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A bench seat crafted with hand tools and featuring mortise and tenon joints.
The project
I made this bench seat using only hand tools. I used premium Pine from Bunnings, and applied three coats of Danish oil with light sanding in-between each coat. I think Danish oil gives a nice balance between protecting the wood and having a nice feel.
See how the longer apron boards are poking through the legs? That's a tenon joint. There is another example of a tenon joint on the bottom supporting brace. The hole the tenon slots through is called a mortise. Tenon joints are very strong and allow the wood to naturally expand and contract. They only require glue, no nails or screws. This was important in times when hardware was expensive or not accessible.
Essential hand tools
Want to get started with D.I.Y. projects but don’t know where to start? Here’s a helpful list of every hand tool you should need: Essential hand tools for D.I.Y. beginners and beyond.
More inspiration for your home
It can be surprisingly easy to create an attractive and functional piece of furniture for your home. Find ideas for your next D.I.Y. piece in our Top 10 most popular indoor furniture projects. You can also get great ideas from our Top 10 most popular woodworking projects.
