Simple Sawhorse DIY
Jump to: Materials - How to Build
If you plan on doing more than one project on your house, you probably need sawhorses. I know, I hate when people pull the whole “you NEED this thing!” shtick in a lame attempt to sell you something, but I promise, having sawhorses will make house projects so much easier.
We’ve been limping along for the last year using our C’s pickup bed, the porch steps, or the kitchen table as a work surface. It’s been okay, but the table is pretty scratched up, and the porch may or may not have a few more slices and scoops than it had when we moved in. With so many projects on the list for this year, it was time to just make the jump to sawhorses.
If you’d rather buy, there are plenty of options out there, from simple heavy-duty plastic to larger steel options, or even a full portable workbench. But building a set of sawhorses yourself easy and much cheaper, especially if you have scrap wood laying around. We pulled a few decent pieces from the oh-so-lovely trash pile the former owners left us, so this one cost almost nothing.
Materials
A note on how I do materials lists: I try to explain the "why" behind each item so you're not just staring at a list. If you have a question I didn't answer, reach out.
Lumber — (5) 2×4×8s You'll need five 8-foot 2×4s. I'd go with Whitewood or Kiln-Dried Pine — cedar works fine but it's heavier than you want something you're lugging around a job site. I don't love using treated lumber when I don't have to, but if you're leaving these outside or it's what you have, it'll do the job. If you're working from scraps like we did, you won't have full 8-foot pieces, just make sure you have enough wood to get all the cuts in Step 1 and you're fine.
Screws — (44) 3" inch screws This is one case where I'd say don't just grab whatever's in the junk drawer. Use 3" deck screws specifically, we buy them in big boxes because they show up in every heavy-duty project. The last thing you want is a sawhorse coming apart while you're running a saw across it.
Measuring Tape: Non-negotiable. If you don't have one, buy one before you do anything else. This is a good starter option, but an honestly fine version exists at any thrift store or Walmart for a few dollars.
Saw: One of the nice things about this project is that almost any saw will work, you just need to cut through a 2×4 in a straight line. Our Ryobi corded circular saw is the powerhouse around here, or if you’re on a tighter budget, you can get a simple Hand Saw for as low as $15.
Drill & Drill Bits: Another must-have — and I'd say this even if you're renting. A drill saves you so much time on everything from IKEA furniture to building a shed. Don't waste your life hand-screwing things in. For drill bits, you want one that's slightly smaller in diameter than your screws so you can drill pilot holes first. This is a great starter set from Ryobi.
How to Build
Step One: Make Your Cuts
(insert cut diagram)
Follow the cutting diagram above to turn your five 2×4×8s down into:
(10) 30” long pieces
(4) 32” long pieces
Step Two: Assembling the I-Beam
The top of the sawhorse is an I-beam, exactly what it sounds like, a capital I shape. Take one of your 32" pieces and lay it flat. Stand a 30" piece vertically on top of it, centered, so you've got about a 1" overhang on either side. Clamp it in place, drill your pilot holes, and screw it together. Pilot holes feel tedious but they make a real difference. If you've never drilled one before, Lowe's has a great walkthrough.
Two big perks with this design. The overhang will allow you to put a clamp right on the end. And because the top piece is removable, you can easily replace the single 32” long piece if it gets too damaged, without having to rebuild it all.
https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/easy-2x4-sawhorse-plans/
https://jayscustomcreations.com/2013/04/saw-horses/
This page contains affiliate links. Shopping through these links costs you nothing, but it does help keep these paws flush with treats!
