NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
Use your browser's Print (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and choose Save as PDF. This page works offline once you've opened it with a signal.
A folding garden potting bench with a slatted top that drains — hinged legs let it flatten against a wall or go in the shed for winter.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side leg long | 8 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 27 1/4" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Side leg cross | 8 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 17 3/4" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Back leg rails | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14 1/2" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Back leg brace Ends cut 45°, not parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 12 1/2" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Back leg uprights | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 21 3/4" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Shelf frame long Cut to fit — corrects the diagram error. | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 37 1/8" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Shelf boards | 6 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 21 3/4" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Shelf frame short | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 13 1/8" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Top boards long | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 37 1/8" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Top boards short | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 23 1/4" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1x6 board, 8 ft (Cedar or treated pine) Top boards. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x6 board, 4 ft (Cedar or treated pine) | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x4 board, 8 ft (Cedar or treated pine) Shelves. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft (Cedar or treated pine) Legs and frames; one extra per step 7. | 7 each | ☐ |
| 1-1/2" butt hinges | 3 set | ☐ |
| Exterior pocket and wood screws, 1-1/4" | 60 each | ☐ |
| Waterproof wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
| Exterior finish | 16 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x2 board, 8 ft, Exterior pocket and wood screws, 1-1/4", Waterproof wood glue
Build the two side leg frames with the jig set for 3/4" stock and 1-1/4" pocket screws. Make them match.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Miter Saw, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x2 board, 8 ft, Exterior pocket and wood screws, 1-1/4", Waterproof wood glue
Build the back leg frame to the given dimensions. The angled piece is the 12-1/2" 1x2 with 45° cuts — it braces the folding geometry. Pocket holes set for 3/4" stock, 1-1/4" screws.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 1x4 board, 8 ft, 1x2 board, 8 ft, Exterior pocket and wood screws, 1-1/4", Waterproof wood glue
Note the corrected length — the shelf frame 1x4s are 37-1/8", cut to fit, not the printed diagram number. Inset your 1x2s 3/4" from the ends of the 1x4s and attach with 1-1/4" screws and glue, two screws per shelf per side.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 1x4 board, 8 ft, Exterior pocket and wood screws, 1-1/4", Waterproof wood glue
Evenly space the remaining shelf boards, gluing and screwing each in place with two screws per board per side.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x6 board, 8 ft, 1x6 board, 4 ft, Exterior pocket and wood screws, 1-1/4", Waterproof wood glue
You can pocket-hole the top boards together, but planking them on a scrap board with a slight gap between boards is better for an outdoor piece — the gap drains water and lets the boards move. Arrange them inside the 1x6 frame.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 1-1/2" butt hinges, Exterior finish
Before screwing hinges on, stand the sides to be hinged next to each other and test-fold with the hinge in hand to confirm the correct orientation, then scribe the screw locations. Mount the hinges, sand, and apply an exterior finish. Now it folds flat for storage.