Kitchen in-built bench

[Mark Gibney]

Someone has asked me to measure her kitchen and give her a quote to make an in-built bench like the one in the picture she emailed me, below.

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The picture is from Pinterest and I can't find a better image to post here, so hopefully you get the idea.

My question is what are the dos and don'ts with a bench like this? - I have not made one before.
What are the pitfalls to look out for?

Do I use plywood with a hardwood trim on a hardwood frame, or can the seating and the back be solid wood?

The client said she loves this wood. What do you think it is? - the photo is too small for me to make a call on that.

If anyone knows of an article or book that deals specifically with this I'd appreciate hearing about it too.

thank you, Mark.

[Dave Richards]

I'd be inclined to use solid wood for the seat and the top rails; edge banded plywood for the rest. Probably maple. You might be able to use laminated maple counter top for the seat. It might be less expensive than laminating your own.

[Mel Fulks]

That photo looks like the old "bank- etts". But they were usually an elevated "stage" one step high. Many restaurants had them ,too; but you could not sit there by yourself !! Look at some old pics

[Sam Murdoch]

You could certainly make one out of plywood with solid wood trim. Would be the most cost effective - faster to build, easier to finish and install, and the materials costs would be less. The cost savings could be persuasive.

From the photo - it appears that the seat on this one is solid wood but the back appears to be plywood with solid wood trim. That's a nice option in that you have an easily built frame work with a seat that can be thick or thin, shaped/contoured or not for comfort, with the added benefit that it would be easy to refinish down the road as the seat will likely show wear faster than the backs - unless they use cushions (a good addition).

If it were me doing this project I would start by pricing out the option of solid - plywood or solid/plywood versions. If money is no object a fully solid wood bench would be lovely.

Design aspects to consider:

1) Material - solid wood requires some consideration to wood movement

2) I find that building chairs/benches with backs nearly always requires a mock up version. Get the slope of the back right and the height of the seat in the correct proportion and you are a genius. Get these wrong and every time they sit they will think of you :(. The sizing can be subjective - even within a family - as everyone is a different size. It actually is easier to design for a crowd because you just build to standards and no one can complain. If you are building for relatively short (or tall ) people the mock up is especially important. ALSO - size according to the intended table.

The mock up need be nothing more than a 30" wide plywood frame with some way to change the pitch of the back and the relative depth and height of the seat. Here is a link with images to start you off https://www.google.com/searchq=chair+and+seating+design+considerations&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjrtKKq47zaAhUHrlkKHUBqCcsQsAQIPA&biw=1237&bih=740 (https://www.google.com/search?q=chair+and+seating+design+considerations&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjrtKKq47zaAhUHrlkKHUBqCcsQsAQIPA&biw=1237&bih=740)

3) Will this be free standing or truly built-in and so secured to the walls. Figure out your install needs. Walls square to each other? Floor level? Easy access to the corner? If the sight has issues, you might need to do a partial assembly on sight for the install. That should factor into your costs and planning. However, if the conditions are favorable and you plan thoughtfully you could build and finish the entire assembly in the shop then just screw it to the wall in a few places upon delivery.

4) The support of the long run of bench seat needs to be considered. If a 3/4" plywood seat with a solid wood edge you would likely need a 3" or 4" stretcher running along the length parallel to the front edge (in the middle to first 3rd of the seat and at the back edge) to help provide the needed stiffness. Solid wood can be thicker and span the distance easier. I kind of like a seat with a little bounce - LITTLE - bounce. This goes back to doing a mock up to see what feels right.

OK - 'nuff for now. Others will chime in. This could be a fun project.

[Cary Falk]

I wouldn't use plywood. It just doesn't wear as well as solid wood. You are going to have people sliding their buts and backs across it. Silverware will be dropped on it. Plywood dents easily and the top veneer is paper thin. Hard maple would be my first choice. Old church pews have been built from solid wood for a long time.

[Lisa Starr]

Search building a Banquette. There are lots of video/tutorials out there that will get you headed in the right direction.

[Jamie Buxton]

I can't see the grain pattern well in that tiny pic. Based on the color, I'd guess the wood is varnished red oak. There are lots of species which it could be, but oak plywood is readily available.

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, the term banquette and the reasons to use solid wood for the seat are very useful.

[Matthew Hills]

Good advice to create a prototype of the table/seat height and the angle of the back. (or if the customer is aware of one in a restaurant that they like)

I've seen some that are very uncomfortable when any of these are wrong.

some other considerations:
- would the customer appreciate storage in the bench? (this should be okay for long-term storage, but the bench will look a bit more chunky)
- will the customer want to use cushions? (if so, this will affect the heights; also need to consider how the cushions stay in place)
- if no cushions, give some thought to the front edge of the seat -- a hard edge there can be pretty uncomfortable

What about the appearance was the customer liking? the grain or the natural wood color?
The strong cathedrals in the photo look like oak, but I'd consider birch for this.
Reclaimed woods can also be nice (check the materials for sale on craigslist)

Matt

[Tom Bain]

I built a booth in my kitchen, but it was made from a reclaimed church pew so not entirely from scratch. Don’t have pictures handy. Just a couple thoughts from that project:

- the walls are going to be uneven and not square which can create sizable gaps that don’t look professional. You need to figure out how to deal with that. My project was painted so caulk was my friend. If it is going to be stained, then you’ll either need to scribe it to the wall or factor in some kind of trim piece(s) in the design to hide any unsightly gaps.

- as another poster mentioned, the ergonomics play a role in the comfort level. Ideally you want the seat back to be tilted back and also the bench seat to be sloped slightly downward from front to back. You can do some searching online for the best angles (hint: 90 degree angles are not the best)

[Mark Gibney]

I will indeed bring a mock-up to the client to adjust the height and back angles, as several of you suggested.

I did that once for someone who wanted a base made for a large circular oak tabletop. Years later they are still dining off that top sitting on the plywood mock-up. Didn't earn any money on that one but it makes me smile.

[John TenEyck]

Google Bavarian table and corner bench and you will see many examples.

I've enjoyed many a meal at one.

John