.

Here is what it will look like when done.  Notice the 2x4s are perpendicular to the cross-sections.

How to Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

#3.  Build the bench top. 

Built the bench top next.  It is literally a repeat of the base.

Then secure it to the vertical supports.

How to Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

#4.  Secure to walls and floor.

At this point, set up the bench frames in your kitchen or wherever they will go.  I did this same bench (different dimensions) in our foyer as well. 

These benches can be put anywhere in a home.

Secure to the floor and the walls with screws.  Keep it as tight as possible.

How to Build Easy Breakfast Nook Benches

#5.  Add the plywood and decorative trim.  

Add the 1/2″ sanded plywood to the face and then the 3/4″ sanded plywood to the top. 

Add the shoe molding trim around the bottom, and then whatever decorative trim on the face of the benches. 

This picture window trim is less farmhouse style and a little more classic appearing which is what I wanted as this is our formal and casual dining space all in one at this house!

Caulk, paint, and voila!!  One of my favorite views in our house.

Before

 

After

Check out our full before and after French Country Cottage Kitchen Renovation here.

The benches and wainscoting are painted “Mayonnaise” by BM.

For more kitchen inspiration be sure to check out:

Pin any of the images below for later.

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