DIY Workbench

Measure and cut your lumber to length for each part. Here’s your cut list:

Cut the 2 x 4-inch x 8-foot board into these lengths:

• 4 x rails – 45 inches
• 2 x rear posts – 58 inches
• 4 x end rails – 17 inches
• 1 x top rail – 48 inches
• 2 x front posts – 36 inches

Cut the 5/8-inch x 4 x 4-foot plywood into 2 shelves: 1 top and 1 bottom – 24 x 48 inches each.

You can use a circular saw or mitre saw to make things easier and faster, but if you don’t have any of those, a hand saw will work just fine.

Place your two front and two rear posts side-by-side and line them up at the bottoms. You’ll need 6 inches for the bottom connecters, so measure up and use a square to draw a straight line across the lumber to mark where your connectors will be. Mark your top connectors at 34 and 3/8-inches

Screw your connectors into your legs at the marks you made in the last step. Double-check the alignment to ensure everything is square and level.

Attach your end rails using 1 ¼-inch wafer screws to connect one side of your bench base. Repeat for the other side.

Connect the front and back of your frame using 1 ¼-inch wafer screws to complete the bench shape. Once complete, stand the bench up.

Clamp your two plywood shelves together so you can cut them both evenly. Measure in 3 ½ inches from the back edge and 1 ½ inches in from the sides and notch the wood with a jigsaw. Unclamp them and remove one sheet to use as the top shelf.

Make two more notches on the front edge of the remaining bottom shelf to fit it around the bench legs.

Place your bottom (4 notches) and top (2 notches) shelves on the bench and attach them with 1 ¼-inch wood screws.

Lay your top rail flat on the exposed 2x4’s and attach it with 1 1/4-inch wood screws at the ends.

Attach your pegboard to the top section from behind with wood screws. You can use washers to make sure you’ve got a more secure fit. Ensure that the edges of your pegboard are flush with the edges of your lumber.

If you’re looking for a more mobile bench, consider attaching casters to the bottom of your legs. Make sure they’re locking, as you’ll want to lock them when using the bench. Be sure to get casters that are rated for the weight you intend to use on the bench. Remember that each caster supports the weight it advertises, so if you’ve got 4 casters and each support 50 lbs, your bench should be able to support about 200 lbs.