HOPKINS MFG CORP 2x4 Basics Workbench Kit, Model# 90158MI [Misc.]

Construction of the legs and sturdiness def give a great quality feel. Super satisfying to drive all the screws into 2 by 4s. I used my own screws that are longer (2-1/2”) and have a star drive head. In the manual, only the top work surface has support under it and it’s suggested to drop in 2 by 4 diagonally without screwing it. I found that design a bit “temporary” so instead I chopped two additional pieces and used pocket screws to connect everything together. It’s as solid as it gets. Great product, gives you flexibility to tailor your own size and finish it with paint or leave as is.

I needed a small work bench to fit in a tight space inside a closet. I could not find one the right size. I found these and had Lowe's make all my lumber cuts. Went together in less than an hour. I'm a happy camper.

They were easy to assemble. You do have to have the means to cut or have the boards cut, obviously. Allow for a fair amount of time screwing them together, if, like me, you don't trust wood to not split and always pre-drill for each screw. You'll have to judge the angles pretty well, too. Beyond that, it's a fantastic way to assemble a decent, sturdy workbench to whatever size you need for wherever you need it.Mine went into my apartment, two separate workbenches, one to either side of my tool chest all along one wall. It's awesome to be able to size them exactly to fit; and if I need to change their size in the future, I can cut new boards and remake them - unlike the metal alternatives.Plus, the black plastic of the legs is much more attractive and blends better than the metal shelves, or better than the cinder block-stack shelves I've had before. The black matches the Craftsman tool chest - all the more because I painted the boards a bright red to match, red and black. An extra bonus - the ability to easily paint the wood you get for the shelves, or perhaps to select other materials like Trex or laminated board, if so desired.Makes for relatively light shelving, since the only weight is in the wood itself; not much weight added by the legs. I also left out the middle shelf in order to have more room for large things beneath, like tubs and power tools.The instructions are clear enough, though there does seem to be a little confusion regarding how many screws get screwed in at some points (or more like they're getting taken out and put back in, which doesn't happen). I did want a little more confirmation that the shelf slabs needed to be cut exactly to your overall x/y dimensions (that they will sit down inside the rim of the legs, exactly lined up with the outside of the 2x4s and flush with the top of the legs, not on top of the legs, which they are). Also, make sure to subtract 1 inch from your cuts in both the x and y dimensions if you want to fit it pretty precisely to a space, since the legs sit outside the wood of the shelves and add 1/2 inch thickness to each side.Once assembled, the shelves are tight, don't wobble, and feel sturdy. And they're a good height for me (I'm 5'9") and close to the same height as the bottom Craftsman tool chest.Altogether, a beautiful idea for simplifying shelf construction/assembly while allowing for a great degree of adaptability to the available space in your room.

I have been wanting to build a workbench in my garage for many years. The thing that was holding me back was how to get it built correctly and square. 2 X 4 Basics did the trick! I consider myself an basic carpenter and DIY-er. The directions are easy enough to follow and you have plenty of options as far as making your bench customized. The screws are included and they give you a few extra.I constructed my workbench to be 8 ft long by 36" wide. I'm only using the second shelf - no bottom shelf so I just left off the front bottom rung so I can slide stuff under it (shop vac, bins of wood scraps, old towels, rags, etc). I also made a modification on the top surface - the instructions say to stick a diagonal 2x4 there, but I needed mine to be extra sturdy so I built in two perpendicular trusses on roughly 32" centers enabling me to stand on the top and get into my attic hatch which is above the bench in my garage. The other modification I did was add 3/4" spacers (from scraps) to the corners for the top surface (inserted under the 2x4s on each corner). Two reasons for doing this - one - I wanted to store my circular saw and two plastic drawer units on the shelf below and the 3/4" made it work. Two - I needed to have the top surface hang out past the legs in the back so the workbench can butt up against the wall while clearing an air conditioner drain line that runs along the wall (3"). With the original instructions, the top sits inside the corners of the legs and you can't extend it past that without adding a second piece of plywood on top or rigging it in some other way. I'm also adding a strip of baseboard along the back and sides to keep small items from rolling off onto the floor. My final step will be to add a piece of laminate to the top for easy cleanup of the work surface (sold in 4' x 8' sheets and Lowe's/Home Depot).Using the bench legs made it easy to line up all the 2 x 4s and get the bench squared. having pre-drilled holes is genius! The only thing I would ask the manufacturer to change is to have the top part of the legs be a little shorter so your plywood top can extend beyond them.

These make heavy duty, easy to make work tables. This is the 3rd I've made and each is a different size.