Build or Buy? How to Build a Garage Workbench

On this page (8 sections)

1. Should you build a garage workbench or buy one?
2. What does building really cost in time and tools?
3. How to build a garage workbench with a simple frame
4. When do folding sawhorses make a quicker base?
5. Who should build and who should buy?
6. What do ready-made benches add?
7. What should you check before you buy a ready-made bench?
8. Pick to build a garage workbench or buy a ready one

Building a garage workbench costs less in lumber and more in time, so the choice comes down to how you'd rather spend a weekend. Here is how to build a garage workbench from a simple frame, and when a ready-made bench is the better call.

Our garage workbenches buying guide covers ready-made bench types, so this page focuses on the decision and the build route. We compared the two routes on time, tools, size control and weight ratings, and we checked the specs for each product below.

Should you build a garage workbench or buy one?

Build if you own the tools, have a free weekend and want a custom size, and buy if you want a finished bench soon after it arrives.

Building wins on size and can win on lumber costs, while buying wins on time, a finished top and storage that's already there. Match the choice to the weekend you actually have.

What does building really cost in time and tools?

Lumber is the small part of the bill, and time, tools and rework are the big parts. Count the whole job before you start:

• Time: measuring, cutting, assembling and fixing the top takes longer than most people expect.
• Tools: if you don't own a saw, a drill, a square and clamps, buying them eats the savings.
• Mistakes: a frame that isn't square makes the top sit at an angle, and one wrong cut sends you back to the lumber pile.
• Lifting: a plywood or solid top is heavy and awkward, so line up a helper.

If you want outlets on a bench you build, ask a licensed electrician rather than wiring anything yourself.

How to build a garage workbench with a simple frame

A simple build uses a 2x4 frame and a plywood or solid top, and this outline is general, not an engineering plan. Follow the plan or the hardware maker's instructions for sizes and fasteners.

1. Choose the top size first, using how deep a garage workbench should be as a guide.
2. Set the height that suits how you work, and see what height a garage workbench should be if you aren't sure.
3. Write down each piece and its length, so you make one trip to the store instead of several.
4. Cut the 2x4 pieces for the frame, and check each cut against the plan.
5. Assemble the frame with screws, and square each corner before you fasten it.
6. Fix the top to the frame with the fasteners your plan calls for.
7. Check that the bench is level and the top is flat before you load it.
8. Add storage, lights or a pegboard after the frame is solid.

Building sawhorses for a garage workbench base

Sawhorse brackets are the shortcut, because the brackets do the joinery and you add the 2x4s. Century Drill & Tool's set is made for standard 2x4 lumber and doesn't include the lumber.

The brackets are galvanized steel, with pre-drilled mounting holes and a hinged clamp design with gripping teeth that Century says help hold the lumber during assembly. Century rates them for up to 400 lb, which is the maker's rating and not a promise for every use.

Follow the bracket maker's instructions for the layout, and if you use a plan, check that its 2x4 sizes match the brackets you bought.

When do folding sawhorses make a quicker base?

Folding sawhorses make a quicker base when the bench has to move or fold away. BORA says its Workhorse X legs deploy with one release latch and set up about ten times faster than conventional sawhorses, and the legs fold inside the sawhorse.

BORA also says its pre-drilled 2x4 brackets link two sawhorses into a portable workbench. BORA rates each sawhorse at 1,350 lb, again the maker's rating, so spread loads out and read the manual.

Our portable workbench vs sawhorses comparison helps you decide before you commit.

Who should build and who should buy?

Build if your space is awkward or your needs are specific, and buy if you want a working bench without a project. These patterns decide most cases:

• Build if you have a short wall, a corner or a long run that standard sizes don't fit, and you already own the tools.
• Build if you want a plain, replaceable top you can refinish or swap yourself.
• Buy if you rent or may move, since a standard bench is easier to take apart and sell.
• Buy if you want drawers, a pegboard or a power strip without designing them.
• Buy if you don't have a helper to lift a heavy top into place.

A middle route is a sawhorse base with your own top, which takes far less time than a full frame.

What do ready-made benches add?

Ready-made benches add a finished top, storage and often a power strip, so assembly is the main job. CAMMOO's 48 x 24 in bench comes with a no-drill pegboard, a metal shelf under the top and a power strip with 4 AC outlets and 2 USB-A ports.

CAMMOO's bench also adjusts through 10 height levels, 1.34 in apart. Follow the maker's manual for the power strip, and ask a licensed electrician about the circuit you plug it into.

WORKPRO's 48 in bench has a 48 x 20 in rubberwood top and 5 height positions from 31-1/2 to 39-3/8 in. WORKPRO says it goes together in about 10 minutes with the instructions and video guide.

Both makers give a weight rating, and a rating assumes the load is spread evenly. Read how much weight a workbench can hold before you load either bench with heavy tools.

For a ready-made bench with outlets, our WEN WB4723T workbench review covers another option.

What should you check before you buy a ready-made bench?

Check the height range, the storage and the assembly before you order, because those decide whether a bench suits your work. A ready-made bench is only a good buy if it fits the way you stand and reach.

• Height: WORKPRO has 5 positions from 31-1/2 to 39-3/8 in, and CAMMOO has 10 levels, so pick the range that matches how you stand or sit.
• Storage: decide what you need, such as a shelf, drawers, a pegboard or a power strip, before you compare benches.
• Assembly and weight: CAMMOO's 48 in bench weighs 76.7 lb, so plan for a helper, check the box on delivery and count the hardware.
• Rating: read the maker's rating and what it assumes, since it's a best case and not a promise for every use.

Pick to build a garage workbench or buy a ready one

Pick to build if you own the tools, want a custom size and enjoy the work. Pick to buy if you want a finished bench, built-in storage and a faster start.

A bench sized for the work you plan to do is a better buy than one sized for a single project. If storage is your priority, see our best garage workbenches with storage roundup, and for a steel frame, best heavy duty steel workbenches shows the options.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to build a garage workbench?

It can be, mainly on lumber, but building also takes time, tools and careful measuring, and a wrong cut costs you another board. A ready-made bench costs more up front but includes a finished top and hardware, and some add storage and a power strip.

What tools do you need to build a workbench?

A saw, a drill, a square and a tape measure cover the basics, and a level and a few clamps help too, since they hold the pieces steady while you fasten them. You also need a helper or a plan for lifting the top, because it's heavy and awkward alone.

Are sawhorses a good shortcut for a workbench?

They can be: folding sawhorses like BORA's fold away for storage, and BORA says its pre-drilled 2x4 brackets link two of them into a portable bench. Sawhorse brackets let you build your own pair from standard 2x4 lumber if you already have the wood.

How long does it take to build a garage workbench?

Plan on a full weekend or more, since cutting, fitting and fixing the top add up fast, and your first build may run longer than you expect. A ready-made bench takes less time, and WORKPRO says its bench goes together in about 10 minutes.