Do you take over your kitchen table when starting seeds or transplanting plants? Do you make a huge mess? If so, you need a potting bench table. Potting tables are essential for the passionate gardener.
Below you will find both DIY potting bench plans as well as premade potting tables. They range from small balcony size tables to large potting tables with ample storage.
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Benefits of Using a Potting Table
Having a designated area to care for your plants makes gardening easier and more rewarding.
Benefits of a potting bench:
- You can make a mess without worrying
- They provide extra storage
- All your tools will be at your fingertips
- You do not have to bend over
- They can be decorative
- It is a designated space
- Can be used as a bar or table when entertaining
16 DIY Potting Benches
Below are 16 DIY potting bench plans. Please note that most of these plans are written using the imperial system of measurement. If you are not familiar with the imperial system, you will need to translate the measurements. There are several free converters online.
1. DIY Potting Bench
DIY Potting Bench
Build a beautiful and sturdy table with these woodworking plans. The table has plenty of space for your pots, plants, tools, and soil. The DIY potting bench is ideal for any gardener.
This multifunctional bench is strong and durable. It can be used for gardening, crafting, and storage. The completed bench will measure 1.524 meters (5 feet) wide x 1.524 meters (5 feet) tall.
2. DIY Plans for Potting Bench
DIY Plans for Potting Bench
Here is a striking bench that could also be used as an outdoor bar. This bench is so pretty you will not want to get it dirty. These woodworking plans come with everything you need.
You get a shopping list and step-by-step setup instructions. The instructions will show you how to place lumber pieces, how to cut, where to screw, where to ream, and where to nail.
Finished, the bench will measure 176.53 cm (69.5 inches) tall x 55.245 cm (21.75 inches) deep x 106.045 cm (41.75 inches) wide.
Find the Woodworking Plans by DoitYourselfPlanner HERE
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Master Growing Australian Natives eBook
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Get Your Free Guide:
Master Growing Australian Natives eBook
A Must Have Complete Guide for Every Australian Garden
3. Sunset Potting Bench Project
Source: Sunset
Here is a free set of plans from Sunset. This DIY potting bench has a simple design that will match well with all decors. The opening on the back of the bench can be covered with a wire screening to hang your tools.
The wood can be stained, painted, or left natural. Completed, the bench will measure 160.02 cm (63 inches) tall x 152.4 cm (60 inches) wide x 63.5 cm (25 inches) deep.
4. Wooded Plant Potting Table
Wooded Plant Potting Table
Are you new to woodworking? Here is a table that can be completed by a beginner. It has a simple design with an upper shelf and a bottom shelf. The finished table will measure approximately 127 cm (50 inches) tall x 99.06 cm (39 inches) wide x 60.96 cm (24 inches) deep.
5. DIY Outdoor Potting Bench
DIY Outdoor Potting Bench
This table features a large worktop, that can be made with or without the sink. It has a panelled back that can accommodate hanging hooks for your tools and other accessories.
The 12 page PDF plans include overall dimensions, materials list, cut list, step-by-step instructions. And 3D drawings.
6. Make Your Own Potting Bench
Source: Better Homes & Gardens
Do you have some wooden pallets sitting around? Used this free DIY potting bench tutorial to make a table in about 4 hours. It is an intermediate level project.
Once you have the bench completed, you can add additional hardware to customize the bench. You can even add coasters to make the bench mobile.
7. DIY Wooden Potting Bench
DIY Wooden Potting Bench
Build this beautiful table to add style to your gardening area. The bench is versatile and gorgeous. It has plenty of workspace and storage. You can paint and/or stain the bench to match your decor or leave the wood natural.
This table will take an experienced woodworker a few hours to build. Finished, it will measure 137.16 cm (54 inches) wide x 22.88 cm (22 inches) deep x 152.4 cm (60 inches) tall.
8. Wood DIY Potting Bench
Wood DIY Potting Bench
This DIY potting bench plan includes a large workspace, an under storage area, and shelves for your pots and tools. The plans will walk you step-by-step through the process of making the table.
Completed, the table will measure 119.38 cm (47 inches) long x 69.85 cm (27.5 inches) wide x 152.4 cm (60 inches) tall.
9. DIY Potting Bench
Source: Lowe's
Gardeners will love this adorable table. The table is the ideal size for small spaces. It is sturdy and pleasing to the eye. It is a great bench for adding a pop of colour to a porch or garden area.
10. DIY Potting Bench
DIY Potting Bench
Creating a space for potting with this DIY potting bench. The bench can also be used as a crafting table. There are three small storage boxes on the left side and a towel hanger on the right.
The table plans are detailed and easy to understand. They can be understood by a beginner. The finished bench will measure 72.39 cm (28.5 inches) long x 55.88 cm (22 inches) wide x 105.41 cm (41.5 inches) high.
11. Folding Work Bench Wall
Folding Work Bench Wall
Are you short on space, yet need a patting table? These plans will teach you how to make a workbench that folds up against the wall. The bench works great in places like carports and garages. The completed workbench will measure 900 mm wide x 2100 mm long x 850 mm high.
12. Wooden Pallet Potting Bench
Source: Instructables
Grab a few old wooden pallets and follow these free instructions to make this rustic table. You can customize the instructions to make the table to be any size you need.
13. How to Build a Potting Bench
Source: My Outdoor Plans
If you are searching for free table woodworking plans for a basic DIY potting bench, check out these plans from My Outdoor Plans. You will need previous woodworking experience to complete the build.
14. DIY Classy Potting Bench
DIY Classy Potting Bench
Are you looking for a table with a bit of class? This bench would be perfect. It would work great in any greenhouse. It has customisable sizing, so you can make it to fit your space.
The woodworking plans include blueprints for every material, a cut list, exact sizes of measurements, a 3D .stp file of the model, and a Shapr3D model file.
15. DIY Cedar Potting Bench
Source: Thrifty Decor Chick
This DIY potting bench is easy to build, and the tutorial is free. You can make the table as small or as big as you like.
16. DIY Potting Bench
DIY Potting Bench
You will have an ample amount of space to work and for storage with this large table. The bench has a large workspace, a bottom shelf, a top shelf, and 7 cubby holes.
6 Premade Potting Tables
If you are not a woodworker looking for DIY potting bench plans, you can purchase tables that are ready to assemble. Below you will find 6 potting tables to make potting plants so much easier.
1. VegTrug Grey Duluxe Potting Table
VegTrug Grey Duluxe Potting Table
This high quality table is great for greenhouses, patios, balconies, or anywhere you need to work. It is constructed from 100% FSC certified timber. The stylish design will add interest wherever it is placed.
The table has a large metal potting tray insert that is easily removed for cleaning. Included are left and right covers to create a worktop space. There is a small shelf on the back to hold your pots, and a full-length lower shelf for even more storage. It measures 49 cm x 80 cm x 100 cm.
2. Giantex Outdoor Garden Potting Table Workstation
Giantex Outdoor Garden Potting Table Workstation
Not only is this a functional potting table, but it is also a beautiful piece of furniture. The potting bench features a large work surface, a detachable sink, a large drawer, and two open shelves. Also included are three hooks for hanging your tools.
The table is made from solid fir wood for durability. It also has foot pads to protect your floor and enhance stability. The overall dimensions are 115 cm x 45 cm x 121 cm.
3. Giantex Garden Potting Table
Giantex Garden Potting Table
This potting table is functional and stylish. It is ideal for all your garden tasks. It has a thickened galvanised tabletop and sturdy legs. The potting table has a large drawer, roomy cabinet, hooks, and an open shelf. There is plenty of storage space for your tools, plants, and other supplies.
4. Cefito Commercial Stainless Steel Table
Cefito Commercial Stainless Steel Table
You can use this workbench in your kitchen as a prep table or use it outside as a potting table. The table has a tough stainless steel structure that is heavy duty and rust resistant.
The bottom shelf is adjustable to help meet your storage needs. The workbench measures 1219 mm x 610 mm x 890 mm.
5. Cefito Stainless Steel Kitchen Bench Food Prep & Work Table with Castors
Cefito Stainless Steel Kitchen Bench Food Prep & Work Table with Castors
Do you need a strong and sturdy bench you can easily move around? This bench is made from 430 food grade stainless steel and is on castor wheels. The table is rust-resistant and easy to clean. The bottom shelf is adjustable. It measures 1219 mm x 610 mm x 890 mm.
6. Giantex Outdoor Garden Potting Table Bench
Giantex Outdoor Garden Potting Table Bench
The wide tabletop on the Giantex potting table makes potting, pruning, and transplanting easy. The bench also has a detachable sink, a large drawer, two open shelves, and three hooks for hanging your tools.
The table is made from solid fir wood for durability. It also has foot pads to protect your floor and enhance stability. The overall dimensions are 115 cm x 45 cm x 121 cm.
Potting Bench Frequently Asked Questions
Are potting benches useful?
Potting benches are incredibly useful for keen gardeners. They help to keep your garden organised and leave a dedicated space for getting started with your seedlings each year, as well as offering storage space for empty pots and compost and sometimes even a sink to rinse off used containers.
What should a potting bench have?
Any potting bench should have a strong base, and weatherproof timber or metal legs and surfaces to prevent weathering. Shelves beneath the main surface and above are useful for keeping your workstation organised, and any hooks or tool storage are a big bonus.
For more serious potting benches, sinks are often a handy feature.
How do you make a simple potting bench?
A simple potting bench is just a surface to keep as a dedicated gardening station. All you need is some 4x4 timbers for sturdy legs and enough 2x2 to build a frame around the top and base.
Then add shelves, hooks and a table surface to suit you and your own style of gardening.
Why do potting benches have a sink?
Many potting benches have a sink to clean your tools and wash empty pots. Premium potting benches can be connected to mains water supplies or water butts, but most are simply there to be filled with water from a bucket.
Potting bench sinks are important as pots can harbour bacterial and fungal spores through winter if not cleaned.
Is it cheaper to buy a potting bench or make your own?
Building your own potting bench can be cheaper, especially if you’re using reclaimed materials like pallets and timber offcuts, but building your own premium bench can have some added costs, like drainage, sinks, and fittings, so think about what you really need as it can often be better value to buy a purpose-built potting bench.
How do you store potting soil in a potting bench?
Potting benches should have a shelf built in below the table surface, which will help to keep any potting compost or seed compost reasonably dry. If you have any large plastic storage boxes, these will keep potting soil in better condition for longer.
How does a potting bench work?
Potting benches, also called gardening tables, are outdoor workstations designed to make potting up seedlings easy, and to keep your tools in one place. If they have a sink, they should also have proper drainage so the water doesn’t damage any stored materials below.
What kind of wood should I use for a potting bench?
Hardwoods or treated softwoods are ideal for potting benches. Treated pine is the most cost-effective timber for building a potting bench, but for longer lasting finishes, use hardwoods like cedar or oak, which will last outdoors for far longer.
Where should a potting bench be placed?
Where you place your potting bench is completely up to you, but make sure it's somewhere that you’re likely to use it. A greenhouse is a great location for a potting bench, as you’re doing most of your work in the right location, but in front of a shed window, or even out on the patio will be fine (as long as you’ve got proper weather-resistant materials).
How do you put a sink in a potting bench?
If your potting bench is in your shed, set up a water butt to catch water from the roof, and then connect it to a tap on your potting bench. Your sink should be tightly fitted into the table top, and have a bucket beneath to catch any water or, better yet, wide pipe work (without a trap) will allow water to drain into the garden.
Can I leave a potting bench outside?
Most potting benches are built from weather-resistant materials and can be left outside, but like any timber furniture in the garden it should be sanded back and treated with timber care products every few years to prolong its life.
Standard fence stain will often be the most cost-effective way to treat it.
How high should a potting bench be?
Potting benches should be set up at a comfortable working height while standing. Any garden work requires constant movement, so sitting can make things more complicated, but if you intend on using a seated potting bench, adjust the table height accordingly.
Add Comfort to Your Workplace with the Help of a Potting Bench and Table
Bending over in your garden can cause back aches. And using your kitchen for your potting can be messy. Instead of hurting yourself and making a mess, invest in a potting table. A potting table will provide you with a comfortable and convenient place to work.
Published on January 24, 2023 by Gary Clarke
Last Updated on October 9, 2024
