DIY Simple Workbench – Woodworking Bench
DIY Simple Workbench – Woodworking Bench
How to make a DIY Simple Workbench for your DIY projects. This project is simple, doesn’t take that long, and is very affordable. My buddy George and I built this for his garage.
For more info, project photos, and downloadable plans check out:
http://www.diypete.com/Workbench
Download Plans: http://gumroad.com/l/Workbench
*Note that these are affiliate links, meaning that when you buy something that is recommended below, it helps support the Channel. Thanks in advance!
*Tools Needed
Circular Saw – http://thd.co/1ObCjRj
OR Miter Saw – http://thd.co/1OLlUlZ
Drill – http://thd.co/1YlluYO
And/OR Impact Driver – http://amzn.to/1PbFM0U
Orbital Sander – http://amzn.to/1PbFN50
Tape Measure, Straight Edge, Pencil
Eye and Ear protection
*Supplies Needed
Lumber for the workbench – see wood list in the plans
Minwax Polyurethane – http://amzn.to/1ZeCNb2
Minwax Gunstock Stain – http://amzn.to/1ZeCNrq
4″ Caster Wheels – http://amzn.to/1PbFPKi
Sandpaper, Wood Screws, and Washers
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Approximate Total Cost: $175
The Simple Workbench can be made for about $175 in materials cost. You could reduce $35 right off the cost by only using one sheet of plywood and changing dimensions of the top to 24” or less in width.
Wood Costs
2 – 4x4s $10/piece
7 – 2x4s $2.50/piece
2- Plywood sheets $35/piece
Other Supplies
4 – 4” Caster wheels $8/piece
1 lb. – 2 ½” Screws $9/pound
1 lb. – 1 ¼” Screws $9/pound
Stain – $8/quart
Polyurethane – $12/quart
Washers – For Caster Wheels $1
This is the cost for the wood, wood finish, and other basic supplies. *Note: This doesn’t include smaller things you may already have around the shop, including: glue, sandpaper, etc.
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Cut All of the Wood Pieces
We’ll start this project by marking and making cuts for all of the different pieces for this simple workbench. We used a simple circular saw for this, you can use a miter saw or table saw as well. Once all of your cuts are made, we’ll give all of the boards a quick sanding and then start assembling it. Refer to the free, downloadable plans for the cut list.
Start Assembly, Making the Top First
Now we’ll start assembling our simple workbench. After you’ve cut all of the pieces according to the cut list in the plans, then grab the legs, the top lengthwise supports, and the top stretcher supports. Center one of the top stretcher supports and then space the others about 18” apart. Let’s put this all together with 2 ½” wood screws. Pre drill any holes before adding the wood screws and assemble it all together. With very similar assembly construction as the top portion, let’s attach the bottom support. Note that the back side lengthwise board of the bottom (bottom lengthwise board that will face the user) is attached inside the legs. This allows for more room for the user of the workbench.
Cut the Plywood and Attach
Now, we simply need to cut the plywood top and bottom pieces to size. Refer to the cut list for the dimensions and make your cuts. We’ll attach these with 1 1/4″ wood screws, always pre-drilling the holes. You can be generous with the amount of screws that you put into these boards.
Stain and Finish the Workbench
My friend George was a big fan of Minwax’s Gunstock Stain, so that is the color that we went with for his workbench. Always test the stain on a scrap piece of wood before applying to the whole project. Be sure to thoroughly cover all of the wood’s surface, working your way around, underneath, and in all of the nooks and crannies of your workbench. Let this stain dry and cure and then add a clear coat of polyurethane or lacquer to the workbench.
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Looking for more DIY videos? Be sure to check out our channel and subscribe for updates! We post a weekly tutorial every Thursday.
Looking for woodworking, concrete working, and other DIY projects plans to follow? You can download plans for free at http://gumroad.com/DIYPETE
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Instagram: http://instagram.com/diypete
DIYPETE.com
1627 W Main Street Suite 182
Bozeman, Montana 59715
Amazing idea and instruction provided! Thank you for your effort. I am a beginner to DIY woodworkings in South Africa. The first project I want to start is to build this Woodworking Bench with your plan. However I am not familiar with the US measurement. I guess we have UK standard here in South Africa.. But I will try my best!
Excellent video! Just what I wanted to build for my craft room so I can store my vinyl cutter, sewing machine, etc. on the bottom shelf and be able to roll everything back to the wall when I’m not using it. Thanks a bunch, Pete and George!
A good work table literally opens the door to thousands of projects. Definitely gonna be building one of these myself!
Maesure lol
Your videos are awesome! Keep ’em coming.
Nice bench! Nice place for you safety glasses😎
maestro
This guy has a problem pronouncing A’s.
Just built this over the weekend. I went slightly smaller, but it fits perfectly where I need it. One question, and it could be I just have an uneven garage floor, but I have a slight wobble. Would you recommend maybe adding some washers in between my caster and bench leg to fix that? Or would putting a shim in between be better? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I am decent at anything mechanical – cars, motorcycles, appliances and so on, but woodworking I am a total disaster. I needed a workbench for my garage and tried out Pete’s design. I really enjoyed the project and I even surprised myself because the end result came out way better than I expected. Tomorrow, I mount my bench vice and a grinder Thanks, Pete!
Not sure if I commented yet, but I made this bench. Great inspiration and easy to follow instructions. I made mine a little taller and left out the front, lower brace. I’m making a second bench, on wheels, that will nest under this one. I build everything with bottle openers now, thanks.
love your channel!
That’s a great looking workbench guys!
Maysure? Layg?
Doesn’t the polyurethane make all the project on top of the work bench slide around like a slip and slide?
Awesome bench, Pete! I might modify this a bit to build a smaller bench for my overhead camera rig.
Thanks
What a great Video!!! Thanks for the info!!!
what type of plywood did u use?
Great video Pete!!
I made one for myself! Turned out awesome!!
Left a 2" lip on one end and one edge for easier clamping.
Hope to see more projects man!! 👍👍👍👍👍👍
great DIY! using this as a guide for my workbench, just a slight mod on the dimensions but otherwise the same. thanks pete!
Thanks for the video. I made this bench today and I love it. I just have to stain it tomorrow and it is finished. I made mine 40"WX80"L. I will upload a video of me making it soon.
Love the finish, quite sophisticated 😉
nice
Simple great Height! I just Build one but instead of screwing the top down from the top I framed out the openings and screwed into the bottom Came out clean! great design Thanks.
Those Montana accents always kill me 🙂
Great tutorial!
*TopFineWoodworking. Com* is a fantastic website about wood working. I took various classes as well as finished a one year diploma in carpentry at a local tech college; this is much better than any book I worked out of during those lessons. It explains everything regarding woodworking as well as complements it with helpful photos.?
Started building this workbench this morning. My first such project ever. Thanks for the inspiration, Pete.
Your channel and website are amazing! Can’t wait to start building!
I think I’ll just skip all the measuring stuff, I’m pretty good at eyeballing. XD
Nice easy build. Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
Your so right! A workbench is the gateway drug to woodworking.
Lol😂
Great bench .. looks nothing like the one I just built .. 😭😭😭 back to the drawing board. With your plans though!!
Really simple project. Made mine 5 inches wider just to have more surface area. Thanks for showing us how to build this workbench. Wish I had built this before building other things, but will definitely use from now on.
Oh my gosh, you guys are so kind to post this video for free. Thanks so much 🙂
Many lumber yards and home centers (Home Depot for one) will make some of the larger cuts on your sheet goods for you with a panel saw. If you don’t have a table saw or a saw guide or a straight edge long enough to cut an eight-foot sheet of plywood, it’s better to get the home center to make that long cut for you. Cutting down sheet goods into smaller pieces also makes it much easier to load them in your vehicle, carry them home, and unload them into your work area.
Thank you for this video, so easy to follow, simple but perfect design. We made one using all recycled materials from a demolition. Only bought bolts and screws. 😊
beautiful!!!!!
muy bueno , para hacer mesa para cortes de tapiceria de auto , algun video?
Great video! Love your channel. Lots of great tips and ideas. I have a question, what kind / size of plywood do you use for projects like these?
if you have clamps handy and a good straight edge, clamp the straight edge down to act as a guide for your skilsaw so you don’t blow it on the long ripping of the top.
Hi, I’m from brazil. Very good.. See my Workbench https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PLJVyUuRl9o
Looks good – use 2 x 4 and clamps to set up a strait edge to rip that top sheet dead straight 👍
I built this a year ago. Great workbench, very easy to construct, and solid., Only this I did differently was put a piece of osb under my plywood for added strength and I used metal brackets. Building another one today as a reloading bench. Thanks Pete.
Just finished this project….I love all your tutorials. Keep up the great work Pete!
Fantastic looking Bench !! Really well built & like the stain that was applied @ the end. Great Job.
one of the best how to videos on this style workbench. look forward to replicating this for my home projects. and then possiblynwork this design into a bathroom vanity. I see you don’t have a bathroom vanity video on your channel. hint hint
Love the work bench. Mine is going to be 8′ long by 2′ wide. Should I use an extra set of legs in the middle? Thanks
May-zure. That’s how they say measure in Montana? 😛 Great vids though!
Hey George, take that vest off. You freaking look like Aladdin.