HomeMade Modern DIY Outdoor Sofa

Modern outdoor sofas can be quite expensive. I made this sturdy DIY couch from solid wood 4x8s, 2x8s, outdoor sofa cushions from IKEA and grey Minwax wood stain for a nice finish.

4×8s + 2x8s

L-brackets

Lag Screws

Ikea Outdoor Cushions

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill

RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw

RYOBI 10" Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser

RYOBI Orbital Sander

Cut the 8 foot long 4x8s into 32” long pieces with a compound miter saw.

Cut the 2x8s into pieces that are as long as the 3 sofa cushions. I cut 3 pieces for the bottom and 1 piece for the back.

Sand all of the 4x8 pieces with an orbital sander. I rounded over the edges using 80 grit sanding pads before sanding everything smooth with 220 grit pads.

The 8” lag screws I got weren't long enough to connect the 4x8s, so I had to drill 1 1/4" diameter holes about 3 inches deep in the 4x8s so that the lag screws could be recessed. I used a socket attachment on my driver to drive the screws through the bottom of the holes and into the 4x8 below. I didn’t want the screws or holes to show, so I started with the top of the panels and assembled them upside down so that the screw holes would be on the bottom of the panels.

I laid out the two side panels and screwed the L-brackets along the seam between the bottom 4x8 and the middle 4x8.

I screwed the 2x8s to the L-brackets from the underside. It would've probably been a better idea to flip the panels over and assemble it upside down.

I used a speed square and a pencil to mark the location of the L-brackets I used for the back rest. I screwed the brackets to the side panels at a slight angle and then screwed in the last piece of 2x8.

I chose to finish the frame with Minwax grey stain because this piece is going outside and will turn grey in the sun anyways. We applied the stain with a brush and let it sit for 15 minutes before wiping off the excess stain with a clean rag.

I threw on some outdoor cushions I bought from IKEA and tested out the new sofa. It's super comfortable and really sturdy.

Good luck making your own coffee pot upgrade and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more DIY ideas and projects, visit us at HomeMade Modern.