Built-in Potting Bench

If you have a greenhouse or shed that’s dedicated to gardening and has adequate structural integrity, a built-in potting bench is a good way to create a sturdy worksurface that is efficient in its usage of materials and floor area. A built-in bench has the advantage of being easily customized both for size and for function. For example, if your chief gardener is taller or shorter than average, you can adjust the worsksurface height much easier than you can if you purchase a readymade potting bench. And if you plan on blending batches of amended potting soil, you can create a shelf beneath the removable section of worktop. The slats at the right of the bench seen here, for example, can be removed to access a shelf that is just the right height for the rim of a typical 5-gallon bucket to be supported at working height.

This built-in bench is made of standard construction grade 2 × 4s and pressure-treated 1 × 6 deck boards. Because it is covered by a roof, leaving the bench unpainted will not materially affect its longevity. But greenhouses and gardening sheds usually aren’t simple utility areas. Investing a little time and money in painting the bench is well worth it (technically, the potting bench seen here is coated with semi-transparent deck stain).