Build Your Own Workbench: How to Make a Sawhorse or Folding Bench
Every homeowner needs some kind of workbench where he or she can work on projects, make repairs, pot plants or groom the family dog. The trouble is, not every homeowner has enough space for such a bench. If you are one of those people, here are some ideas that might solve the problem:
Sawhorse bench – You can’t get much simpler than this. A sawhorse bench is cheap, easy to make, folds up to almost nothing when not in use, and can travel to the job. Use it outdoors when the weather is good. Set it up in the garage, basement or even your living room when the weather turns sour.
- To make it, you’ll need a pair of folding metal sawhorse brackets, a pair of 12-foot 2-by-4s, an eight-foot 2-by-4, and a piece of 3/4-inch plywood for the top. You can use a whole 4-by-8 sheet if you like, but you might find it cumbersome to handle. If so, you can cut it down to any size you find convenient.
- To start construction, cut the 12-foot 2-by-4s into eight pieces three feet long. These are your legs. Cut the 8-footer in half to form two 4-foot tops for the horses, then asemble the parts with your brackets.
- Stand the horses up, place the plywood across their tops and you’re in business. When the job is done, lift off the top, fold up the horses and lean the whole setup against a wall in your garage or basement.
Folding bench – This one is based on a design my father built in our garage many years ago. It’s a bit more work than a sawhorse bench, but it’s sturdier and easier to set up and take down.
- To start, cut four 2-by-8s and a single 2-by-4 to the length of your bench. Then fasten the 2-by-4 to the wall where you want to install the bench. Position this 2-by-4 ”mounting cleat” dead level, and 1 1/2 inches below your desired bench height.
- Fasten the cleat to your wall. If the wall is masonry, use lead screw anchors and 4-inch lag screws.
- Next, fasten a pair of 2-by-4 verticals directly under the cleat, centering them over studs if you are working against a frame wall. After these are up, fasten one of your four 2-by-8s on top of the cleat using glue and 16-penny nails.
- Next, make two triangular brackets using 2-by-4 and plywood gussets. The size of the triangles isn’t very critical, but they should be right triangles, close to 22 inches across the top, and a few inches shorter than your intended bench height. Put these brackets together with glue and 4-penny nails driven through the gussets.
- To make your bench top, take the three remaining 2-by-8s and fasten them together with 2 1/2-inch screws driven up through a pair of 2-by-4 cleats placed beneath the top. Stagger the screws to avoid splitting the cleats.
- Now, fasten your two triangular brackets to the verticals using a pair of 3-inch T-hinges for each bracket. Make sure the brackets are pushed up tight under the 2-by-8 already in place on the wall. Swing the brackets open and place your bench top on top of them. Now you can fasten the top to the 2-by-8 on the wall using three heavy strap hinges.
That’s it. The bench is ready to use. To store it, fold the brackets back against the wall, and let the top swing down. The 2-by-8 against the wall provides a shelf while the bench is folded, providing a spot to store a few tools and supplies.
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Tags: foldind bench, sawhorse bench, workbench