Reply by knotscott

Just so you know, my bench is hard maple, not fir, SYP, or hemlock. Fir and hemlock are a lot softer than maple, ash, oak, hickory, etc. Other’s opinions will likely vary, but I’m thinking if you’re going to the trouble to make a nice bench, I’d at least want the top to be made of a hard wood. You can use cheaper woods for the legs and support structure.

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