Workbench Plans - 3 Workbench Designs

A workbench is the perfect starter project for anyone just getting into DIY. Most workbench plans are simple enough that you can design your own bench - once you understand the basic joinery and construction.

Building a workbench from scratch might seem a little scary - especially for the DIY nevbie, but the workbench designs I've put together here are easy enough for anyone who has a couple power tools and a way to get some 2x4s home.

The most important issue in workbench designs is finding construction joinery that is solid and rock steady. Good news is that 2x4 lumber is just the ticket for making a bench strong enough to withstand any kind of punishment you can give it. The downloadable workbench plans here are not so much a set of plans, but rather a set of DIY guidelines to show you how to join the boards together. From there you can design your own bench for the garage or wood shop.

A good workbench design should take into consideration not only the work to be performed, but also the person doing the work. The approach to building a workbench at ezwoodshop.com does just that - like figuring out the right bench height based on your particular body frame size (as well as the type of work to be done at the bench). Anyone spending a lot of time at the bench working on a wood project knows that being comfortable is important.

Scale Wood Kits

Building it small first helps you avoid big mistakes later! Includes Free Scale Ruler and Free Wood Calculator for estimating board length and total project cost.

6 Planner Combo Pack

Best buy! Get all six EZ Wood Project Planners for one low price. Find out more here.

EZ Lumber Calculator

3 wood calculators in one! Estimate material needed based on board length, board foot, and plywood panels. Enter local prices and see total cost for project.

EZ Bookcase Planner

10-page planner shows you all the basics of building a bookcase. You decide the height, width, number of shelves, and overall style for your bookcase design.

Garage Workbench

For the average DIY project, you can skip most of the features you'll find in more refined woodworking benches. Look for workbench plans that use off-the-shelf dimensional lumber that doesn't need resized (ripped) to fit the plan design.

How to Build a Workbench

Once you have an understanding of how the basic joinery works - learning how to build a workbench is simply a matter of deciding on what size of bench you want to build.

Woodworking Bench

The ultimate woodworker treats a simple workbench in much the same way he/she treats any other handmade furniture - with lots of careful attention and adherence to the rules of woodworking.

Workbench Designs

Workbenches come in all sizes and flavors - so the workbench designs you choose should be matched to the task at hand - either for fine woodworking or just work around the house and garage.

Workbench Legs

The most critical part of workbench construction is the workbench legs. Find out how to make your bench super strong and stable with well-designed legs.

Portable Bench

One of my favorite things about this workbench plan is the provision for a bench vise. It's not made for a heavy-duty vise, but this type is fine for most projects around the house.

Plank Top Bench

This workbench plan includes instructions for installing a lower shelf, which is typical for most bench designs. There are also some tips for modifying this plan to make an even larger bench.

Small Workbench

Like a lot of the workbench plans at PlansNOW, this is primarily a woodworking bench designed by woodworkers. That means lots of work on the table saw