The Woodshop Shed

Entry Bench with Shoe Storage

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


We have been needing better shoe storage for our front hall for years (shoes are just stacked in bookcases now) and I finally decided to do something about it. After getting inspiration from projects on here and elsewhere I decided on a basic plan for a bench with 2 shelves for storage (1 adjustable) and went to planning the design. Little did I know at the time how long it would take me to tweak the design to something that I would want to build but at the same time be achievable with my limited woodworking skills (I started on my new hobby about 1 year ago). For example I had never done mortise and tenon before and cutting the mortises was more than I could handle no matter what technique I tried, so I hit on the idea of cutting a continuous groove in the legs and making the mortises by filling in the grooves with wood strips (walnut in this case) and leaving spaces where I wanted to mortises to be.The frame and shelves are made from red oak and the top from Peruvian walnut. I finished the frame using Watco Danish oil followed by 3 coats of Arm-R-Seal, and finished the walnut top using 6 coats of Arm-R-Seal.I think for a first furniture project it turned out rather well, and my wife loves it. I have thought about making a matching table for the other side of the entry hall (taller and shallower with more shelves) as a complementary piece and additional storage (we have WAY too many shoes!).Thanks so much to everybody on this forum that has helped by giving me tips and inspiration on this and other projects. I only hope that as I gain knowledge and skills that I can share the same with others like so many here have done for me.

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