Diarmuid Brock
Contents
If you are an avid DIY fan, you know the importance of having a good workbench at the ready. It’s a vital part of any crafting or building project that you might be in the process of making and is a great place to try and keep all your tools so that they aren’t just being left around across your workspace.
Many people are content with buying ready-made workbenches from a supplier. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But learning how to build your own workbench can be such an informative experience in itself. By doing it yourself, you’ll learn so many skills that you’ll be able to use in so many other DIY projects.
Plus, starting your DIY projects with a DIY workbench build is a pretty impressive start.
So, with that in mind, here are 18 DIY plans and designs for workbenches that you can start making right now!
Simple Workbench Design by BuildEazy
Let’s start off with a simple design.
This design is tailor-made to be built by DIYers of virtually any skill level. Are you new to this hobby and want a workbench that is reliable and sturdy enough to take you through this early part of this new journey?
Are you an experienced craft master and builder, and want to try making a workbench that is quick to make, and cheap to build to boot? This design is made for both extremes of the experience spectrum.
When you’re building this workbench, don’t worry if the dimensions for the tabletop are larger than your legs and crossbeams. It’s a part of the design.
Click here for the instructions on how to build.
Mobile Folding Workbench Design
Looking for a workbench design that is big enough for all your projects, but won’t take up your whole garage or backyard when you don’t need it? This design will be perfect for those crafting souls who want a space for their DIY projects, but floor space is at a premium where they are.
This impressive build can be a full-sized tabletop that you can work from, and then collapse into a frame that takes up only 7 inches!
Not only that but the workbench design instruction shows you how to attach wheels to this amazing bench, for that extra mobility and versatility that puts most other designs to shame!
You can find the instructions and plans for this build on the original website heere
Simple-Yet-Sturdy Workbench
Are you a newcomer to crafting and want a workspace that is both useful for your early builds, and is a great way to learn some key DIY skills whilst you are building it?
Then, for those amateurs who want to start taking their buildings a little more seriously, you should consider taking a look at our own simple and sturdy workbench design!
We’ve kept this build as simple as possible so that all DIYers can take a shot at making their own workspaces. No super complicated lapped dovetail joints or bridle joints to be found in this build that is confusing to newcomers. This is a pure nail and bolts build so that anyone can give it a try!
Check out our design for yourself here!
2×4 Workbench
Looking for a simple workbench that can be put together in an afternoon? Want a new workspace that won’t break the bank to make? Do you want to build a workbench, but don’t have many tools to help build anything too complex?
Modern buildings have the answer to all these questions, with their 2×4 workbench design.
Not only did this bench not break the bank to make, only costing around $100 if not less, but because it is made almost entirely out of 2×4 pieces of wood, you don’t need to worry about having a hardware store’s worth of tools to help you make it.
In the video tutorial, the only things needed to make this workbench are a planer, a circular saw, and a table saw. And even that last one is optional! Just some know-how, a pair of good tools, and a couple of hours spare!
Want to see the tutorial for this amazingly easy build? Here it is!
Basic Workbench
Looking for another design that is simple to make?
Well, they don’t get more basic than this effective design from the minds over a Lowe.
This workbench is about as simple as they come, and that’s in the best possible way. No extra parts or instructions that will need to make intricate cuts, no need for a contour gouge, or a multi-angle measuring rule to make this.
There’s nothing wrong with making a more complex workbench that you can work from (as we’ll see later in this list), but sometimes, it’s okay to stick with a simple design.
And with just a circular saw, a power drill and sander, a wrench, and some measuring tape, you’ll be able to turn a pile of lumber and bolts into something reliably simple to work with.
Interested? Click here for the full instruction list and materials.
Simple And Cheap Workbench
Some people like being able to spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on their prized workbenches, both to accommodate their increasingly intricate and complicated tools and builds, and as an exercise in making the most impressively designed crafting tabletop out there.
However, what’s more impressive than being able to make that amazing workbench yourself? Better yet, what if you don’t have to break the bank to make it? MCM TV2 Has the right idea in this incredibly affordable and straightforward design.
And if you feel like stepping away from the crowd a little with this recipe, the size of this design can be adjusted to your needs and expectations. There isn’t much more satisfying than a workbench that is unlike anyone else’s out there!
Interested? The tutorial video is right here for your viewing pleasure. Follow these instructions to the T, or just take a little inspiration for your own design!
Cheap And Strong Workbench
Some people may think that there are too many simple designs out there when it comes to workbench plans. But if it isn’t broken, then there’s no need to fix it! A simple workbench won’t need constant repairs from wear and tears and
This is another solid design, this time from Family Handy Man, and makes an excellent plan, made from pine in the example provided, from which you can easily customize the tabletop plan to your own designs.
The original builder added extra slots to the workbench for a place to store screwdrivers. With that principle, you could do the same for hammers, for filing tools, to whatever your mind can think of!
For the original plan, click here for the builder’s guide.
Classic Workbench Design
So, we’ve shown you a couple of basic designs, but perhaps you’re a little more experienced when it comes to crafting and putting hammer to nail. Maybe you’ve gotten the hang of a basic worktop, and now want to make something a little more substantial.
This classic workbench guide is exactly the sort of thing to take the skills you already have and ratchet them up a level or two.
This workbench is exactly the sort of thing you would find in your grandfather’s garage, or even your dad’s, depending on how old you are. There’s a good reason this design has stuck around for so long.
It’s strong, it’s reliable, it’s pretty simple to make, without things getting too complicated. But there’s the extra utility that comes with adding a shelf, plus the extra skills needed to make it in the first place. The perfect next-stop-up for all DIYers.
For the full instruction and material list, click here.
Ultimate Workbench
Okay, now we’re getting serious. This is a pretty monumental building when compared with what we’ve discussed already.
With room for a table saw, a miter saw, a vacuum, as well as a compressor to go with them, this huge 72 inches wide, 32 inches deep, and 37.5 inches tall, working tabletop definitely lives up to the title of ‘ultimate workbench’.
When finished, this amazing building will be able to cover all your woodworking needs.
This makes gathering your tools for any kind of build you are working on delightfully simple so that you don’t have to worry about space management, and can instead get to the best part of using their workbench: Making things!
Click here for the full video tutorial.
Heavy Duty Workbench
Looking for a workbench design that can stand up to a ton of punishment? Want a worktop that can take a whole load of weight, and not buckle under it at all?
Although the workbenches we have discussed so far have all been sturdy builds, some workbenches are sturdier than others.
For a prime example, just take a look at this 600-pound load-bearing build from Inspector Bots.
You read that right. This workbench can both resist the wear of building and crafting and is also estimated to be able to carry up to 600 pounds of weight whilst you are working on it all. That’s a crazy amount to be able to hold!
The full video here can give you the full breakdown of all the gear and materials you’ll need to make this tough little workbench.
Practical, Yet Beautiful Workbench
Just because a workbench is going to get dirty and all sorts of other things on it doesn’t mean that it can’t look great whilst you’re working on it!
Not only is this workbench design gorgeous to look at, but it is also completely functional still. None of the worktop’s functionality has been sacrificed to make this piece of kit a pretty face.
Although the original page and designer of this workbench says that this is a little more complicated than many of the others, we have looked at so far, that doesn’t mean that this isn’t impossible.
And once it is finished, you’ll have a magnificent workbench that is as much a work of art as it is a handyman’s best friend.
For the full material list and instructions to make this amazing worktable, click here.
Garage Workbench
For a workbench that is perfect for pretty much any garage you want to keep your tools handy, you can’t go wrong with this plan by Instructable.
With both a 2×8 workbench to do your building and crafting from, an extra shelf on the right side of the bench, as well as enough room to fit a rolling tool chest on the left side of the piece, this is a workbench that maximizes the use of the small space that it has, and manages to fit a massive amount of storage space in it.
Perfect for those small 1-car garages, where space is already at a premium.
Once you have the skeletal structure of the bench built, the tabletop should be an easy fit. Just don’t worry too much if it’s a little overhanging.
For the full guide to building this compact little workbench, click the link here.
Workbench Design For An Apartment
That last entry we discussed might be a master of using a small space to your advantage, but this plan is king when it comes to efficiency!
Sometimes, many crafters and woodworkers don’t have the luxury of living in a large enough house to be able to fit our workbenches in a garage. Sometimes, all the space we have is a few rooms, even just an apartment.
But just because you’re in a small living space, doesn’t mean that you can’t still build. This craft and trade is all about ingenuity and knowing what you can do with the limited resources that you have at hand.
And this apartment-tailored build is both a great example of this thinking and how you’ll be getting to build even in a cooped up little room!
With multiple shelves that can fit in a tiny space, it is perfect for a space where floor space is more precious than gold.
The guide to this amazing, compact little building can be found here.
Workbench For Stowing Away Tools
Looking for a workbench design that is like the classic design we previously discussed but builds on that foundation to create a space perfect for keeping tools organized and just arm’s reach away?
This incredible design makes a workbench that easily folds up into a cabinet space, that can just as easily be unpacked into a full workspace for you and your tools.
It’s great for those garages and spaces where every square inch is needed and is satisfying at every stage to make. Plus, who doesn’t want a secret stash of tools that they can unfold at any moment’s notice?
For the full recipe, as well as a video tutorial that shows you all your tools and equipment need, click here.
Budget-Friendly Movable Workbench On Wheels
Look, a workbench is great and all, but sometimes, you need your tools further afield than just a little arm’s scratch away from where your workbench is. Having a working tabletop that can be moved around to wherever your working site is would be one of the biggest time-savers a DIY aficionado could ask for.
And with this great design from Aaron Masey, DIY master from Youtube, that is not only mobile but is also super cheap to make for yourself as well.
And it’s not like this is a small design even. This workbench is big enough to contend with even the beefier and bigger designs in this guide. And how many of them can claim to be mobile too?
For the full video and free downloadable design, then click the link here.
Workbench For Storage
Fresh from the mind of Instructable, we have a great design for a workbench that is perfect for combing a working top for your project, and extra room for storing the tools you’ll be using in it.
The whole desk is pretty simple, being a basic worktop design. But the centerpiece of this great workbench is… well, the center piece!
It lifts up to reveal an extra storage compartment, perfect for keeping your small tools handy and stops your working space from cluttering up from all the tools you currently have lying around.
You won’t even need that much to build it. A decent pallet will be the main item you’ll need to look for, along with a couple of 2×4 and a few other tools.
For a more detailed breakdown, click here for the full list of instructions, tools, and materials.
Movable Workbench Design
You can’t have enough workbenches on wheels.
Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but you certainly can’t deny the utility this kind of workbench has for pretty much any DIY situation you might find yourself in.
This build is for DIYers who are perhaps a little rusty on the DIY skills that you may have forgotten about from high school. But not to worry. Those skills are still there, they just need a little encouragement from an engaging, yet simple build. And this design is perfect for engaging those old memories from years gone by.
For a full step-by-step guide on how this workbench comes together, follow the link here.
Junkyard Workbench Idea
They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This workbench design throws that idea out the window, by making a workbench that can be both!
Assembled from an assortment of extra bits and pieces that were lying around the original builder’s workspace, this design not only makes use of a ton of materials that have been slowly gathering around your feet and tools but also puts them on wheels, just for that extra mobility!
Now your junkyard workbench can follow you around as you find even more junk to add to it!
For the full guide, click here.
Conclusion
So, when it comes to workbenches that you can build at home by yourself, there’s clearly no limit to what can be made with a few tools and a little patience. The only problem you’re going to have now is where exactly will you keep all these easy-to-make benches!
