Built-In Workbench or Not?

[jkd]

Hey Guys,

I've read most of the workbench threads on this forum but haven't seen much input to my following situation:

I'm building a workbench against a wall in my garage. The wall is made out of OSB board that is screwed directly into the studs. I was originally thinking of screwing in a long piece of 2x4 directly into the OSB board to run the length of the workbench. This would be the brace for the backside of the workbench so I wouldn't have to have rear legs.

However, I'm now wondering how that will affect the wall itself. If I need to hammer something on the bench or pound on it, I'm thinking that it might shake the wall too much? I'm going to have a shelf mounted on the wall just above the workbench too. I've read about a couple instances where people built their workbench against the wall like this and had stuff falling off the shelves when they began hammering something on the workbench surface. Any thoughts?

The other consideration is that there is a stem wall (a little cement curb that is about 5 inches high that the wall studs sit on) agains the wall. So if I end up building a free standing workbench, the rear legs will sit on this little curb.

 

[jaysen]

JKD,

Although I cannot answer your question, I'm glad you've asked it - I am in the same situation as you. I like the idea of portability of a freestanding workbench but can't seem to think about times when I'd be moving it. As with you, I've got anywhere from 5-12" stem wall (foundation) above the concrete garage floor however a slight difference; finished walls w/ drywall and stucco instead of osb. The width of the stem wall varies all along the garage anywhere from 2-4".

I was planning on building my work bench one of two ways - the first having all four (assuming I only use four) legs sitting on the actual garage floor and adding a lip to the rear to make up for the distance of the stem wall. Or, build similar to what you've describe however, the 2x4 attached to the studs for the rear would be supported by 2x4's vertical sitting on the stem wall (foundation).

Sorry to hijack your thread but hopefully someone will chime in on the following as I would like to know the same as well...

 

[djkilgus]

Free standing is my vote. When it comes to the quarterly deep-cleaning it's a lot easier to pull out the workbench with the rest of the stuff in the garage. It will also give you flexibility if you need to get at something from all four sides (pull it out to the middle of the garage).

Pics of my free standing workbench in my sig.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Pounding on a bench is not going to damage properly-installed wall studs. Especially if you've got OSB instead of sheetrock -- although even sheetrock should be fine with this. In your shoes, I'd use 3" lag bolts to connect your 2x4 directly to the studs. I would also use a single 2x4 as a fixed leg running down to the cement foundation piece. You want the load of your work (or your hammering) to have a solid support down to the concrete. The little read leg support will mean less lateral/shearing stress on your lag bolts. I'd sister a pair of 2x4s for the front legs for a very solid support.

Then hammer away. Having the bench secured to the wall is a big help, in my opinion, especially if you've got a vise on the bench.

 

[Iroc-Z]

I would think it depends on how big of bench it is. My plan is to build a work bench that is about eighteen feet long. I am going to make my three bay snap on box look built in. I will be securing everything to the wall. I feel that this will make everything nice and solid. Last work bench I had was about 12 feet long and not secured to the wall. It sucked when you had to hammer on some thing in the vice and the bench wanted to move.

 

[KEH]

Well, I hope this gets through, I typed out a reply and got the "you are not logged in" message after being told I was logged in. Don't claim to be more than barely computer literate.

I don't think beating on the bench would cause too much vibration in the wall. The wood consruction of the bench and the osb should absorb much of the vibration. I would be more concerned with pulling the wall loose if you have work clamped in a good vise and apply a big wrench with a cheater pipe to it. I have a bench/welding table made from an old cast iron machinery base with solid 1 1/2 inch legs and it can be made to move.

Your plan to fasten the bench to the wall is good. The strength of the wall is in the 2x4 studs as well as the osb. You should run lag bolts through the bench support at the back and the osb into the studs. I would use a 2x6 instead of a 2x4. Then I would use 4x4s for the front legs. I would prefer all the bench to be made from oak, but that might not be availiable to you. I assume you are going to attach to both walls in the corner.

The vise attachment point may need to be reinforced with steel.

My ideal workbench for mechanical work would be free standing and have a 1/4 inch thick steel top on a framework of 2 inch pipe with a good 6 inch vise.

KEH

 

[jkd]

Thanks for the input so far everyone!

The bench I'm planning on building will be 11 feet long, about 32" in depth and approx. 36" in height. There will be open space on both ends, so only the backside would be against the wall.

I'm not as much concerned about the structural integrity to the wall and studs as I am in the transfer of vibration to the wall and OSB. I will have an open shelf that will run the length of the wall, and I'm more concerned about stuff falling on my head if I start pounding on the bench or something (ouch!).

Does anyone have a similar setup, where the bench is built into the wall and you have a shelf along that same wall? Does stuff come falling down when you hammer on the bench for any length of time?

I'm definitely open to building a free standing bench, but like jaysen said, I'd have to build a lip into the back side to make up for the difference from the stem wall.

My garage floor is slightly sloped for drainage, so the legs of the bench would not be of equal lengths. So if I build a free standing bench, I wouldn't really move it.

 

[swharris]

I like Jack's idea about securing it, but I also like the idea of having either a freestanding table or like BMWPower did with a 3 sided island "T"ing 90deg. from the bench. I am seriously thinking of doing this. The ability to walk around your project is a HUGE + imo.

From BMWPower thread:

 

[KEH]

JKD,

I think a simple solution to the shaking the wall problem would be to make the bench top of thick material that will absorb the pounding. 4 thicknesses of 3/4 inch plywood should do the trick. Browse some of the woodworking forums for bench building threads. That type of bench is designed to take pounding and remain stable. Some guys will add sandbags to the bottom shelf of the bench to make it more stable.

KEH

 

[Jack Olsen]

Yeah, I don't think there's going to be any issue with your wall shaking.

Ideally, you can have some work surfaces that you can approach from all sides, and some that are fixed and very sturdy. I've got several of each type in my garage, but maybe I've gone a little overboard on work surfaces.

 

[jkd]

Jack, overboard? Does that term even apply on these forums? LOL (insert Tool Time grunt here)

 

[Red05GT]

The lags into the studs are definately the way to go. At the floor on the backside of
each front leg you could use an angle iron bracket and redhead anchor to attach the legs to the floor. This would then
stabilize the bench and keep it from bouncing once you start whaling on a project.

 

[mjozefow]

Like this?

I Spaxed a ledger board on the back and the top is fastened to that. It is extremely solid.

My wrap-around bench. Made the top a bit thinner as this is not for the super heavy stuff. I can still hammer on it all day long though.

Saturday, Sunday, and today I worked on and off (I had jobs for other people lined up) on what you see here:

This is the wrap-around-the-corner bench where my ultrasonic machine will go. I plan to have the nook dedicated to more delicate work such as carb cleaning.

I started with this:


It progressed like such:



I like to see this!:


Taking the angle with a sliding T-bevel.



Fitting the top was a bit interesting because the wall is not straight nor the corner square:



I got the top pieces to fit in with no gaps after some finagling. Those TiN blades really cut luan nicely. You can see the joint next to the blade pack.


So far so good:


The rest of the garage needs to be painted and the 2x4's will be veneered with luan and then painted gloss white to give a more polished look. This stuff just always takes longer than expected.

I modified and hung this today too. It needs a coat of gloss white paint, but it is a highly effective way to store aerosol cans. I built this unit about five years ago I think.



And this is where I stop for now:

And I of course sign my work!


PS- Give me an opinion on the red accents. I was not planning on a red, white, and blue theme but the red seems to go most times I look at it.

So option one is blue and white only, the other is red, white and blue.

 

[tufffordtruck]

One of my benches in my old garage was made with treated 2-bys on the top and it was screwed into the wall. It had an open shelf like you and when I was beating and banging, the were always cans of Wd-40 or whatever falling on my head. It really irritated me.

 

[jkd]

mjozefow, yes, just like the picture on top. Do you have any issues with stuff falling off the shelves?

tufffordtruck, that's kind of what I'm afraid of. I will have lots of small items on the shelves like cans of WD-40, small cans of compressed air, things like that.

Hmmmm, it looks like I may have to test it at first somehow....

 

[lupinsea]

You could always build a slight lip on the shelf over the work bench.

Otherwise, I'd much rather have the solidity of a work bench bolted to the structure than a freestanding unit. Further, I'd think that a heavy, thick top would help minimize any vibrations from pounding transferring into the wall as much.

 

[sirsloop]

I built a free standing bench, bolted a 2x4 to the wall studs, then the bench to the 2x4. The thing is rock solid and won't come off the wall. I was pounding on some **** the other day and my florescent lights were flickering off every time I hit!! LOL!

 

[spongerich]

My wrap-around bench. Made the top a bit thinner as this is not for the super heavy stuff. I can still hammer on it all day long though.

I really like your spray can rack!

I've got mine lined up on a shelf and whenever I grab one, I inevitably knock all the others over like dominoes.

 

[Po'Boy]

Pounding on a bench is not going to damage properly-installed wall studs. Especially if you've got OSB instead of sheetrock -- although even sheetrock should be fine with this. In your shoes, I'd use 3" lag bolts to connect your 2x4 directly to the studs. I would also use a single 2x4 as a fixed leg running down to the cement foundation piece. You want the load of your work (or your hammering) to have a solid support down to the concrete. The little read leg support will mean less lateral/shearing stress on your lag bolts. I'd sister a pair of 2x4s for the front legs for a very solid support.

Then hammer away. Having the bench secured to the wall is a big help, in my opinion, especially if you've got a vise on the bench.

This is how my bench is built. My garage floor is a slight downward slope toward the door, so my legs are two different heights to keep it level. Only two things I would do different, are the lag bolts like Jack said, and a one peice work surface, instead of 2x4's. Other than that you are golden. Even without making these changes, I have yet to have an issue. This is the way I have built all of my workbenches.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Pounding on a bench is not going to damage properly-installed wall studs. Especially if you've got OSB instead of sheetrock -- although even sheetrock should be fine with this. In your shoes, I'd use 3" lag bolts to connect your 2x4 directly to the studs. I would also use a single 2x4 as a fixed leg running down to the cement foundation piece. You want the load of your work (or your hammering) to have a solid support down to the concrete. The little read leg support will mean less lateral/shearing stress on your lag bolts. I'd sister a pair of 2x4s for the front legs for a very solid support.

Then hammer away. Having the bench secured to the wall is a big help, in my opinion, especially if you've got a vise on the bench.

Well said Jack although, I would recommend atleast a 4" lag over the 3.

3" - 1 1/2" (horzontal stud) = 1 1/2" - 7/16"or 1/2" (OSB) = 1' - 1 1/16" into the wall stud. (not enough)

Your fastener (screw or nail) should be 2-3 times longer than the piece it's going through. In this case a 2x4, which is 1 1/2" you need a fastener with the length of 3-4 1/2" long.

 

[ddawg16]

I vote hanging as well....having it clear underneath is wonderful.....this is mine....

Basically I started off with screwing a 2x4 to the wall with 6" lag screws....and I used washers to prevent the lag screw from being pulled through the wood....my walls are made out of 2x6's so there is plenty of strength....

What makes it stronger is that on both of them...one end is attached to the adjacent wall....this adds considerable to the strength. Additionally, both ends and in the middle is either a solid sheet of plywood or melamine....this gives the bench substantial regidity.

Mine is strong enough that I can climb on it and I don't feel any give....I've done hammering on it....works fine.

Something to note: If your going to be doing lots of pounding...I would suggest having a vice or anvil....the mass of that would absorb a majority of the impact.

This is my general workbench area....I am about to order the steel....the top is going to have a 1/8" or thicker top...then on top of that a sheet of 16g SS. The steel should take just about anything I hit it with...the SS will make for a easy to maintain surface.....no welding on it planned....I intend to make a roll-around welding table for that.

And this is my saw area....it's all done...

 

[Jack Olsen]

Well said Jack although, I would recommend atleast a 4" lag over the 3.

Agreed.

(And I also think ddawg's setup is looking great.)

 

[John in OH]

I gotta second all the comments about the advantages of attaching to the wall.

If you are going to be whaling away with a hammer or doing vise work ... wrenching, twisting, torquing ... anchor the bench to the wall. A free standing bench is nice for some things that are low impact, such as painting or assembly work, but no matter how heavy you make a free-standing bench, it is gonna move when you start getting serious about doing heavy work.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I'm definitely open to building a free standing bench, but like jaysen said, I'd have to build a lip into the back side to make up for the difference from the stem wall.

My garage floor is slightly sloped for drainage, so the legs of the bench would not be of equal lengths. So if I build a free standing bench, I wouldn't really move it.

Build a 2x6 backsplash onto the back of your bench. If you have a vice and need the anchoring, screw the backsplash to the wall. I'm not a big fan of adjustable feet, but you can get them from Woodcraft Supply or Graingers, and they do work.

I don't have a big problem with a built on workbench either. That wall was built to hold a house up. It can probably handle a bench.

 

[thdewey]

I have both. A 14' main bench and a 12' miter station, both built-in. The mobile bench is 6' w/ locking wheels, I mostly use as a desk. Although I plan on making a built-in desk at some point in the future. I found a really cool old oak desk/office chair at a Habitat Resale store $10. I must built a desk for it.

Here is my mobile bench before I finished the walls.

 

[TheShrine]

This my "Beat Bench". Supported by three cedar 6 X 6 base legs on cedar 2 X 6's topped with 2 sheets of 3/4 plywood all attached to a reinforced wall. My last bench seemed to rattle the garage walls if I had to really hammer something.....this one does not. I like the rolling bench idea like thdewey.

 

[rodnok1]

I don't like benched anchored to wall esp if it's attched to the house, the vibrations irratate the **** out of the ol lady, not to mention rattle **** in the garage cabinets. If it's for lighter work and longer than yes.