| In
This Article:
A table top with 2x4 frame
and plywood surface is prepared. 4x4 legs are installed and
braced with 2x4 angle braces. |
Related
Articles:
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| Skill Level:
2-3 (Basic to Intermediate) |
Time Taken:
About 3 Hours |
By
Bruce W. Maki,
Editor
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This was my starting point: A table top
that had been sitting on a pair of sawhorses.
This table top was part of a workbench that was built
into the garage when I bought this house a year ago. |
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| This old workbench was a piece of crap!
I think SpongeBob (the previous owner) had tested a
chain saw by cutting into the top.
To build a decent workbench, I needed to cut off the
mangled end of this table top. |
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I laid the table top on the ground and
marked the horizontal 2x4's for cutting (red lines).
Then I ran a circular saw along the line. But that
only cut part way through. |
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| So I had to use a reciprocating saw (with
the blade installed upside down) to cut the rest of the
way through the 2x4's. |
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I placed a piece of 2x4 against the cut
ends to mark the cut line on the plywood top
surface.
I marked the edges of the plywood, then turned the
table top over and drew a line. |
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| Then I cut off the excess plywood with a
circular saw. |
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I chopped a treated 2x4 to the appropriate
length (in this case 36 inches) and screwed it to the
ends of the long 2x4's.
I also fastened the plywood to the 2x4's with 2 inch
deck screws. The good news is... the plywood was
5/8" thick, which is pretty good for a workbench
surface.
This completed my table top.
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Notes On Building A Table Top:
This table top is just a 36-inch wide piece of
5/8" plywood with a frame of 2x4's around the
perimeter. Two more long 2x4's have been added beneath
the middle so the plywood has more support.
I have built many table tops from a 2' x 8' piece of
plywood or OSB, with a simple 2x4 perimeter. Sometimes
I've added a long 2x4 in the center, sometimes not.
Heavy plywood (such as 3/4") with supporting
structure 24 inches apart is capable of supporting
plenty of load when used as a workbench. An 8-foot long
workbench top with a 2x4 frame is good, but a little
flexible. A 2x6 frame would be better if a heavy-duty
workbench was desired.
It would be a good idea to attach the ends any middle
frame boards with metal joist hangers, which are
available for 2x4 and 2x6 lumber.
For an outdoor workbench I would recommend using
treated lumber and plywood.
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Table Legs:
| I cut a 12-foot long 4x4 into four pieces,
each 36 inches long.
Most 10" miter saws I've used can cut through a
4x4 without having to rotate the board. A circular saw
can also be used, but at least two cuts are needed to
cut all the way through. |
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I set two 36" long 4x4 legs in place
on the upside-down table top. |
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| I drove in one screw on each side of the
table top. This held the legs while allowing them to
move enough to align the 45-degree corner braces. |
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Bracing The Legs:
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I cut a 2x4 on a 45-degree angle to make
some braces. |
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Angled Corner Braces:
When a corner brace is cut with 45-degree angles, the
length of the longest side will be 1.414 times
the "rise" or "run".
Since the dimension "L" was 14.5 inches in
my case, the long dimension (which is the hypotenuse of
the triangle) was almost exactly 20.5 inches
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Laying out the angle bracket:
I made a mark 14½" from the outer edge of the
4x4 leg.
I also measured up the same distance, basing
the measurement at the edge of the 2x4 lateral board. |
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I clamped the angle brace to the table
leg, making sure that each end of the brace was lined up
with the 14½" marks.
Then I drove in 4 deck screws at the clamped
end.
I could only get one screw at the other end. (See
below...) |
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| I installed the brace on the adjacent leg. |
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Then I attached a cross-member,
using 3" deck screws to fasten it. |
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| At the other end of the brace, I could
only reliably get one screw through the mitered
end. |
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Another view of same scenario.
The upper end of the brace (uppermost in this
picture, that is) was securely fastened to the 4x4 leg
because the boards overlapped by 3½ inches.
But the lower end of the brace was a tricky
connection. I could drive toe-nails (or
"toe-screws") but that will make the wood
split, and it won't be a very strong connection. |
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| To ensure a really good connection
between the angle brace and the table top, I added a
second angle brace (which coincidentally was the exact
same length and shape) to the inside of the first
brace.
By fastening this extra brace to the table top 2x4 and
to the first brace, I was able to obtain a truly sturdy
joint. |
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When two boards overlap each other by a significant amount,
and several fasteners are used, a very strong joint can be obtained.
This is probably the most secure joint that you can get without
using metal connectors.
Other Methods Of Attaching Angle Brackets:
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Pocket screws would make a good
method of making a strong connection between the
45-degree angle cut and the lateral board on the table
top.
I drilled two holes through each face of the
angle bracket. |
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| Which look like this... |
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I fastened the angle brace with 1½"
stainless steel pan-head sheet metal screws.
These seemed to hold pretty well. |
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| Pocket screws, completed. |
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| Another method of fastening the angle
bracket is a tie plate.
To be effective, the tie plate needs to overlap each
piece of wood by a decent amount.
How much overlap? Maybe 3 inches square in this case. |
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Final Product:
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Finished workbench, still upside down. |
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| After completing the workbench I sanded
the plywood top and gave the non-treated wood two coats
of solid-tone deck stain. This should help the
top resist the effects of the weather. |
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The overall length was 80 inches... but
only because I shortened the original table top from 96
inches. |
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| Location of the angle brace as measured
from the underside of the table top.. |
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End View:
The table legs were 36 inches long, and the overall
width was also 36 inches (this is just a coincidence).
In the past I've often made workbenches with 32
inch long legs, so I can get three pieces from an
8-foot 2x4. This time I chose 36 inches because I liked
the higher work surface. |
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More Info:
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Tools
Used:
- Basic
Carpentry Tools
- Cordless
Drill/Driver
- Cordless
Impact Driver (Optional)
- Miter
Saw
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Materials
Used:
- 4x4x12'
Treated
- 2x4x8'
Treated (3 pieces)
- 3"
Deck Screws
- Plywood
- 2x4x8'
(About 7 pieces)
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