Building the Ultimate Potting Bench

[jviss]

With my newfound single status and new house, I have become interested in horticulture. It soon became apparent that a workbench either outside or in the garage makes a lot of sense. At the moment I'm covering my breakfast table with opened-up paper bags to re-pot plants, and it's a PITA.

I looked for potting benches online and in the used ads, like FB marketplace and craigslist, and found that new ones are exorbitantly priced, and decent used ones are few and far between. So, I thought I'd make one.

Here's the thing: I don't have a good set of plans, and also, I don't yet really know all of the features one would want in a potting bench. I've seen ones with sliding tops that reveal a galvanized or plastic tub or sink, benches with metal mesh tops, and so on.

So, help me out. What features are really good for a potting bench? And, if you know of or have a set of plans, please let me know!

Thanks,

jv

p.s. I tend to favor cedar for this kind of thing. And, if I incorporate a tub or sink, I have a sheet metal machine so I can make one from galvanized sheet, a.k.a., pre-plate.

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

So...... I have been looking at these plans on Mother Earth News for several months.

DIY Potting Bench Plans – Mother Earth News

Maybe you have more a shorter to do list than I do.
Good luck

 

[jviss]

So...... I have been looking at these plans on Mother Earth News for several months.

DIY Potting Bench Plans – Mother Earth News

Maybe you have more a shorter to do list than I do.
Good luck

Thank you! Yea, I have a million things to do, but I want to get going on the plants, etc.

 

[jviss]

So...... I have been looking at these plans on Mother Earth News for several months.

DIY Potting Bench Plans – Mother Earth News

Maybe you have more a shorter to do list than I do.
Good luck

So, are you thinking of leaving it outside, or perhaps in a garage? Cedar? Building the top cabinet, too?

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

So, are you thinking of leaving it outside, or perhaps in a garage? Cedar? Building the top cabinet, too?

Cedar. Outside on a covered deck area. I was thinking linseed oil finish. Not sure about the top cabinet. Build the bottom with everything in place to add the top at a later time????

 

[jviss]

Interesting, I would think you'd leave cedar bare. And yes, those plans are such that you could build the top cabinet later, as you know, but then, will you ever get back to it if you don't build it at the same time?

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

Shoot I don't have the time to start either at this point. But, you are correct, it is best to do it all at once.

I am leaning to oiling to prevent other things from penetrating the wood.

 

[JBP-PA]

So, are you thinking of leaving it outside, or perhaps in a garage? Cedar? Building the top cabinet, too?

Oh come on, you have to build it out of teak! With a teak and holly top. Maybe some shrouds and stays to hold it up?