These workbench plans with drawers build a 60 x 24 in bench, 36 in tall (152 x 61 x 91 cm), with a lower shelf and a three-drawer cabinet underneath. The frame is 2x4s and screws, the top and shelf are 3/4 in plywood, and the drawers are simple 1/2 in plywood boxes that slide on wood runners. No metal slides are needed, though you can add them later.
If you are setting up your first shop, our guide to essential woodworking tools for beginners lists everything this bench needs. A flat, solid bench is usually the first big project, and drawers stop your small tools ending up in a pile.
At a glance
- Finished size
- 60 in long x 24 in deep x 36 in tall
- Storage
- Lower shelf plus 3 drawers (4-1/4, 5-1/2 and 7-1/2 in tall)
- Skill
- Confident beginner
- Lumber
- Six 8 ft 2x4s, one sheet 3/4 in plywood, one sheet 1/2 in plywood
- Time
- 2 weekends
Beginner shortcut
Want a bigger bench, a tool cabinet or a full wall of shop storage? The TedsWoodworking workshop plans include benches and storage builds with cut lists, so you can plan your whole shop.
How the bench goes together
Two identical 2x4 frames, one at the top and one near the floor, are joined by four 2x4 legs fastened to the outside of their ends. Each frame is 54 x 21 in. The plywood top is 60 x 24 in, so it overhangs 1-1/2 in at the front and back and 1-1/2 in past the legs at each end. That overhang gives you a lip for clamping.
The drawers live in a plywood cabinet that sits on the lower shelf, at one end, against the legs. Building the drawers as a separate box is the beginner-friendly trick: you make a square box on the bench, fit the drawers to it, then slide the whole unit into place. If you later want the shelf back, you just unscrew it.
Key heights
- Legs: 35-1/4 in, plus the 3/4 in top = 36 in.
- Top frame: 3-1/2 in deep, so its underside is at 35-1/4 - 3-1/2 = 31-3/4 in.
- Lower frame: bottom at 6 in, top at 9-1/2 in. The 3/4 in shelf puts the shelf surface at 10-1/4 in.
- Space for the cabinet: 31-3/4 - 10-1/4 = 21-1/2 in. The cabinet is 21 in tall, leaving 1/2 in so it slides in easily.
Why this matters: 36 in suits many people, but the right workbench height is usually somewhere between 34 and 36 in. Stand with your arms at your sides; a bench near the height of your wrist crease is comfortable for most hand work. To lower the bench, shorten all four legs by the same amount and mount the lower frame lower by that same amount, so the cabinet space stays 21-1/2 in. The lower frame sits 6 in up from the floor, so do not shorten the legs by more than 6 in.
Materials list
- 6 x 2x4 boards, 8 ft (choose straight, dry ones)
- 1 sheet of 3/4 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
- 1 sheet of 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
- About 30 x 3 in wood or construction screws
- About 30 x 2-1/2 in wood or construction screws
- About 65 x 1-5/8 in wood screws
- Four 1-1/4 in screws for fixing the cabinet to the shelf
- About 100 x 1-1/4 in brad nails (or 1-1/4 in screws)
- Four 2 in screws for fixing the cabinet to the legs
- Wood glue and paste wax or a candle for the runners
- Three drawer pulls (or drill finger holes)
Cut list
| Part | Qty | Material | Length / size |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Legs | 4 | 2x4 | 35-1/4 in |
| B. Long rails | 4 | 2x4 | 51 in |
| C. Short rails | 4 | 2x4 | 21 in |
| D. Cross rails | 2 | 2x4 | 18 in |
| E. Top | 1 | 3/4 in plywood | 60 x 24 in |
| F. Shelf | 1 | 3/4 in plywood | 54 x 21 in |
| G. Cabinet sides | 2 | 3/4 in plywood | 21 in tall x 20 in deep |
| H. Cabinet top and bottom | 2 | 3/4 in plywood | 15-1/2 x 20 in |
| I. Runners | 4 | 3/4 in plywood | 1-1/2 x 20 in |
| J. Cabinet back | 1 | 1/2 in plywood | 17 x 21 in |
| K. Drawer bottoms | 3 | 1/2 in plywood | 15-3/8 x 20 in |
| L. Drawer sides | 2 each | 1/2 in plywood | 20 in long x 7, 5 and 3-3/4 in tall |
| M. Drawer fronts and backs | 2 each | 1/2 in plywood | 14-3/8 in long x 7, 5 and 3-3/4 in tall |
2x4 cutting layout (96 in boards, 1/8 in per cut)
- Boards 1 to 4: one long rail and one leg each. 51 + 35-1/4 = 86-1/4, plus 2 kerfs = 86-1/2 in. About 9-1/2 in left.
- Board 5: four short rails. 4 x 21 = 84, plus 4 kerfs = 84-1/2 in.
- Board 6: two cross rails. 36 + 2 kerfs = 36-1/4 in. Save the rest for blocking and test cuts.
3/4 in plywood layout
Rip a 24 in strip and a 21 in strip: 24 + 1/8 + 21 + 1/8 = 45-1/4 in, leaving a strip about 2-3/4 in wide.
- 24 in strip: top at 60 in, leaving 35-7/8 in. From that, one cabinet side (cut 20 in long, rip to 21 in wide), leaving 15-3/4 in, then the cabinet top (15-1/2 in long, rip to 20 in).
- 21 in strip: shelf at 54 in, leaving 41-7/8 in. From that, the second cabinet side (20 in long, already 21 in wide), leaving 21-3/4 in, then the cabinet bottom (15-1/2 in long, rip to 20 in).
- 2-3/4 in strip: rip it to 1-1/2 in, then cut four 20 in runners. 80 + 4 kerfs = 80-1/2 in.
1/2 in plywood layout
Rip a 21 in strip and a 20 in strip: 21 + 1/8 + 20 = 41-1/8 in, leaving about 6-3/4 in spare.
- 21 in strip: the back (17 in long) and three bottoms (15-3/8 in long each, then rip to 20 in). 17 + 46-1/8 + 4 kerfs = 63-5/8 in. From the remaining 32-3/8 in, cut two 14-3/8 in pieces (29 in with kerfs). Rip the first into 7, 7 and 5 in (19-3/8 in with kerfs) and the second into 5, 3-3/4 and 3-3/4 in (12-7/8 in with kerfs). Those are your fronts and backs.
- 20 in strip: cross-cut the drawer sides at 7, 7, 5, 5, 3-3/4 and 3-3/4 in. 31-1/2 + 6 kerfs = 32-1/4 in.
Drawer sizing: the clearances that make wood runners work
The cabinet is 17 in wide outside, so it is 15-1/2 in wide inside. Each drawer box is 15-3/8 in wide, which leaves 1/16 in on each side. That is enough to slide freely without wobbling. The drawers are 20 in deep, exactly the inside depth, so the cabinet back acts as the drawer stop and the fronts finish flush.
| Inside the cabinet (from the floor of the cabinet) | Height |
|---|---|
| Bottom drawer (rides on the cabinet bottom) | 0 to 7-1/2 in |
| Gap, then lower runners | runners from 7-3/4 to 8-1/2 in |
| Middle drawer (rides on the lower runners) | 8-1/2 to 14 in |
| Gap, then upper runners | runners from 14-1/4 to 15 in |
| Top drawer (rides on the upper runners) | 15 to 19-1/4 in, with 1/4 in to spare |
Check: 7-1/2 + 5-1/2 + 4-1/4 of drawers, plus two 3/4 in runners and three 1/4 in gaps, = 19-1/2 in, the inside height. Each drawer height includes its 1/2 in bottom, which is why the sides are 7, 5 and 3-3/4 in.
Tools
- Circular saw with a straightedge guide (or a table saw for the narrow rips)
- Miter saw or speed square for the 2x4 cuts
- Drill/driver, countersink bit and a brad nailer or hammer
- Square, tape measure, level and clamps
- Safety glasses and hearing protection
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Build the two frames
Lay two long rails on edge, 18 in apart, and set a short rail across each end so the frame is 54 x 21 in. Glue and drive two 3 in screws through each short rail into the long rail ends. Add a cross rail in the middle. Measure the diagonals and adjust until they match. Build the second frame the same way.
Step 2: Attach the legs
Stand a leg against the outside face of a short rail, wide face against the frame, flush with the front (or back) face of the frame and with the leg top flush with the frame top. Glue and drive three 2-1/2 in screws (leg and rail together are only 3 in thick). Repeat for all four legs on the top frame. Then flip the assembly, mark 6 in up from the floor end of each leg, and attach the lower frame with its bottom on those marks.
Step 3: Fit the top and shelf
Stand the bench up. Center the top so it overhangs 1-1/2 in front and back and 1-1/2 in past the legs at each end. Drive 1-5/8 in screws down into the frame every 10 in, countersunk so they sit below the surface. Drop the shelf onto the lower frame and screw it down the same way.
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Step 4: Build the drawer cabinet
Glue and screw the cabinet top and bottom between the two sides with 1-5/8 in screws, pre-drilled so the plywood edges do not split. The box should measure 17 x 21 in. Square it by matching the diagonals, then glue and nail the 1/2 in back on. The back locks it square.
Step 5: Install the runners
On the inside of each side, draw level lines at 7-3/4 in and 14-1/4 in up from the cabinet bottom. Mount each runner on its 3/4 in edge, so it sticks out 1-1/2 in from the side and stands 3/4 in tall, with its bottom on its line and its end flush with the front. Glue it, then drive three 1-5/8 in screws through the cabinet side from the outside into it (transfer the lines to the outside so you know where to drive). A scrap cut to 7-3/4 in makes an easy spacer. Wax the top of each runner.
Step 6: Build the drawer boxes
For each drawer, glue the front and back between the two sides and nail through the sides with 1-1/4 in brads. Check the box is square, then glue and nail the bottom on underneath, flush on all edges. The bottom keeps the box square, so line it up carefully. Each finished box should be 15-3/8 in wide and 20 in deep.
Step 7: Fit the drawers and install the cabinet
Slide each drawer in. If one binds, sand the high spot on its side rather than forcing it. Wax the bottom edges. Add the pulls. Then slide the cabinet onto the shelf at one end, against the legs and flush with the front of the shelf. Screw through the cabinet bottom into the shelf with 1-1/4 in screws (both are 3/4 in, so longer screws would poke through), and through the cabinet side into the front and back legs with 2 in screws.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bench rocks on the floor | Legs cut to different lengths, or an uneven floor | Cut legs with a stop block; shim the short leg or add adjustable feet |
| Drawer sticks | Box out of square or runner not level | Check the diagonals; plane or sand the tight spot; wax the runners |
| Drawer tips down when pulled out | No support at the front once the back clears the runner | Do not pull drawers out past halfway with heavy loads; for full extension, use metal slides |
| Drawer front sits proud or sunk | Drawer not exactly 20 in deep | Trim or add a thin spacer to the cabinet back |
| Top bounces when hammering | Too few screws into the frame | Add screws into the cross rail; or glue a second layer of plywood on top |
Why waxing matters: wood-on-wood runners work well, but bare plywood grabs. A rub of paste wax or a candle on the runners and drawer bottoms is the difference between a drawer you use and one you fight.
Variations
| Version | How |
|---|---|
| Metal drawer slides | Skip the runners. Most side-mount slides need about 1/2 in per side (check yours), so make the boxes 14-1/2 in wide and use 20 in slides |
| Second cabinet | Build another one for the other end; the shelf is long enough for both with 20 in between |
| Thicker top | Glue and screw a second 60 x 24 in layer of plywood or hardboard on top; it can be replaced when worn |
| Lower bench | Cut the legs 1 or 2 in shorter and mount the lower frame lower by the same amount (5 or 4 in up instead of 6), so the cabinet still fits |
| Mobile bench | Screw a 2x4 skid across the bottoms of each pair of end legs, mount locking casters under the skids, and shorten the legs by the skid plus caster height |
Want a simpler bench first? Our 2x4 workbench plans skip the drawers. Once this bench is done, add a miter saw station beside it, and see our one-car garage shop layout for where to put it.
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FAQ
How tall should a workbench with drawers be?
Usually 34 to 36 in. This bench is 36 in; to lower it, shorten all four legs equally and mount the lower frame lower by the same amount.
Do I need drawer slides?
No. Waxed plywood runners work well for shop drawers. Metal slides are an upgrade if you want full extension.
How many 2x4s do I need for this workbench?
Six 8 ft 2x4s cover the frames, legs and cross rails, plus one sheet each of 3/4 in and 1/2 in plywood.
Can I build it with only a circular saw?
Yes. A circular saw with a straight guide handles every cut, though a table saw makes the narrow runner strips easier.
