2x4basics 90140 Custom AnySize Table, 5.5 x 15.5 x 16.25, Light brown

My daughter had to do a public service project a few years ago. She chose to rehab the outdoor classroom at our local elementary school. We used three of these 2X4 Basics Kits to make three 8-foot benches for the classroom.The classroom is near a stream and has flooded several times, carrying the benches downstream on a couple of occasions. The local boy scouts retrieved them and they remain just as sturdy and nearly as attractive as the day we finished building them.The build was a lot of little steps, but not difficult at all. One thing that was not in the instructions, but was a good addition, was adding a waterproof construction adhesive that was suitable for plastics and wood(available in any home center or hardware store)to all of the contact points between the wood and the plastic leg structure to help the screws hold everything together. I believe it has really helped keep the benches sturdy though rain, snow, floods and heat. We used standard pressure-treated yellow pine, and added a stain with wood preservative for a nicer color and some extra protection, but that is not really necessary if you like the look of the wood as is (or can afford redwood).All in all, this kit is great! With a little time and effort, you will make nice-looking and comfortable/functional benches of 8 feet in length or less. Highly recommended for basic, durable outdoor seating.

I bought two of these and put them together in a couple hours. Assembly was as simply as it looks and they feel fairly sturdy. Using pressure treated lumber, I suspect they will last a good while, and considering the price point, I won't be devastated if one of them is damaged. I opted to miter the ends of my boards for a little extra style, but otherwise, I think they could be assembled very quickly. They would also serve as a fairly good project to do with your children. A miter saw helps cut the boards quicker and more accurately, but not having one isn't a deal breaker. Other than that, you really only need a tape measure and drill. I used 5 8' long 2x4's to make my pair of benches. I opted to make one bench 3.5' long and the other 4.5' long and both are sturdy, though for the 4.5 long, I decided to add a pair of boards underneath, type the seat planks together to make it a little stiffer. I think this would be especially helpful if you plan to go for a 5' bench. For a 6' bench, I'd strongly start considering adding and intermediate support. Overall, a cool outdoor bench at a good price, a fun do it yourself project and a nice conversation starter.

╔ ■ Price Point: 4/5╠ ■ Quality/Durability: 5/5╠ ■ Need: 4/5╠ ■ Recommendation/Giftable Factor: 5/5╠ » Overall: 5/5╬ Who needs this: DIYer, Needs a custom bench for size or tyoe of wood╬ Pros: Easy to assemble, looks great, strong╬ Cons: Its just plastic and screws╬ The bottom line: The simplicity in this product is ingenious. Give some plastic and screws and you build a bench. I love to DIY and needed a bench next to my firepit and this was perfect. I used 3 five ft. 2x6's and 1 2x4 (for the middle). FYI - Be sure to cut the middle 2x4 so there is no overlap. I tried to do the entire width and looked bad. I stained my wood and the bench looks like a professional built it. I have no concerns about the sterdyness. I cant wait to buy more and there other products

I bought this to make a bench that my son and I could use while waiting for the bus in the morning and the afternoon at the end of our driveway. We're on a fairly busy street and I'm still not entirely convinced that a bench placed there isn't going to up and disappear one day. So rather than spend a ton of money on a nice wooden bench (which, while beautiful, would pain me greatly if it "walked"), I decided to give this a try. I figured that if this did disappear, I'd be out a fraction of the cost of a more expensive bench and I would kick myself for a far shorter duration.While the instructions aren't the most descriptive (think Ikea with even less detail and no smiley man showing you what to do), it was fairly straightforward as to how to assemble. The assembly itself wasn't quite as easy as I had hoped. While there are cutouts in the legs where you put the included screws, my wood kept moving on me, which was really annoying. Since this is intended for use with 2x4 lumber, I almost wish there were ridges to help guide you where to put the lumber and help you keep in in place while screwing it in (and help you keep the recommended 1/4" space between the boards for drainage).And speaking of screwing, I had some issues getting the screws to go in easily for a couple of the spots closest to the ends. Those spots didn't have as much room directly above the cutout due to the curve of the leg support and my drill had some issues getting the correct angle. I almost stripped a few of those screws, but while there were extras included, I didn't have to use them.When it was all said and done, I had a 6' bench that supports my larger-than-average rear (albeit with a bit of bowing in the middle, but that's the fault of the lumber, not the product). It looks good and after I secured it to a tree in our front yard with a length of wire rope and a padlock (yeah, THAT looks awesome!), I'm hopeful this will get us through several years. And even if the wood doesn't last, I'm thinking I should be able to simply replace that and reuse the legs.