To get started in woodworking can be daunting, but like so many other things in life the important part is to just begin. A simple workbench that is easy to build and very functional is, in my opinion, the best way to get the ball rolling. The one featured here was designed with practicality in mind – it has a generous work surface and tons of useful storage underneath. The storage is in the form of basic drawers that can slide both ways for access from either side of the bench.

Shown here without any drawer fronts, which are optional. Pulls can be simple wooden ones.

The drawers can be build using my simple drawer making method using just 3/4″ plywood for the bottom, and 1/2″ thick plywood for the sides, front and back.

The materials used for the body of the workbench are just 2×4 framing lumber and 1/2″ sheet stock. That can be plywood, MDF, melamine, OSB or whatever you can find. The best would probably be melamine if you will use the bench primarily for assembly.

Like I said above, the drawers on the ends of this simple workbench can slide both ways, making it convenient to work from either side. The middle section has a panel that braces the workbench that can also act as a place to put a small clamp rack, or even a mini tool board.

Of course, the model can be changed in any way to suit your own needs, or built exactly as shown – it’s up to you,

Here’s the SketchUp model free to download. You will need to have the SketchUp program installed to view this:

Simple Workbench

I made a short video showing an animation of the bench going together: