Sean Boal
In anticipation of some projects I plan to tackle over the next couple of months, it felt like the right time to revisit my small shop area in the garage and make better use of the space. I wanted to improve my workflow, increase efficiency, and finally add a workbench with a pegboard back so the tools I use most often would be right at hand.
I shopped around for a few weeks and found several popular options in the $200 range, but they all seemed to fall short in the same ways. The drawer bottoms were made from flimsy pressboard that looked like it could barely support a few pads of paper, let alone real tools. Most of them also lacked a reasonable number of outlets and didn’t seem capable of holding anything of substantial weight on the main work surface or the shelves.
After not finding anything that checked all the boxes on my list, I decided to design and build my own. I actually ended up making two, I sold the first one, and the profit covered the materials for both builds and even left me with a few extra dollars in my pocket.
If you’re looking to build your own and you’re familiar with Google SketchUp, I’ve added a link to download the workbench model I designed and built. Feel free to use it as-is, modify it to suit your needs, or treat it as a jumping-off point for your own great idea. If you do download it and put it to use, I’d love to hear about it and see your final build.
Workbench Specifications
🧰 Workbench Dimensions
• Height: 76½ inches (6 ft 4.5 in)
• Width: 48 inches (4 ft)
• Depth: 27 inches (2 ft 3 in)
• Desktop Height: 40½ inches (subtract 4 inches if casters are removed)
🏗️ Construction & Materials
• Horizontal Surfaces: ¾ inch thick
• Surface Protection: Replaceable smooth hardboard panels on benchtop and lower storage shelf
• Frame: Custom built, with integrated support for optional light diffuser
⚡ Electrical Features
• Power Cord: 12 gauge
• Wiring: 14 gauge for outlets, switch, and lighting
• Outlets & Switches: 5 duplex receptacles and 1 single-pole switch
• Light: 3-ft 3000 lumens cool white LED shop light
🧱 Performance & Load
• Working Load Capacity: 700 lbs
SketchUp Model Download - 4ft Workbench with Drawers
2026-4ft-workbench-with-drawers (zip) [943.2 kB] (3 Downloads)