Make Sturdy Sawhorses For Less Than $100

1. A Quick-and-Dirty Sawhorse that’s Rock-Solid

• Buy two 12-foot 2x4s and one 10-foot 2×4.
• With 16d nails or 3-inch screws, assemble the three boards that make up the I-beam.
• Attach the legs, using a framing square to square the legs to the beam.
• Attach the rails last — you’re done, so get to work!

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2. A True Classic that Will Last a Lifetime—or More

Here’s a design that’s been around for a hundred years — maybe longer. It’s low, so you can use your knee to hold down your work. The compound miters make this one a little trickier to build than the others, but if you take one component at a time and label them as you go, in a couple of hours you’ll have a pair of sawhorses that your own grandkids will be proud to replicate someday.

• Buy one 8-foot 2×6 and two 8-foot 1x6s.
• Cut the top to length first, then taper the edges on a table or circular saw.

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Cut the Legs

• Set your circular saw to cut at a 13-degree bevel.
• Cut the legs to length at a 13-degree angle.
• Mark each piece as you cut it.
  • Pro tip: It helps to cut the legs close to their actual size beforehand so you can hold them up and visualize the direction of the cut and the orientation of the bevel.
• After cutting the legs to size, reset your circular saw to 90 degrees and taper the legs.
• Mark the taper line 3-1/2 inches over on the bottom of the leg up to the bottom of the gusset.
• Lay the top board upside down on a flat surface and attach each leg with three 2-inch screws.

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Attach the Gussets

• Trim the top and bottom edges of the gusset boards with parallel 13-degree angles.
• Mark one gusset using the sawhorse and copy the other three from that template.
• Set each sawhorse upright and set something heavy on it so all the legs are sitting nice and flat.
• Attach the gussets with four 1-5/8-inch screws.

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3. A Collapsible Sawhorse with a Built-In Shelf

Some sawhorses have a shelf and some fold up, but this design combines both features.

• Buy a 4 x 4-foot sheet of 3/4-inch plywood, one 8-foot 2×6, one 8-foot 2×4, two 12-foot 2x4s and eight hinges.

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Cut and Assemble the Legs

• Cut the top 2×6 to length.
• Cut both sides of each leg at a 15-degree angle.
  • Note: Make sure the angles are parallel.
• Fasten hinges to the ends of two of the legs
• Attach those legs by fastening the hinges to the top piece.
• Attach the other two legs with 3-inch screws.

Attach the Shelf

• Cut the 2×4 that supports one side of the shelf.
• Mark a line 8 inches up from the bottom of the leg
• Line up the bottom of the 2×4 with that line, and attach it with two 3-inch screws on each side.
• Cut the shelf to size and notch the two corners using a jigsaw.
• Fasten the hinges to the shelf, then use two 11-1/8-inch blocks of wood to temporarily hold the shelf in place while you fasten the hinged side of the shelf to the legs.
• Cut a 23-3/4-inch x 1-1/2-inch strip of plywood to overlap the 2×4 shelf brace.
• Attach it with wood glue and 1-1/4- inch screws.
• Fasten the hinged side of the shelf to the legs.
  • Note: The lip on the shelf holds the sawhorse rigid. To break down the sawhorse, simply lift the shelf.

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