How to Make a Workbench Out of Studs

Cut four 34 3/4-inch lengths from the studs. These are the legs of the workbench. Cut four 55-inch lengths. These are your long side braces.

Measure the width of your studs. A 2-by-4 is never exactly 4 inches wide and a 2-by-6 is never exactly 6 inches wide. Divide the width measurement into 26. Round up. Label this number "A" and then multiply it by the width of your studs. Cut four lengths of stud equal to this length. These are the short side braces. For example, if your studs are 3 3/4 inches wide, then 26 divided by 3 3/4 is 6.93. Rounded up, this is 7, and 7 multiplied by 3 3/4 is 26 1/4 inches.

Use the screws to attach one of the short side braces to one end of one of the legs so that it forms an L-shape. Attach one of the other legs to the other end of that brace so that they form a U-shape. Attach the other pair of legs together in the same manner. The braced ends of the legs are the tops, the free ends are the bottoms.

Measure 6 inches from the bottom of each leg and make a mark with the pencil. Lay the other short side braces on the legs so that the bottoms of the braces lie on the marks. Screw these braces to the legs. Make sure that these braces are on the same side of the legs as the other braces. You should now have two pairs of legs, each pair held together by two short braces.

Stand the two pairs of legs up so that the braces are on the sides facing the other pair. Screw two of the long side braces to the sides of these pairs of legs so that each pair is connected to the other by the long braces. Make sure that these long braces are set level with the lower pair of short braces. You should now have the rough framework of a box.

Measure the width of your studs. Multiply this width by 2. Subtract the result from 55. Label the result of this, in inches, "B." Cut "A" studs of length "B." Lay these on the lower braces and screw them to those lower braces. You now have a lower shelf on your workbench.

Cut as many 65-inch lengths as the measurement you labeled "A," plus one. Set one on one side of the upper braces. It should hang evenly over either end. Set it so that half of the width overhangs the long edge. Screw it into place. Screw the others into place beside it so that they form the upper working surface of your workbench. You should have a 5-inch overhang on each end and an overhang of half the width of the studs on each side. This overhang allows you to attach vises to your workbench.