Garden And Yard Build The Planting Bench of your dreams

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Cut a 28" benchtop-support cleat of 1" x 2", and center it 3 1/2" down from top edge of the 6-inch-wide front brace (or as far down as the width of the wood you'll be using [in Step 8] to make front-to-back supports for the benchtop). Glue and screw in place.

Turn the leg/brace assembly and—as when you cut trim for the sides—measure the distance between inner edges of front leg boards and cut a length of 1" x 4" stock to fit snugly between. Put this front-trim board aside for now.

5. Fasten front to sides.

Prop the front and side assemblies up on their legs. Mate front leg boards on the side panels in "L"-shapes with the front-leg boards just attached by the a Front brace. Have a helper hold them, or clamp or prop the three assemblies to stand perpendicular to the worktable. Apply glue along edges where front leg boards mate. Set sides square to front and clamp or tape leg boards together as needed to keep them from toppling over and spreading glue all over everything.

Drill/countersink 1-inch-deep pilot holes through side leg boards and into front leg boards and insert 1 1/2," self-tapping drywall screws to hold these two parts of the front legs together—screws one inch from each end and every six inches along the long edge of the front leg board. Let dry overnight.

6. Attach top-shelf board to peg backboard

While it is still on the floor in correct relationship to the artificial floor line, tack (attach temporarily with easily removed nails or screws) one foot-or-so-long pieces of scrap wood to the bottom of the pegboard back, one at each side, so they extend (about 6 3/4") to the floor line—their bottom edges even with bottoms of front leg boards. This is so you can set the back up for assembly.

Drill 1/16" pilot holes down through the top at each end of the top-shelf board, holes 3/8" in from and spaced every two inches.

Drill holes every six inches down both 5' 6" long edges of the 4'-wide pegboard back panel—holes 3/8" in from the edge.

Apply glue to one long edge of the topshelf board and to the top inch of the shiny, inner face of the 4-foot top edge of the peg back board. Lay peg flat on the floor, shiny (glued) side down—but, prop the (gluey) edge 8" off the floor. Align the glued surfaces of peg and top board—corners even, top edge of peg even with upper long edge of the top board. Be sure alignment is perfect, and tack or tape in place to start if need be. Then, starting at the center, pilotdrill through back of peg into edge of top board and nail every six inches. Let that dry.

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