> Next: Garden Tools
Building a Potting Table
Building your own custom garden potting table is a perfect winter weekend project that will reward you for years to come. Potting tables provide convenient workspace to transplant seedlings, clean containers, mix fertilizer, and perform other messy garden and yard tasks.
Many excellent models are offered for purchase at retail stores, but making your own is more satisfying.
The potting table shown here is made of durable pressure-treated lumber, pegboard, and readily available hardware.
Choose simple castors or all-terrain wheels depending on your intended use and garden site.
Required Materials, Fasteners, and Hardware
Pressure-Treated Lumber:
4 – 36-in. (91.5 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Legs
2 – 31-in. (79 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Top crossbraces
2 – 32-1/2-in. (83 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Bottom crossbraces
4 – 12-in. (30.5 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Crossbrace blocks
4 – 5-1/2-in. (14 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Castor mount blocks
6 – 72-in. (183 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Top surface planks
2 – 31-in. (79 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Top surface supports
4 – 66-in. (168 cm) 2 x 6 (38 x 140 mm) Bottom shelf planks
Lumber:
1 – 52-in. (132 cm) 2 x 4 (38 x 89 mm) Front apron support
1 – 66-in. (167.5 cm) 1 x 6 (19 x 140 mm) Front apron
2 – 22-in. (55 cm) 1 x 6 (19 x140 mm) Side aprons
3 – 18-in. (46 cm) 2 x 8 (38 x 184 mm) Vertical supports
1 – 72-in. (183 cm) 1 x 8 (19 x 184 mm) Top shelf
1 – 34-1/8-in. (86.5 cm) 1 x 8 (19 x 184 mm) Middle shelf
Pegboard Pressboard Sheet:
1 – 3/8 x 22 x 72-in. (1 x 56 x 183 cm)
Hardware and Other Materials:
100 – No. 8 x 2-1/2-in. (4 x 65 mm) Galvanized deck screws
16 – 5/16 x 3-1/2-in. (8 x 85 mm) Hex bolts, nuts, washers
4 – Castor assemblies with wheel locks and fasteners
6 – Pegboard hooks
9 – Vinyl-covered hanger hooks (screw-in)
1 Bottle – Woodworker’s exterior glue
Step-By-Step Instructions
Gather a power drill and bits, clamps, saws, screwdrivers, hammer, socket wrench and sockets, woodworker’s exterior glue, the materials and hardware listed. Referring to the diagrams and steps, you’ll cut lumber and other dimensioned components to size and assemble the with common power and hand tools.
Allow about 8–12 work hours total to complete the project. Follow these easy assembly steps to build your potting table:
Building a Potting Table
Cut legs, crossbraces, crossbrace blocks, and caster mount blocks. On a flat work surface, align 2 legs parallel, 33 in. (84 cm) apart. Flush top crossbrace to top corner of back leg and top of front leg, allowing 1-1/2-in. (38 mm) setback from front leg edge. Align crossbrace blocks parallel and flush to the bottom of each leg, then mark, drill, glue, and attach with 4 deck screws. Flush bottom crossbrace to outside edge of each leg, tight to the crossbrace block. Square and clamp the assembly, mark and drill two 1/4-in. (6 mm) bolt holes at each leg-crossbrace junction. Thread a washer onto each bolt, then drive the bolts through the legs and crossbraces with a hammer. Attach the final washer and nut on each bolt, then tighten until the wood just compresses. Release the clamps as each joint is secured. Align a caster block at the foot of each leg and attach with 4 deck screws. Repeat steps for second leg assembly.
Cut top surface planks, top surface supports and front apron support. Loosely align the 6 planks, squaring them into a rectangle. Apply glue to each side edge of the 4 central planks, square, clamp tightly, and allow the glue to dry overnight. When dry, release the clamps. Measure 4-1/2 in. (11.5 cm) from each of the 33-in. (84-cm) edges of the assembly and draw two lines. Place a work surface support on the inside of each line, flush with the assembly’s back edge and 2 in. (50 mm) short of its front edge, and clamp. Drill 2 holes, 1/8 x 2-in. (3 x 50-mm), through the support, 2 to each top plank, and into (but not through) the top planks. Attach both supports to the surface assembly with deck screws. Attach the front apron support between the work surface supports with deck screws.
Place the work surface assembly face down on a level surface. Stand each leg assembly on the work surface assembly, aligning each flush with the back edge and parallel and snug to a work surface support. Drill 1/8-in. (3 mm) pilot holes horizontally through the top crossbrace into a work surface support and fasten the leg assembly with deck screws. Repeat for other leg assembly. Next, attach castors: Drill and install a castor assembly into the bottom of each leg, using the hardware supplied with the castor.
Cut 4 bottom shelf planks. Using a circular saw, rip 1/2 in. (10 mm) off of 1 plank, making it 5 in. (13 cm) wide. Stand the bench on its legs, check the unit for square, and place the bottom shelf planks so that they span the bottom crossbraces. Flush each plank to the outer edge of the crossbraces, clamp, and drill 2 pilot holes, 1/8-in. (3 mm), through each plank end into the crossbraces. Fasten shelf planks to crossbraces with deck screws.
Cut vertical shelf supports, and top and middle shelves. Cut pegboard. On a flat surface, stand the shelf supports on edge, parallel and spaced 22-1/2 in. (57 cm) apart. Fit the top shelf to their ends, drill pilot holes, 1/8-in. (3 mm), and fasten the shelf to the supports with 3 deck screws driven into each support. Measure 8-1/4 in. (21 cm) from the base of the middle and left shelf supports and mark a line with a square. Align the middle shelf between the 2 supports with its base on the line. Drill pilot holes, 1/8-in. (3 mm), and fasten the middle shelf to its supports. Next, square the pegboard to the shelf assembly, overhanging the bottom edge by 4 in. (10 cm). Fasten with deck screws to shelf and supports.
Cut the front and side aprons. Fit the side aprons flush against the top crossbraces, using them as a stop. Drill pilot holes, 1/8-in. (3 mm), through the aprons and fasten them with deck screws. Fit the front apron onto its apron support, predrill and fasten it with deck screws.
Position the shelf unit atop the work surface and align it to sides and back. Carefully mark the location of the shelf supports on the work surface, remove the shelf unit, and drill pilot holes, 1/8-in. (3 mm), through the work surface, 2 to each support. Replace the shelf unit and, working from the underside, attach the shelf unit to the work surface with deck screws. Drill equally spaced pilot holes through the pegboard and fasten the overhanging edge with deck screws.
Drill pilot holes, 1/4-in. (6 mm), equally spaced in the aprons, and attach the vinyl hanger hooks for hand tools. Optional slide-out wire-basket assemblies also may be attached to the bottom of the lower shelf unit.