When you picture a woodworking workshop, you probably picture a large, solid workbench in the middle of it. A heavy timber top, sturdy legs, a big vice and plenty of room around it.
It looks the part. But if you’re just getting started with woodworking, do you actually need one?
The short answer is no.
A full-size workbench can be brilliant, but it isn’t essential for getting started. For many beginners, a smaller or more flexible setup makes far more sense, especially when the workshop is a garage, shed, spare room or shared space.
The best workbench is usually the one that suits the way you actually work.
What does a workbench actually need to do?
Before worrying about size or style, it’s worth going back to the basics. A workbench gives you somewhere to:
- Hold timber securely.
- Plane and shape wood.
- Cut and chisel safely.
- Assemble projects.
- Sand and finish components.
- Measure and mark accurately.
That’s really it.
Your bench doesn’t have to look like a traditional cabinetmaker’s bench to do those jobs. What matters most is that it gives you a reasonably solid, stable and usable working surface.
Why are traditional workbenches so big?
Traditional woodworking benches became large for good reasons. A heavy bench doesn’t move around easily when you’re planing a board, while a thick top provides a stable reference surface. Extra room is also useful when you’re holding work or assembling a project.
The weight can be a real advantage. When you push a hand plane across timber, you don’t want the entire bench sliding backwards with every stroke.
But there’s a difference between something being useful and something being essential.
A traditional full-size bench is an excellent solution if you have the space and do enough woodworking to justify it. It isn’t a requirement for learning the craft.
The biggest problem with a large bench
The obvious downside is space.
A full-size bench takes up a significant amount of floor area. Add a vice, storage underneath and a few projects on top, and it can quickly become a permanent fixture.
That’s fine if you have a dedicated workshop. It’s less convenient if your workshop is also a garage, garden shed, utility room, spare room or shared workspace.
A smaller bench that can be moved, folded or stored away may be more useful than an impressive permanent bench that dominates the room.
A smaller bench can be more than enough
A compact bench can handle a surprising amount of woodworking. If you’re making small furniture, boxes, shelves, picture frames, toys or general household projects, you may not need metres of uninterrupted worktop.
A smaller surface can even encourage you to work in a more organised way. You only need enough room for the job in front of you.
If you need more space temporarily, you can often add a folding table, trestles or another portable surface. That gives you flexibility without giving up half the workshop permanently.
Don’t underestimate a good way to hold your work
One of the most useful things you can add to a basic woodworking setup is a reliable way of holding timber securely.
A vice can make a simple bench far more capable. It allows you to hold work while sawing, chiselling, planing, drilling, sanding and shaping.
You don’t necessarily need a traditional woodworking bench with a built-in cabinetmaker’s vice. A suitable vice attached securely to a sturdy work surface can provide much of the functionality a beginner needs.
The important word is securely. A vice is only useful if the surface it’s attached to doesn’t flex, move or wobble excessively.
What about a Workmate-style bench?
Portable workbenches and folding workstations have been around for years, and they’re sometimes dismissed by more experienced woodworkers. That’s a little unfair.
They have limitations, but they can be extremely useful when you’re starting out. They’re relatively inexpensive, fold away, take up little space, can hold smaller pieces securely and are easy to move around the workshop.
They won’t replace a heavy traditional bench for serious hand-tool work. But if the alternative is having no workspace at all, a portable bench is a perfectly reasonable place to start.
What about a pair of trestles?
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one.
A pair of sturdy trestles with a suitable top can create a surprisingly useful temporary workbench. You could use plywood, laminated timber or another suitably rigid surface.
The advantage is flexibility. When you need a workbench, you have one. When you need the space for something else, you can dismantle it and put it away.
For someone who only does woodworking occasionally, that can make far more sense than dedicating a large part of the garage to a permanent bench.
How solid does a beginner’s bench need to be?
You don’t need a bench that weighs 200kg. But you do need something that doesn’t move excessively.
There’s a big difference between a lightweight bench that is stable and one that rocks, flexes and slides around whenever you use a hand tool.
If you’re mainly using power tools, a lighter bench may be perfectly adequate. If you’re planning to do a lot of hand planing or chiselling, stability becomes much more important.
You can often improve a lightweight bench by adding weight, securing it to a wall, improving the legs or bracing, using non-slip material underneath or fitting a sturdier top. You don’t necessarily have to replace the entire bench.
How big does your workbench need to be?
There’s no universal answer. Think about the projects you actually intend to make.
If you’re making small boxes and shelves, a compact bench may be plenty. If you’re building large tables and cabinets, you’ll appreciate more surface area.
A useful approach is to start smaller and expand when you discover what you actually need. You can always build a larger bench later. It’s much harder to reclaim workshop space after filling it with equipment you rarely use.
Consider the height
Workbench height is another area where traditional advice can become confusing. There isn’t one magic height that works for everybody.
Your height, the work you’re doing and the tools you’re using all make a difference. A bench used mainly for hand planing may benefit from being lower than one used for assembly or detailed work.
The simplest test is to stand at the bench and imagine using your tools. You shouldn’t feel as though you’re constantly bending over or working with your shoulders awkwardly raised.
If you’re building your own bench, don’t blindly copy somebody else’s dimensions. Build it around you.
Build one rather than buy one
One of the best options for a beginner may be to build a simple workbench yourself.
You don’t need to start with a complicated traditional design. A basic bench made from construction timber and a sturdy top can provide an excellent starting point, and the project itself can teach you useful woodworking skills.
You’ll get practice with measuring, marking, sawing, drilling, squaring components, assembly and basic joinery.
Unlike buying a finished bench, you can also change the design to suit your workshop. Need it narrower? Make it narrower. Need storage underneath? Add it. Want it on castors or designed to fold away? Build accordingly.
Your first workbench doesn’t have to be your forever workbench.
What I would recommend for a beginner
If you’re just getting started, I’d resist the temptation to spend a fortune on a workbench before you’ve really started woodworking.
Instead, aim for something that is:
- Stable. It shouldn’t wobble or move excessively.
- Flat enough. You need a reasonably reliable working surface, particularly for hand-tool work.
- Strong enough. It needs to cope with the tools and materials you’re going to use.
- The right size for your space. Don’t sacrifice half your workshop because a larger bench looks impressive.
- Able to hold your work. A vice, clamps, bench dogs or another method of securing timber can matter more than having a huge surface.
- Comfortable to use. The height and layout should suit you rather than somebody else’s workshop.
When is a full-size bench worth it?
There are definitely situations where a traditional full-size workbench becomes worthwhile.
If you regularly use hand planes, chisels and other hand tools, the weight and stability of a substantial bench can make woodworking considerably more enjoyable. If you’re building larger furniture, the extra surface area is useful. And if you have a dedicated workshop, there’s something to be said for having a permanent, purpose-built workspace.
A good bench can become the heart of the workshop. But that’s something you can work towards.
You don’t need to buy or build one before you’ve discovered what sort of woodworking you enjoy.
Your workshop will evolve
One of the biggest mistakes beginners can make is trying to create the perfect workshop before they’ve made anything.
You buy the tools, build the storage, install the bench and organise everything. Then you discover that the way you actually work is completely different from what you imagined.
It’s usually better to let the workshop evolve alongside your skills. Start with what you need. Build a few projects. Notice what’s frustrating you. Then improve the workspace accordingly.
Your workbench should solve problems, not create them.
Final thoughts
So, do you really need a full-size workbench?
No.
You need a stable place to work, a way of holding your timber securely and enough space to carry out the projects you want to make.
For some people, that will eventually mean a large traditional woodworking bench. For others, a compact bench, portable workstation or simple trestle setup may be all they ever need.
The important thing isn’t how impressive your workbench looks. It’s what you make on it.
If you’re just starting out, don’t let the idea of a perfect workshop stop you from getting started. Build or buy the simplest setup that works for your space, learn what you enjoy making and let your workshop grow with you.
After all, the goal is to make things, not spend all your time building the workshop.
If you need a compact setup that can be put away when the space is needed for something else, take a look at the HDS Portable Workbench. If you’re looking for a more substantial working surface, the HDS Workbench Top is another option to consider.