Do you have an unused bathroom that you are not using? Or do want to remodel your bathtub but the timing is not right? Well, why not turn that old bathtub into a bathroom bench! Find out how in this easy tutorial!
We have been living in this house for almost three years…and almost every day for those three years I have been lamenting that the tub in our master bathroom is an eyesore.
Neither Don nor I are bath takers, so there it sat – empty, taking up LOTS of room and gathering dust (and all other kinds of weirdness) with no useful purpose whatsoever.
The best option (for us) would have been to remove the unused tub, but we were told by our realtor that we couldn’t take it out. So, due to that, I scoured the internet and even an online form for some useful ideas (surprisingly – “unused bathtub” isn’t a high traffic topic on the world wide web), came up with a vague idea for a seating area, but mostly I’d resigned myself to staring in to the vastness of the empty bathtub for all eternity. Until my friend Erin came along.
CREATE A BATHROOM BENCH FROM AN UNUSED BATHTUB:
Erin is one of those people who will tell you she isn’t crafty, but who one day just casually mentioned that she builds furniture for fun. So after hearing me whine for the 69000th time about my bathtub she said “I’m coming over to measure, I’m going to build you a bench”. Now – it should be noted here that my hubby (Erin’s too) was deployed at the time. I don’t want his manhood (ie: ability with power tools) to be called into question – I’m sure he would have built me a lovely bench 7.5 years from now.
So build she did – with some plywood cut just shy of the length of the tub and a few 2x2s around the base of the bench and across the width she created EXACTLY what I was looking for. {FTC disclaimer – this blog post contains an affiliate link. I might make a few pennies if you buy something!}
QUICK TIP BEFORE BUILDING YOUR BATHROOM BENCH:
Before building your bathroom bench, I highly recommend that you clean your bathroom first and get the tub ready for the bench. For example, removing the shower curtain, cleaning the bathroom drain, etc. Doing all this before building the bench will give you peace of mind because all the ”cleaning work” will be out of the way and you can enjoy the process of decorating or developing the look of your bathroom!
HOW TO CREATE A BATHROOM BENCH FROM AN UNUSED BATHTUB:
Since our bathroom did not have a ”luxury bath”, creating a bench with a few 2x2s from Home Depot was fairly easy. However, depending on the type of tub you want to cover (a garden tub, soaking tub, etc.) you may need to make a few adjustments. Also, if your bathtub has features like grab bars, towel racks, or soap holders, you may need to take those into consideration when cutting the wood.
If you are unsure about how things might look you can always cut out a bench template from some foam board or cardboard. This could be a good idea for those of you who feel that your bathtub is either oddly shaped or you simply want to see a visual of what the bench could look like.
HOW TO CREATE A BATHROOM BENCH FROM AN UNUSED BATHTUB:
I applied spray adhesive to the top of the bench
then laid a urethane foam sheet on top of the spray adhesive and cut the sheet to size with a craft knife.
I (actually we – thanks to my mom who was visiting for the weekend) laid some upholstery fabric face down on the table, flipped the bench foam-side down on top of the fabric, pulled the fabric taut, folded the edge of the fabric under and used a staple gun to staple the fabric to the wood around all four sides of the bench.
The now-covered bench literally slid over the top of the bathtub. Meaning easy removal or easy access if we wanted to use the tub. Plus, since the bench covers the tub completely, we now have extra space which we can use for hidden storage.
I added a few coordinating pillows, and now our unused empty bathtub has become a cozy little nook where we can lay out our clothes, I can sit to give myself a pedicure, or the cat can commandeer it for yet another place to take a nap.
So while I can’t lend you Erin, if you ever find yourself staring woefully at an unused bathtub you can round up a handy friend (or hubby) and create your own little piece of crafty goodness right in your bathroom!
Create a Bathroom Bench from an Unused Bathtub
Materials
- plywood (enough to cover your bathtub)
- 2x2s (you will want 4 in total)
- urethane foam sheet
- upholstery fabric
- spray adhesive
- measuring tape
- craft knife
- staple gun
- saw
- nails + hammer or wood glue
Instructions
- Measure your bathtub and cut some plywood that is the length of the tub (this will be your main bench). Then add some 2x2s around the base and width of the bench.Note: When adding the 2x2s you can either use a hammer and nails or wood glue.
- Applied some spray adhesive to the top of the bench.
- After you have applied the spray adhesive to the top of the bench, lay a urethane foam sheet on top of the spray adhesive and cut the sheet to size with a craft knife.
- Add fabric to the bench. To do this you would do the following:1. Lay upholstery fabric face down on your work surface.2. Flip the bench (foam-side down) on top of the fabric.3. Pull the fabric taut and then fold the edges of the fabric under.4. Using a staple gun, staple the fabric to the wood around all four sides of the bench.
- Slid the covered bench over the top of the bathtub.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ANOTHER DIY HOME FURNISHING PROJECT? THEN CHECK OUT OUR HEADBOARD PROJECT MADE OUT OF OLD DOORS!
Beth Kingston
owner at The Kingston Home
- DIY Wood Pumpkins
- FREE PUMPKIN PRINTABLES FOR EASY FELT FUN!
- DIY Napkin Rings
- Easy DIY Easter Decor
- Kitchen SVG and other Free Organization Cutting Files
- DIY GARLAND DECORATION WITH YARN
- Halloween Table Decor: Paper Napkins
- Halloween Table Setting with Cricut: Dinner Menu
- Easy Spring Wreath: Front Door Decor
- Reclaimed Tobacco Stick Christmas Tree
- Upcycled Shelf From a Cabinet Door
- i {heart} spray paint – DIY bracelet holder
cait says
That’s awesome! I’m thinking of ways to cover our tub, since it’s primarily used for laundry and the tubs aren’t exactly pretty to look at. Thanks for some inspiration!
Lise M McNally says
how thick is the plywood?
Beth Kingston says
Hi Lisa – I’m so sorry for the delay! We used 3/4″ plywood – hope that helps!