Frameless Open Bottom Mudroom Bench

by Ana White

This is the easiest mudroom bench you can build. Add cabinets or shelves on top to create a very functional, custom mudroom.

Open bottom design is easy to clean
Easy to place boots or shoes under the bench
Can be made in custom length to fit your space
Customize the paint or stain color
Very easy to build

Planning your Bench

To plan your bench, first, measure the space and determine:

Overall length (keep in mind 1x boards for the top are hard to source over 16 feet long). The bench shown in this photo is 14 feet long.
Depth - choose 15-1/4", 20-1/4" or 23-1/4" depths. Note that the top may overhang on the front, increasing the overall bench depth
Height - Should be 18" with a finished top. Finished top is usually 3/4" thick.

Shelf Help Configuration

With final measurements for the space, use the free Shelf Help Configurator tool to design your bench:

Length - As measured
Depth - 15-1/4", 20-1/4" or 23-1/4"
Height - 17-1/4"
Bays - Add enough bays so no span is greater than 36" to avoid sagging shelves
Shelves - none
Top - no
Bottom - no

Order or download the Shelf Help drawings and create the pieces at home. The pieces need to have the front edges finished with edge banding.

Bay Supports

To tie the plywood pieces together, 1x3 or 1x4 bay supports are needed. The bay supports are cut to the width of the bay, three bay supports per bay.

Drill pocket holes on both ends of all bay supports. Also drill pocket holes facing upward on the top back piece for attaching the top in later steps.

Attach the bay supports to the plywood panels, with the finished front edges of the plywood orientated to the front.

You will need approximately (20) 1-1/4" pocket hole screws per bay.

Top

For the top, source 1xs boards in the desired length and width to create your top. Attach together edge to edge with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.

TIP: Trim the ends and back if necessary after building, so the ends are cut as one and straight.

TIP: Prefinish the top before attaching to the base.

Attach the top with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws at the back, and also through the front bay support.

Be carefully to not overscrew, especially if working on a finished floor.

Video Tutorial

Watch this bench being built by Ana White in this video:

More Photos

Here's a few more photos of this bench.