# Workbech idea



## mIps (Oct 10, 2012)

So I have this idea for a wall mounted workbench but I have no way to try it to see if/how well it will work. 

















Basically it's a series of angled 2×4s hanging off of a french cleat. The actual work surface would mount on top of this.
The principal seems sound but with no way to try it I was hoping someone out there would be able to say whether it would work or not.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Iguana (Jun 22, 2011)

The general idea is a good one - knee braces are very useful.

But there are a couple things I'd change. First, don't rely on the french cleat to take all the load. They are good for carrying load vertically, but with a bench there will be a lot of force out at the end of the cantilever.

Second, not sure why you have the frames between each brace. Mostly unnecessary, other than as something to attach the top to.

Here's what I'd do


















Securely fasten (4x #12 screws at a minimum) a brace to each stud in the area, then put a simple 2×4 apron on the ends to ensure the spacing remains consistent. The top can be whatever you want.


----------



## BlazerGator (Feb 22, 2015)

I made something similar about 15 years ago, but with a different mounting system. Instead of a French cleat, the top was framed and included cross-bracing. I used lag screws to attach the top frame to the studs and placed knee braces at each end and the middle (8-foot bench length IIRC-we moved from there about four years later).

The unit proved to be quite sturdy; it included racks below to hold two layers of those 12 gallon plastic totes and sat high enough that a third layer of totes could be stored on the floor beneath.


----------



## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I built one very similar in 1977. Sold that home a couple years ago. Bench was still working when I left it.

I'm in the, "don't trust a french cleat for a work bench" camp. Except, it can hold the bench up and in place while you lag the horizontal bench components to the wall.

The frames between the braces serve to keep the assembly from racking, but depending on the what the top is made of, and how it is attached, it could serve the same purpose.


----------



## kwolfe (Feb 12, 2014)

I would vote no cleat as well. The only real reason for the cleat would if you want to slide things left to right and rearrange. Otherwise, you might as well lag it directly to the wall since your top rail would have to be anyway.


----------



## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

Agreed with the above. Angled 2X4s good…french cleat bad.

I've made a total of 3 benches like your idea…except that for all 3 of them I added 3 normal "legs" of 2X6 (one at each end and one in the middle.) Two of them would probably suffice for a "short" bench. Mine were 12 feet long.

One of the primary uses of a workbench is a place to put something to whack on it with a mallet. You want a support member that goes straight down to the ground for that kind of activity.

As for hooking it to a wall…I find this to be much better than freestanding. I have other places in my shop where I can "get around on the other side of it". My main workbench is always mounted firmly to one wall. By firmly, I mean about half a box of 3 inch deck screws.


----------



## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

BTW, if you ditch the idea of making it removable, you can just screw all of your 2X4 angled and horizontal supports into the sides of the wall studs along the wall. Much more stable and lets you leave out your vertical members, saving some wood.


----------



## mIps (Oct 10, 2012)

Okay, well the idea of the french cleat was to make it movable / removable but it sounds like that would bad. The purpose of the internal framing was to prevent racking without having a front apron but that might be overkill.
I have a floor-standing bench now and I was hoping to gain a little space underneath but it sounds like the gains would be minimal since legs and such are still recommended. :/
Ah well, I'll keep noodling.
Thanks!


----------

