An old solid-core closet door has the strength you need when making a workbench.
Many homes have an old closet door or two lying around. You can up-cycle an old closet door into a useful workbench in less than 30 minutes. Turning your old door into a workbench instead of discarding it saves even more landfill space if you use salvaged pipe or other steel to make the legs. Using pipe flanges and threaded replacement pipe allows you to remove the legs when you need to store or transport the workbench. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Lay the door on a flat work surface with one of the long sides facing you and the nicer side of the door face down. Snap a chalk line along the diagonal between the right front corner and the left rear corner. Snap a second chalk line between the left front corner and the right rear corner.
2. Position a pipe flange 1 inch from each corner, along the diagonal chalk lines. Mark the screw holes on the door with a carpenter's pencil and set the flanges aside.
3. Drill 1/8-inch-diameter pilot holes through the door, at each mark. Change bits and countersink each hole, which means drilling a tapered shape in the wood that matches the shape of the head of the screw.
4. Insert the tip of a countersink bit into the pilot hole and drill straight down 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep.
5. Place a screw in one of the holes to ensure the countersink is deep and wide enough to accommodate the heads of the screws provided by the pipe flange manufacturer.
6. Secure the flanges to the door using the screws provided by the manufacturer. Twist the pipes into the flanges and stand the workbench on its new legs.
7. Align three pieces of 36-inch-wide pegboard -- two pieces as wide as the door and one piece as long -- with the top edge of the workbench. Place the short pieces at each end and the long piece along the back. Secure the pegboard along the top edge of the workbench using 1/8-inch thread, 1-inch long wood screws.
8. Cut two pieces of 1-inch-leg outside-corner cabinet molding 36 inches long. Cut two additional pieces the same length as the door.
9. Miter both ends of each piece to a 45 degree angle. Place the four pieces of molding around the top edge of the workbench with mitered ends touching.
10. Don eye protection and cut-resistant work gloves. Support the corner molding with your off hand, at least 6 inches away from where you intend to drive a nail with a nail gun.
11. Cut two more pieces of molding 35 inches long for the seams where the pegboard on the ends of the workbench meets the pegboard along the back. Secure them with a nail gun.
Tags: closet door, edge workbench, along back, along back Secure, along diagonal