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.

SUPPLIES:

4×8s + 2x8s
Available at the Home Depot
I used two 8’ long 4x8s to make the side panels and 2x8s to make the bottom and back pieces.

L-brackets
Available at the Home Depot
I used L-brackets to connect the panels to the back and bottom pieces.

Lag Screws
Available at the Home Depot
I used used 8” long lag screws to connect the pieces of 4x8.

Ikea Outdoor Cushions
Available at IKEA – Seat Cushion and Back Cushion

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill
Available at Home Depot








RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw
Available at Home Depot








RYOBI 10" Sliding Compound Miter Saw with Laser
Available at The Home Depot







RYOBI Orbital Sander
Available at Home Depot

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Cut the 4x8s
Cut the 8 foot long 4x8s into 32” long pieces with a compound miter saw.





STEP 2: Cut the 2x8s
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.





STEP 3: Sand the Pieces
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.





STEP 4: Assemble the Panels
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.









STEP 5: Screw On the L-brackets
I laid out the two side panels and screwed the L-brackets along the seam between the bottom 4x8 and the middle 4x8.





STEP 6: Screw On the Bottom Pieces
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.







STEP 7: Screw On the Back Piece
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.









STEP 8: Stain
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.







STEP 9: Place the Cushions
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 outdoor sofa and please email, tweet or hashtag photos to @benuyeda, ben@homemade-modern.com or #homemademodern. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

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