NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
A farmhouse-meets-industrial bench: built-up trestle legs, a plank top with breadboard ends, and — optionally — a length of black iron pipe running between the legs as a footrest and design accent. It's the bench version of a popular trestle table, sized to pull up to it.
The legs are the whole challenge. They're assembled from layered, 10°-beveled 1x3 pieces, and getting them square is what makes or breaks the bench. Build them with glue and 1-1/4" finish nails, work from the bottom up sandwiching the pieces, and check for square by measuring the diagonals before anything sets — equal diagonals mean a square leg.
The 2x4 aprons set 3/4" in from the leg faces are the main structural supports; screw them with 2-1/2" screws and glue. The 2x2 side rails and breadboard ends follow, cut to fit for the tightest joints. If you want the industrial version, add a 1"-diameter, 60"-long iron pipe between the legs — it's a hardware-store buy, not a woodworking part.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x6, 6 ftTop boards. | 3 each |
| 1x4, 6 ftEnd aprons and breadboard ends. | 1 each |
| 1x3, 8 ftBuilt-up leg pieces, stretcher, spacers. | 3 each |
| 2x4, 10 ftAprons — the main supports. | 1 each |
| 2x2, 8 ftSide rails. | 2 each |
| Iron pipe, 1" dia x 60"Optional industrial stretcher. | 1 each |
| Wood screws, 2-1/2" | 16 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 80 each |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Leg pieces (beveled)1x3Both ends beveled 10° off square, ends parallel. | 8 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17 1/2" |
| End aprons1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 13 1/2" |
| Stretcher1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 14 1/2" |
| Spacers1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 8 1/2" |
| Leg feet caps1x3Longest point; one end beveled 10° off square. | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 2 7/8" |
| Aprons2x4Short point to short point; both ends 10° off square, NOT parallel. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 52 1/4" |
| Side rails2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 64" |
| Breadboard ends1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Top boards1x6 | 3 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 57" |
Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
2 boards
3 boards
1 board
3 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
The hardest part of this bench is getting the legs built square. Construct each leg with glue and 1-1/4" finish nails, and check for square by measuring the diagonals — equal diagonals mean the leg is true. A racked leg here shows up in every joint above it.
Working again from the bottom upward, sandwich the remaining leg pieces onto the legs, building them up to full thickness.
Measure 3/4" in from the leg faces and attach the 2x4 aprons with 2-1/2" screws and glue. These are the main structural supports of the bench.
Attach the 2x2 side rails as shown, tying the leg assemblies together along the length.
Build the top from the 1x6 boards and add the breadboard ends — straightforward at this point. Cut the breadboard ends to fit for the tightest joint.
Attach the top to the base. Sand and finish. For the industrial version, add the 1"-diameter, 60"-long iron pipe as a stretcher between the legs — a hardware-store part, not a woodworking one.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.