Free cut list · 60" W × 34" H × 24" D

Workbench cut list

A 60" long, 24" deep, 34" tall shop bench. Two layers of 3/4" plywood for the top, a plywood lower shelf, and a 2×4 frame, all from one sheet and five studs.

The plywood parts are two identical top layers and one lower shelf. Doubling the top gives a 1.5" slab that takes dog holes and a vise without flexing. The layers are 23.75" rather than a full 24" deep: two 24" rips plus a saw kerf come to 48.125", which is 1/8" more than the sheet. Shaving a quarter inch keeps the whole bench on one panel.

The frame is dimensional 2×4. Those cuts only need a length, so they go through the board calculator. The lumber list is further down the page.

At a glance

  • Overall size 60" wide × 34" tall × 24" deep
  • Material 3/4" plywood (top and shelf) plus 2×4 lumber for the frame
  • Sheet parts 3 pieces, 2 sizes
  • Units Inches. Type millimeter values into the calculator to work metric.

Cut list

Sheet parts (3/4" plywood (top and shelf) plus 2×4 lumber for the frame)
PartSize (in)QtyNotes
Top layer60 × 23.752Glue and screw the two layers together.
Lower shelf46.5 × 181Sits on the lower rails between the legs.
Other parts (not in the sheet layout)
PartSizeQtyMaterialNotes
Legs32.5" long42×434" bench height minus the 1.5" top.
Long rails54" long42×4Upper and lower, front and back. 3" overhang at each end of the top.
Short rails18" long42×4Between the legs at each end.

Lumber list

These cuts only need a length, so they belong in the 1D calculator. Stock length 96", kerf 0.125".

PieceLength (in)Qty
Leg32.54
Long rail544
Short rail184

Open this list in the board calculator

Sheet layout calculator

Pre-filled with the cut list above. Change a size, quantity, or the sheet dimensions and recalculate.

Cut layout

Cutting order

  1. Rip the top layers. Two rips at 23.75" use the full 48" width of the sheet with the kerf accounted for. Crosscut both to 60".
  2. Cut the shelf from the offcut. The remaining piece is about 36 × 48. The 46.5 × 18 shelf comes out of it with the grain running across the bench.
  3. Cut the frame lumber. Run the 2×4 list through the board calculator: five 8 ft studs, with a leg and a long rail sharing each of the first four.
  4. Assemble upside down. Screw the legs to the underside of the doubled top, then flip the bench and add the lower rails and shelf.

Questions

Can I use MDF for the top?

Yes for the top layer if the bench stays dry. Keep the same dimensions. Some markets sell MDF at 49 × 97, so check the sheet size field before you trust the layout.

How many 2×4s does the frame take?

Five 8 ft studs at a 1/8" kerf. Each of the first four carries one 32.5" leg and one 54" rail; the fifth holds all four 18" short rails.

Why not a 72" bench?

A 72 × 30 top does not double up on one sheet: the second layer needs a second panel and the shelf a third. If you want the bigger bench, set the quantity to 2 on a 72 × 30 part and the calculator will show the three-sheet layout.

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