Work bench depth

[yeldogt]

I'm going to build a workbench along the back wall of my shop -- 24' long. I'm able to get seconds from a local top company when they screw up -- but the sizes and wood species are random. The tops I got are 36" wide 12' long ..... I'm thinking that may be too deep for a workbench.

Anybody work with a 36" deep workbench? In one way I can see it would be great because things can be placed in the back of the bench and you still have room to work -- but in my tests it looks like anything on a shelf above becomes difficult to reach.

I hate to cut the tops. Ash butcher block ...

I have other tops from them ....some as narrow as 28" most are 30" -- and that works fine. I told them I was looking for something long so I would not have to have many joints ... so when they called with three 12' .. I had to take them.

I was thinking I could cut 6" off and use it for the works strongest shelf - 1.75 thick.

 

[The Cobbler]

totally depends on what you're working on. I built a bench many years ago... 36" deep.. It was too deep and stuff at the back was a pain to reach . I re worked it & cut it down to (28" I think) and it works fine for me.

 

[NOZZLEMAN]

Go with the 36" depth... you will put a ton of **** against the back wall of the bench and still leaves room to work

 

[xplodn]

I have a 36" deep 16 foot bench in my garage that's tall as well, I like it and hate it. Its great to have the open space in front while having the parts boxes, paper towels, fans, etc etc on the back side where they are out of the way. I have shelves above and they are hard to reach at times even being 6'2". If I had to go back I might make them narrower, but likely not. I have shelves all the way to the ceiling so even with no bench the stool would come out. I use the deep benches space enough that its worth it 95% of the time.

 

[Lassen Forge]

How long are your arms?

2 of mine are 36",. the third is 28". The shortie has slowly become relegated to storage space, while the long ones are used all the time. IMO, if you've never experienced that much depth, you won't know what you're missing, I know from experience the 8" is well worth it. Makes a huge difference in getting the job done.

(OK, cut it out, I *know* what you're thinking! )

Seriously, I like having the extra real estate - first time you have to do a complex operation - say pulling a transmission or antique firearm apart and laying stuff out in 3 directions to keep things straight - you'll thank your lucky stars you got that extra space.

Sus @ the Forge

 

[bullitt67]

It's all about personal preference, I don't know how long your reach is, but I hate to lean over the bench top to reach for an item. Don't forget to take into account if you plan on installing any upper cabinets, as a deeper bench top depth will hinder your reach some. I would go with the 30 inch depth, IMO it's the best of both worlds, not too shallow and not too deep, and I can still reach any object at the back of the bench with ease. Mike

 

[Dave88LX]

36" deep bench here too and I don't regret it. At my old house I had those little storage bins across the back of it against the wall. At this house, I have it against windows (not many layout options), so I'm not too concerned about above-bench storage. Could always use above-bench storage for things you'll very seldom use. Parts storage etc.

Probably depends on your height, bench height, and arm length too. I'm 6'1" and have no issues.

 

[yeldogt]

I have other benches in the shop ... some stationary some on wheels. If I have something I need to work on all four sides I have a 4x5 maple top on wheels.

I'm not sure what they were making these for --- I was not expecting something 36".

My plan was to have higher shelves also -- 14' ceiling .. so maybe I should plan on having a ladder handy ... or maybe pad out the small cabinets I was thinking about for just above the bench?

 

[Hephaestus29]

I like to hang things on the wall so as long as I can reach the wall. 24"-26" is good for me.

 

[BearsFan315]

Agree with everyone else, all depends on its true intended purpose. I know many are 24" deep, way to shallow for what I intend to do. I prefer 30" min, 36" right down the middle. my current one is 42" , like above I use the back for storage, put on shelves, parts bins, etc...

Guess you have to play with it and see what you like and will use. Also comes down to how much room you have to allot for the workbench.

 

[WQ59B]

I have about 36" deep (x 12-ft) bench, plus I have a 3.5" angle iron jutting outward (so total 39.5"), and I think it's great. I'm only 5'8", and I can reach the back well enough. No shelves above, I guess that wouldn't work, but I have more storage elsewhere in the shop that I don't have even 50% max'ed out- that's the determining factor for bench depth, I think. I like being able to set a longer-term project to the rear and still having room up front.

 

[Bwana]

A timely subject, exactly what I'm wrestling with for my new garage. I've used 24" width forever, simply because it's half of a 4X8 sheet of plywood. I normally put a 2X4 stringer against the back wall and mount the back of the workbench to that. Makes for an increadibly strong bench.

Recently, I got a 36" wide bench in the new garage but it's only 30" tall. I've found that it's too low, it strains my back. My other 24" wide benches are 36" high. But the 36" width is, as mentioned above, a real bonus for multiple projects or bigger disassemblies.

I'm pretty sure when I go with the permanent bench in the new garage, I'm going to go with a 36" tall and 30" wide, sort of split the difference between heigth and laydown space.

 

[ZRX61]

How long are your arms?

2 of mine are 36",. the third is 28".

 

[cgv69]

A lot of it depends on your physical size, how you plan to use and how tall you make it but in general, I think 36" is too deep for a wall bench were you will presumably have things mounted on that back wall that you will want to reach? I'm 6'2" with a 36/37" sleeve so I could easily get away with a 36" deep bench but have found a 30-32" deep bench works well for me. Now for an island type bench, I'd go 36-42" wide

 

[dmeadow]

I stopped at 31" because I've got a couple of 12" cabinets over my bench. I couldn't reach the top shelf in them otherwise. I previously had 24" deep benches and found them too shallow, particularly as the back of the bench tends to collect stuff.

 

[rick carpenter]

Mine is two sections of 18" x 6'... sometimes it's not deep enough, most times it's just fine.

 

[Engineer61]

If you are worried about reach, make a good strong shelf underneath about 12-16 inches off the ground, strong enough to stand on even with all the rest of the "stuff" that is going to get shoved under the bench, then you'll have a built in step stool the length of the bench.

 

[poorboy87]

I'm 39 inches deep and belt height. I'm kind of short but I like my bench. I made it deep enough that I could stick online jeep engines under it. Our transmission benches at work are 40 inches deep.

Of course I haven't seen it since I built it but when it's clean it's nice

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Its a personality and personal discipline thing. If you make a deep workbench and you are uncaring of clutter and stuff, the benches will fill up with "stuff" rather quickly. If the benches are shallow, you, even if lazy, will be more likely to keep them cleaned off.

Horizontal surfaces are a terrible thing. The fill up with stuff. You have to concentrate on keeping them cleaned off and that isn't easy. End result is, it builds up.

Local Habitat ReStore got in a huge shipment of doors. Stacks of them, no frames, just raw doors. They have wooden 90 min fire doors, but want too much money. The do have solid non-fire doors, 30x80 inch, for $25. Should make great workbench tops for someone.

Charles

 

[yeldogt]

Thanks -- Well it looks like those that have a 36" deep bench against the wall confirmed about what I was thinking....nice to know that some have them that deep and like them.

As I said ........ not my only bench -- some are 28" and some are 30" deep. I have the 28's along a wall with some shallow cabinets above -- and the 30's work with some things hanging on the back wall .. but I don't like things hanging with the 28's

I guess I will have to play around with it before I build the supports -- I'm going to have a lot of open space under it so I have to build for the top depth. The one thing great about getting such thick tops is that don't require many intermediately supports to be very strong

 

[FORMUD]

I just built a 24' long bench too. The one half I made 32" deep and the other half I made 24" deep. The deeper end is where the vice goes and heavy dirty work is done and not much going against the wall. The shallow side is where I going to put the cabinets and other things I need to reach easier. I'm not going to be using it for much much work.
I think it's going work out pretty good that way...The best of both worlds.

 

[exmaxima1]

The tops I got are 36" wide 12' long ..... I'm thinking that may be too deep for a workbench.

I hate to cut the tops. Ash butcher block ...

I was thinking I could cut 6" off and use it for the works strongest shelf - 1.75 thick.

I ripped a maple butcher block to 30", and used the cutoff as a backsplash---keeps stuff from falling off the back as my workbench is not attached to the wall.
With 1.75" thickness, you can drill a series of holes for screwdrivers/nutdrivers/files and various tools you want handy.

 

[86turbodsl]

I had a 36" deep bench and i hated it. It was about 40 high and 36 deep and i couldn't really reach the back without a stretch. I'm average height, 5 10" or so. I ended up ripping it apart and will build a 28 deep and waist high. I could see 36 deep on a table in the middle where you can get around to all sides though.