COMPONENTS
Brackets
The heart of this concept is two steel brackets. Designed to provide a rigid base with 4 x 4 legs these brackets allow the front of the bench to remain open to preserve usable floor space. The brackets are CNC laser cut from 14-gauge HRPO steel and formed on a CNC brake press to hold close tolerances for consistent dimensional control. They are also powder coated with Satin Black River to provide a hi-tech, textured finish that is both attractive and tough.
Side Bracket
The side bracket measures
7 1/4” wide and 59” long.
7 1/4” wide and 59” long.
End Brackets
The end bracket measures
7¼” wide x 29” long.
7¼” wide x 29” long.
Alignment tab
Each bracket has alignment tabs in four locations to provide lateral rigidity and ensure proper alignment during assembly. The mounting holes are square to allow use of 3/8” carriage bolts. Carriage bolts prevent rotation, facilitate assembly, improve rigidity, and provide a clean, finished appearance.
Base
A standard base requires 7 brackets, 4 end brackets and 3 side brackets. When assembled to 4 x 4’s they provide a rigid base that supports a bench top from 30” wide x 60” long up to 42” wide x 80” long or any size in between.
Bench Size is Unlimited
These brackets can be bolted end to end to provide a base for a top of any length or width over 30”. Send us the dimensions for your available space or desired top size and we will recommend the appropriate set of brackets for your bench. Email DIYbench@gmail.com or call 501-691-3353
Pricing - BUY NOW
We sell these brackets in a standard set of 7 each, or in any combination you require (price will vary). This set does not include legs or hardware. They ship in a box that measures 61” x 6” x 10” and weighs 57 pounds. For your convenience, we offer a "buy it now" price that includes ground shipping to destinations served by UPS & FedEx in the United States except Hawaii and Alaska.
For shipping cost to you e-mail your Zip code and phone number to DIYbench@gmail.com or call 501-691-3353.
For shipping cost to you e-mail your Zip code and phone number to DIYbench@gmail.com or call 501-691-3353.
Legs
We recommend untreated pine 4 x 4’s for legs. Be sure to select straight ones with minimal knots and cracks. Painted semi-flat black they will match the base brackets.
Standard 4 x 4’s actually measure 3 ½” x 3 ½”. When assembled to a leg the end of the bracket is ½” short of the leg edge allowing the leg edge to be radiused. We recommend a ¼” radius on all leg edges. This is easily done with a router. It provides a clean, finished appearance, eliminating defects and potential splinters. We also recommend radiusing the leg ends that contact the floor. This will prevent splintering the legs when sliding the bench around.
For more leg options, click here.
Standard 4 x 4’s actually measure 3 ½” x 3 ½”. When assembled to a leg the end of the bracket is ½” short of the leg edge allowing the leg edge to be radiused. We recommend a ¼” radius on all leg edges. This is easily done with a router. It provides a clean, finished appearance, eliminating defects and potential splinters. We also recommend radiusing the leg ends that contact the floor. This will prevent splintering the legs when sliding the bench around.
For more leg options, click here.
Hardware
A 4-leg bench with an open front requires 28ea 3/8 carriage bolts 4” long, 28 flat washers, and 28 nuts. Securing the 1 3/8" thick top to the brackets requires 8ea ¼” hex head lag bolts 1” long. The 3/8 hardware is worth shopping for. Bolt distributors offer the best prices
Suggested: Laminated Oak Top
While there are many options for a top we chose laminated oak for its strength and appearance. The tops shown on most of the benches featured on this website were made from three 12” wide planks of dry van decking glued together. This material is used on enclosed highway truck trailers as flooring. It is built to carry a load and take a beating. The planks are made from 1 1/8” x 1 3/8” strips of oak in random lengths. Most if not all knots are eliminated and then the strips are glued together with the grain on edge for strength. The finished plank has a ship lap joint on each side. That joint contains a bead which holds the boards apart. For a seamless fit we recommend removing the bead. When sanded and finished with polyurethane this material makes a beautiful work surface that is tough and durable. Dry van decking is available from trailer rebuilders all over North America. They are usually located on an Interstate highway on the outskirts of town. To find one near you google trailer repair. One-foot wide dry van decking 1 3/8” thick costs around $8per board foot. See our Articles and Links section for more information on tops. NEWS....IKEA now offers a laminated oak counter top that measures 74" long x 42" wide x 1 1/2" thick for $219. This includes freight to your local Ikea store. This counter top consists of a 9/64" top layer of solid oak over particleboard. The top is pre-treated with hard wax oil. No other treatment is necessary until it starts to wear. For more information go to http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30297641/ |