Starting the slats
The slats are cut from standard 5⁄4 deck boards and are designed for minimum waste. You'll need five 12' boards in all. Start work by cross cutting the deck boards in half for easier handling. Next, rip all the boards right down the middle, then reset your saw fence for a 2 1/2"-wide cut, keeping the freshly sawn square edges against the fence. This process removes all the factory-rounded edges from the boards as well as any cracks in board ends.
The next step may seem strange given that you’ve just removed all the rounded edges, but trust me, the effort is worth it. Set your tablesaw blade to 45° and adjust the fence so the blade knocks off the sharp edges of the slats. Run all long edges of the slats through the saw this way. These tiny bevels add a lot to the finished look of the project.
Seating arrangement
Choose the six nicest slats for the seat and arrange five of them on a flat surface for glue-up (the sixth piece stays separate to accommodate the hinges). Alternate the curve of the growth rings to minimize movement, then apply a weatherproof PVA glue to the edges of the slats. Draw them together using bar clamps and set aside to dry. There’s no need to joint the edges; the cedar is forgiving enough to join tightly. The small bevels on the edge of the slats hide any minor gaps if they do occur. Once the glue has set, cut the seat assembly and the loose slat to final length.
Build a basket
Cut the remaining 14 slats to final length for the sides, then toss the worst one of the bunch in the scrap bin; you only need 13 to complete the bench. Next, rip one slat to 2" wide for use at the very bottom. This narrower width allows all the other slats to space out evenly around the curved ends. To complete the slats, drill pilot holes for screws that secure the slats to the end pieces. Drilling now instead of later ensures that holes are spaced precisely, giving the project a crisp, clean look when it's done.
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