Plywood Workbench Cut List: 2x4 Frame, Double Plywood Top
A 6-foot shop workbench built from two kinds of stock: 3/4" plywood for a laminated top and a lower shelf, and 2x4s for the legs and rails. Both cut lists are nested below: the plywood on 4×8 sheets and the 2x4s on 8-foot boards. That gives you an exact shopping list.
- Finished size
- 72" W × 24" D × 36" H
- 3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 2 sheets · 53% yield
- 2x4, 8 ft
- 6 boards · 82% yield
Assumptions behind every number
- 3/4" plywood measures 23/32", which is typical for US sheet goods. Parts that fit between two others subtract the actual thickness. Measure your sheet; if it differs, edit the sizes in the optimizer.
- Dimensional lumber is the standard actual size: 2x4 = 1-1/2" × 3-1/2", 2x6 = 1-1/2" × 5-1/2".
- Every layout uses a 1/8" saw kerf on every cut, run through the same optimizer as the app.
Cut list
3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
| Part | Qty | Width × Length | How it's sized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top layer | 2 | 24" × 72" | two layers, glued |
| Shelf (notch corners) notch 3" × 5" at each corner | 1 | 21" × 66" | frame footprint |
2x4, 8 ft
| Part | Qty | Length | How it's sized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg | 4 | 34 9/16" | 36 − 1-7/16 top |
| Long rail | 4 | 66" | 72 − 2 × 3 overhang |
| Short rail | 4 | 18" | 21 − 2 × 1-1/2 |
Width × length is in inches, with length along the face grain. Parts marked "grain locked" are kept with the grain running their length in the layout.
Sheet and board layouts
This is the optimizer's output for exactly this list: 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft, 6 boards of 2x4, 8 ft.
3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft: 2 sheets, 53% yield
2x4, 8 ft: 6 boards
Materials list
- 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 6 boards of 2x4, 8 ft
- 3" construction screws for the frame, about 50
- 1-1/4" screws to join the two top layers from underneath, about 40
- Wood glue for the top lamination
- Optional: a bench vise and hardboard over the top as a replaceable work surface
How it goes together
The top is two layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together. At 23/32" actual, the pair is 1-7/16" thick. It overhangs the frame 3" at each end (room for clamps) and 1-1/2" front and back.
The frame footprint is 66" × 21". The long rails run the full 66", and the short rails fit between them at 21" − 2 × 1-1/2" = 18". The legs sit inside the four corners, against both rails. There are two rail rectangles: one flush with the leg tops and one about 6" off the floor.
Leg length is the bench height minus the top: 36" − 1-7/16" = 34-9/16". The 2x4 sizes assume standard 1-1/2" × 3-1/2" studs.
The shelf rests on the lower rails. Cut it as a 21" × 66" blank, then notch each corner 3" × 5" so it drops around the legs. That notch assumes the legs are turned with their 3-1/2" face against the long rails.
Build order
- Cut the two 24" × 72" top layers and the 21" × 66" shelf blank, following the sheet layout.
- Crosscut the 2x4s using the lumber layout: legs, long rails and short rails.
- Build two rail rectangles (long rails on the outside, short rails between them) with 3" screws.
- Screw the legs into the inside corners of the upper rectangle, flush at the top. Then fit the lower rectangle about 6" up.
- Notch the shelf at the corners and drop it onto the lower rails.
- Glue and screw the first top layer to the frame from below or through the top. Then glue the second layer on, screwing from underneath so no screw heads end up in the work surface.
FAQ
How many sheets of plywood does a workbench take?
Two sheets of 3/4" plywood for this 72" × 24" bench. The two 24" × 72" top layers take most of one sheet, so the 21" × 66" shelf needs a second sheet, which leaves a large offcut for drawers or a back panel.
How many 2x4s do I need for a workbench?
Work from the lumber layout above. It packs the 4 legs, 4 long rails and 4 short rails onto 8-foot 2x4s with a 1/8" kerf and shows the leftover on each board. Buy one spare in case a stud is badly bowed.
Why a double layer of plywood instead of one?
One layer of 3/4" plywood flexes under pounding and is easy to rack. Two glued layers give 1-7/16" of thickness, which is stiff enough for hand-tool work and leaves enough meat for dog holes or a vise.
What saw kerf does the layout assume?
A 1/8" kerf on every cut, which is a standard full-kerf table saw or track saw blade. With a thin-kerf blade the parts still fit; you just get slightly bigger offcuts.
Change a size, add a part or use up offcuts. The optimizer re-nests it in seconds.
Open this plan in EZNESTING →