Woodworker Chuck

Free Plan: Garage Workbench

9 drawers, built-in router table, rolls on casters. Here are the plans.

Free download. No signup required.

  • 42-page PDF plan
  • Full materials & cut list
  • Step-by-step instructions
Garage workbench with drawers and built-in router table

Most garage benches are an afterthought. A door across two sawhorses. A piece of plywood on a metal frame. I used that setup for years because building a real bench felt like too big a project.

This plan changed that. The bench is 72 inches long with nine drawers, a router table built into the surface, and T-track clamping channels on the top and all four edges. It rides on four-inch locking casters, so it rolls out when you need the room and locks down when you need a stable surface.

I put off building a proper workbench for twelve years. Once it was done, I could not figure out why I had waited.

Project at a Glance

Difficulty
Intermediate
Work surface
72" x 24", 35" height
Main materials
3/4" oak plywood, 3/4" MDF (top, two layers), 1/4" hardboard (drawer bottoms), T-track channel, 4" locking casters, drawer slides
Build time
2 weekends (experienced builder) to 3–4 weekends (first time)
Tools needed
Table saw, router, drill/driver, pocket hole jig, clamps, random orbital sander
Plan
42 pages, full materials list, component dimensions, assembly sequence

From the shop

The T-track inlaid across the top and down the edges is the detail that makes this bench worth building. Most workbenches give you a flat surface and leave clamping as a problem you solve yourself. This bench has clamping built in everywhere. The router table slot is fixed — drop the router box in for routing, pull it out for a clean work surface.

You came here for a workbench plan. Once it is built, the bench is waiting. The question every woodworker hits after finishing a major shop project is the same one: what now. A full plan library answers that before the finish has even dried.

Recommended Next Step

Bench is done. What are you building next?

Ted's Woodworking is the largest plan library I know of. Furniture, outdoor builds, shop jigs, cabinets, toys — every plan comes with a full materials list, a printable cut list, and step-by-step instructions. Once the bench is built and ready, this library has the next ten projects lined up.

Ted's Woodworking — 16,000+ Plans

Furniture, outdoor builds, shop jigs, cabinets — every plan with cut list and materials.

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It doesn't cost you extra.

The joinery reference book — just cover shipping

Woodworking Secrets covers technique, joinery, finishing, and tool setup in plain language. Useful to have on the bench if you are tackling the T-track router installation or want to sharpen your joinery before the next project.

Send me the book →

Not sure yet? Start with the free plan.

Build the bench first. You can always come back and unlock the full plan library when you are ready for what comes next.

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