Build a Bench & Coat Rack from Pipes

The pipe-frame shelf unit from last week’s eNote adds a lot of storage to your space, and this bench and coat rack will help you pack even more function into the room. We designed the bench to provide a place to sit while you’re putting on your shoes or flipping through the mail.

Like the shelf unit, it rests on flanges that you can twist to level the project on uneven floors.

Then screw the cleats to the undersides of the boards (photo 1), and stain or seal the shelf.

Then join the legs for each end of the bench with a horizontal length of pipe (photo 2). Finish the bench by attaching the base pieces to the benchtop by driving screws through the flanges and into the cleats on the underside of the boards (photo 3).

You can mount the coat rack to the wall to keep your often-used accessories on hand — and off your furniture or the floor.