How to build a garden work bench

This step by step diy project is about how to build a garden work bench. If you want to learn more about building a super sturdy potting bench for your garden for only 15 $, pay attention to the instructions shown in this tutorial. This project is ideal for any backyard, especially if you like flowers. I managed to build this potting bench with common materials and tools. If you use cedar the cost will go up a little, but still a lot less than the work benches retailed on the market.

You should always plan everything from the very beginning, in order to prevent costly mistakes and to save time. If this is your first project, you need a friend to give you a hand when assembling the potting bench. Invest in high quality lumber and plywood, as the components will be exposed to bad weather. Protect the components with appropriate paint or stain.

There are a few tips that you should take into account, if you want to get a professional result. Therefore, take accurate measurements and use professional tools when making the cuts or when drilling pilot holes. Align the components at both ends and add waterproof glue to the joints, if you want to create a rigid structure. See all my Premium Plans in the Shop.

Made from this plan

It’s that easy to build a potting bench!

Building a potting bench

Materials

A – 2 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 32″ long, 2 pieces – 48″ long LEGS
B – 2 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 48″ long, 3 pieces – 14″ long 2xFRAME
C – 4 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 48″ long 2xTOP
D – 2 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 46 1/2″ long, 2 piece – 6 1/4″ long TOP SHELF

2 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 8 ft
2 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 8 ft
2 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 8 ft
2 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 10 ft
2 1/2″ screws, 1 1/4″ screws
wood glue, outdoor paint

Tools

Safety gloves, glasses
Miter saw, jigsaw, pocket hole jig
Chalk line, tape measure, spirit level, carpentry pencil
Drill machinery and drill bits

Tips

Use a good miter saw to make the angle cuts
Drill pilot holes before inserting the screws

Time

One Day

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Potting bench plans

DIY-Potting-Bench-Plans

Make sure you check out the plans and then take a look over my step by step tutorial, if you want to learn how to build a garden potting bench using common materials and tools. If you like the basic design, you can build this project under 30 $.

Building the frame

Use 1×3 slats to build the frames for the potting bench. Drill pocket holes at both ends of the yellow components and insert 1 1/4″ screws into the perpendicular slats. Alternatively, you can drill pilot holes and insert 1 1/4″ screws though the front and back slats.

Fitting the slats

Attach the 1×4 slats to the frame, leaving 1/2″ between them. Drill pilot holes and insert 1 1/4″ galvanized screws to lock them into place.

Attaching the legs

After building the two frames, you need to attach the legs into place. Drill pilot holes through the legs and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the frames, after making sure the corners are square.

Building the top shelf

Build the top shelf out of 1×6 slats. Cut the components at the right dimensions and lock them together with 1 1/4″ screws and glue. Leave no gaps between the components and make sure the corners are square.

Attaching the top shelf

Fit the top shelf between the back legs and make sure it is perfectly horizontal. Insert 2″ screws though the sides of the shelf into the back legs. Add glue to the joints and remove the excess with a damp cloth.

Simple potting bench

The garden potting bench is assembled. This is an easy project so anyone can get the job done, even without prior woodworking experience.

Simple potting bench – dimensions

Potting bench plans

Take a look over my step by step project to see how easy it is to build your own potting bench in less than a day!

How to build a garden potting bench

Assembling-the-frame

First of all, I assembled the frames for the potting bench. A classy solution would be to drill pocket holes at both ends of the short components and to insert 1 1/4″ screws into the long slats. However, I chose to drill pilot holes through the front and back faces and inserted 1 1/4″ screws into the short supports. I used a carpentry square to check if the corners are right-angled before inserting the screws. In addition, all edges are flush.

Fitting-the-seat-slats

Next, I attached the 1×4 slats to the frames. I placed a 1/2″ spacer between the slats to get a professional result. I drilled pilot holed through the slats and inserted 1 1/4″ screws into the frames. All edges are perfectly aligned.

Attaching-the-legs

I built two frames, one for the top and one for the bottom. Next, I cut the front and the back legs and clamped them to the frames using several C-clamps. Make sure the edges are aligned and double check ff the corners are square. Drill pilot holes through the legs and insert 2″ screws into the frames. Aligning all the components with attention is crucial for the project.

Building-the-top-shelf

Next, I assembled the top shelf for the garden work bench. You can use 1×4 or 1×6 slats to get the job done. Drill pilot holes before inserting the 1 1/4″ screws and add glue to enhance the strength of the joints. Smooth the edges with 120-grit sandpaper.

Potting-bench

Fit the top shelf to the top of the back legs. Align everything and clamp the shelf to the legs using C-clamps. Insert a few 2″ screws through the sides of the shelf into the back legs. Next, take care of the finishing touches. Fill the holes with wood putty and smooth the surface with 120-150 grit sandpaper. Remove the residues with a damp cloth. Apply water resistant paint to protect the potting bench from decay.

Potting-Bench-Plans

I hope you enjoyed this this step by step tutorial and take a look over the rest of my projects. I would love to hear your feedback and to see your pins, likes and shares. If you build this potting bench don’t forget to send a few pics.

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