Our Potting Bench measures a full 5 feet long and 25 inches deep. The work surface, set 34 inches from the ground, helps to minimize bending as you work. A 2- x 6-inch apron provides a lip at both sides and at the back to keep small items from falling off the work surface. The front apron is flush at the top to make it easy to brush off potting soil.

The lower shelf provides an additional 10 square feet of storage and is strong enough to handle bags of potting soil or stacks of large clay pots. The narrow upper shelf, set at 63 inches off the ground, provides a convenient storage place for smaller pots and gardening accessories. A raised 2- x 4-inch lip all around keeps these in place. Hooks for hanging garden tools can also be added to the underside of this shelf.

Built entirely of pressure-treated pine, our potting bench should stand up to years of use and exposure to the elements. The legs are 4 x 4s, treated for ground contact. These are notched to hold the 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 aprons as well as the upper shelf. The work surface and lower shelf are 2 x 6s. For durability, we used stainless steel bugle-head screws, rather than nails, to assemble the potting bench. These were driven in with an electric drill; no pilot holes were necessary. The only tools needed are an electric drill, portable circular saw, tape measure, and square. Construction is easy, but you may need help to move the wood because pressure-treated pine is heavy.