Workbench and Shop Setup
Bench height from elbow height, how stiff a bench top needs to be, vise forces, bench types, storage and a worked build.
Bench height
The bench is the most-used tool in the shop. Too low and the back aches; too high and the shoulders do. A convenient reference is elbow height, about 63 % of standing height, which is the height at which you can rest the forearm level.
Worked example: bench height
- Standing height 175 cm gives an elbow height of 0.63 × 175 = 110.3 cm.
- General work: at the elbow, about 110 cm.
- Precision work and electronics: 5 to 10 cm above the elbow: 115 to 120 cm (many people sit at a lower bench instead).
- Heavy work (planing, sawing, hammering): 10 to 15 cm below the elbow: 95 to 100 cm.
- For a 160 cm person the elbow is 101 cm, so every height above comes down by 9 cm.
If you do mixed jobs, a bench with adjustable legs, a low bench plus a raised platform, or two benches (one heavy, one fine) is better than a compromise.
Size and layout of the bench
- Depth: at least 60 cm (24 in); too deep and it cannot be reached across, too narrow and parts fall off.
- Length: at least 150 cm (5 ft) for general use; longer if you assemble large things. Leave a free zone at each end for long boards.
- Corners: round the corners and ease the edges: you will walk into them.
- Access: work from three sides if you can, for assembly; against a wall if the space is small.
- Flat: a flat top is a reference surface for marking and fitting. A scarred top can be refaced or covered with a sacrificial board.
A top stiff enough to work on
A bench top must not sag or bounce when you hit, saw or press. A top is a beam supported at its ends, and its deflection under a central load P over a span L is the beam formula below (see Structures and Strength of Materials). The thickness enters as a cube, so a little extra thickness buys a lot of stiffness.
δ = P L³ ÷ (48 E I), I = b t³ ÷ 12
Worked example: how thick should the top be?
- A pine top 600 mm wide spans 1 200 mm between supports and carries a 500 N point load (about 50 kg): 20 mm thick gives 5.00 mm, 30 mm gives 1.48 mm, 40 mm gives 0.63 mm and 50 mm gives 0.32 mm.
- To keep the deflection below 1.0 mm the thickness must be at least 34 mm (taking E = 9 GPa for pine).
- Laminated beats loose. Two loose 20 mm boards share the load like two beams side by side and deflect 2.50 mm; glued into one 40 mm slab the deflection is 0.63 mm, 4.0 times less.
- A support in the middle halves the span and cuts the deflection by a factor of 8: from 0.63 mm to 0.078 mm. A stretcher rail under the middle is the cheapest stiffness you can add.
- Plywood (E about 6 GPa): 18 mm gives 10.29 mm, and a doubled 36 mm gives 1.29 mm.
- A top of 1.5 × 0.6 × 0.04 m weighs 18 kg in pine (25 kg in maple). The mass is useful: a heavy top does not walk.
- Replaceable surface. A sheet of hardboard or MDF on top protects the bench and can be replaced when scarred.
- Metal-working benches need steel or a thick hardwood top, and the tools on them need to be bolted down.
Weight, racking and stability
A bench that moves when you push it wastes effort and is unsafe. Three things matter: mass (resists sliding), a wide stance (resists tipping) and diagonal bracing (resists racking, the parallelogram wobble of a frame without triangles).
Worked example: a bench that planes without walking
- A bench of 60 kg on a floor with friction coefficient 0.4 resists a sideways push of up to 0.4 × 60 × 9.81 = 235 N.
- A planing stroke pushes about 120 N horizontally. That is half the sliding limit, so the bench slides little. Add a stop against the wall, or heavier materials, to improve it.
- The same push at 0.95 m above the floor gives an overturning moment of 114 N·m. The weight acts 0.28 m from the tipping edge (a 0.55 m leg stance), giving a resisting moment of 162 N·m: a margin of 1.4: adequate, but a lighter bench or a higher push would tip first.
- Racking: a frame of four legs and four rails with simple joints will rack under a side push. A diagonal brace, a plywood back panel, or bolting the frame to the wall removes it.
The vise
A vise multiplies the force of your hand through a screw. The clamping force from a handle of radius r with hand force Fh and a screw of lead p and efficiency η is F = 2π Fh r η ÷ p.
Worked example: clamping force
- Hand force 100 N on a 0.30 m handle gives 30 N·m. With a 5 mm lead screw and an efficiency of 0.3 (typical for a lubricated screw thread): F = 2π × 30 × 0.3 ÷ 0.005 = 11.3 kN.
- With jaw friction 0.3 on each face the vise can resist a force of 2 × 0.3 × 11.3 = 6.8 kN before the part slips (see Workholding, Clamping and Fixtures).
- Do not use a pipe on the handle: the force can crack the cast body.
- Mounting: at the front corner above a leg, so planing and hammering forces go straight to the floor. The jaws sit slightly proud of the top.
- Soft jaws of aluminum, wood or leather protect finished parts.
- Machine vises for the drill press and mill are bolted to the table and hold work square.
Types of bench
| Type | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Woodworking (heavy) | Planing, sawing, chiseling | Thick top, lower height, wide stance, a vise on the front and a tail vise |
| Mechanical or metalwork | Filing, fitting, hammering | Steel or hardwood top, a heavy vise, a plate for the anvil or surface plate |
| Electronics | Soldering, test and assembly | ESD-safe surface, lamp, high power strip, lower noise; separate from the dusty shop |
| Assembly table | Large and flat jobs | Open all around; a height-adjustable table is useful |
| Folding or mobile | Small shops | Fold-down against a wall; wheels that lock; weigh the stability |
Storage and accessories
- Power at the bench: a strip above the work with a switch, on a GFCI/RCD circuit (see Power, Lighting and Compressed Air).
- Light at the bench: a task lamp on a movable arm (see Power, Lighting and Compressed Air).
- Tool storage within reach: a rail or pegboard behind, drawers underneath; the tools used daily at arm’s length (see Organizing, Buying and Budgeting).
- Shelf below for heavy things; it adds weight and stiffness.
- Bench dogs, holdfasts and a stop hold boards on the top; see Workholding, Clamping and Fixtures.
- A dust-free area for measuring and marking out, away from the grinder.
A worked bench build
Worked example: a bench for a 175 cm person
- Height: 110 cm elbow height rounded to 110 cm (1 100 mm). With a 40 mm top the legs are 1 060 mm long.
- Top: 1 500 × 600 × 40 mm glued pine (0.63 mm deflection under 500 N, 0.078 mm with a middle rail).
- Legs: four 90 × 90 mm posts, 1 060 mm long, joined by rails 90 × 45 mm, with a lower stretcher and diagonal braces.
- Volume of timber: top 0.036 m³ + legs 0.034 m³ + rails 0.021 m³ = 0.091 m³, about 46 kg of pine, before the vise and the lower shelf. Add a shelf of stock below and the bench is heavy enough for planing.
- Fixing: screw and glue the rails to the legs, or use bolted joints so the bench can be taken apart through a door.
Related
- Shop Tools: the overview of this guide.
- Planning the Workshop: Space, Layout and Workflow: where the bench goes in the shop.
- Workholding, Clamping and Fixtures: vises, clamps and benchtop holding.
- Structures and Strength of Materials: beam deflection and stiffness.
FAQ
How big should my workbench be?
At least 60 cm deep and 150 cm long with a top at least 40 mm thick, so it is steady. Choose the height from your elbow height and your work.
What is the best material for a bench top?
Laminated hardwood or thick softwood is the classic; MDF or plywood doubled is a good cheap top. Steel for metalwork.
Why does my bench wobble?
Racking in the frame (add a diagonal brace), an uneven floor (shim the feet), or too little weight (add a lower shelf with heavy stock).
Where should I put the vise?
On the front corner above a leg, with the jaws just above the top surface.
References
- Pheasant, S. and Haslegrave, C., Bodyspace, CRC Press (elbow height and work height).
- Timber design data (modulus of elasticity of pine, maple and plywood): Wood Handbook, US Forest Products Laboratory.
- Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain (beam deflection).
Last reviewed: October 2026. Loads, heights and stiffness limits are guidelines: choose them for your own work.