• Overview

  • In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how to shop for lumber to build a workbench.

    Steps:
    1. At home center or lumberyard, handpick eight perfectly straight kiln-dried 2x4s.
    Avoid any board with excessive knots or defects.
    2. Select one 4x8-foot sheet of ¾-inch-thick B-C fir plywood.
    Check to be sure the plywood edges and corners aren't damaged.
    3. For convenience, have the plywood cut to size by a home center employee at the panel saw.
    • Difficulty: Easy
      the only tedious part is picking through a lumber pile in search of straight boards
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      • panel saw
        Panel saw at home center, used by employee to rip plywood down to size

      Shopping List

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      1. Eight kiln-dried 2x4s, used for the legs and frame of workbench

      2. One sheet ¾-inch-thick B-C fir plywood, used for workbench top