10 DIY Folding Sawhorse Plans You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
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Adam Mann
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If you’re looking to expand the capabilities of your garage or workshop, few things work better than a sawhorse. However, while sawhorses are incredibly effective and useful, they also can take up a ton of space, especially since you don’t need them all the time.
That’s why a folding sawhorse is the perfect solution. They’re extremely functional when you need them, and when you don’t, they’re easy enough to fold up and store somewhere they don’t get in the way.
With that in mind, we’ve highlighted these outstanding DIY folding sawhorse plans you can build yourself to get all the storage space you need while getting all the benefits of a sawhorse!
1. Wooden Folding Sawhorse From My Outdoor Plans
| Materials: | (4) 2” x 4” x 28”, (2) 2” x 4” x 36”, (2) 2” x 2” x 29”, 2” x 4” x 36”, plywood ½” x 17 ¾” x 29”, (4) 2” x 4” 8’, 2” x 2” x 8’, (50) ½” screws, and plywood ½” x 2’ x 3’ |
| Tools: | Hammer, tape measure, framing square, level, miter saw, drill machinery, screwdriver, sander, safety gloves, and safety glasses |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
If you want to build a classic folding sawhorse with a storage shelf underneath, you won’t top this one from My Outdoor Plans. It’s not the simplest to build, but if you follow the guide step-by-step, it’s not the most complicated either.
It requires quite a bit of wood, but once you build these sawhorses, they’ll last as long as you need them. Because they fold down, they don’t take up much space when you’re not using them, but they’re large enough to handle any project you have. When it comes to folding sawhorses, it doesn’t get any better than these.
2. DIY Folding Wooden Sawhorse by Pneumatic Addict
| Materials: | 2” x 6” x 96”, (5) 2” x 4” x 96”, 2” x 2” x 96”, 3/8” dowel, (4) ¼” x 5” lag screws, (8) ¼” washers, (8) non-mortise door hinges, 3” wood screws, and wood glue |
| Tools: | Circular saw, 18V cordless drill, 18V impact driver, speed square, measuring tape, and a drill and driver bit set |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re looking to build your own folding sawhorse, there’s a good chance you want to be able to control every aspect of it. That’s exactly what you get with this DIY folding wooden sawhorse from the Pneumatic Addict.
Everything is completely customizable, giving you everything you need to build the perfect foldable sawhorse for you. They’re also easy to build, so if you’re not the most DIY handy, you still should be able to build this wooden sawhorse. Finally, it’s super durable so after you build them you shouldn’t need to worry about it again.
3. Simple Wooden Folding Sawhorse From The Saw Guy
| Materials: | (2) 2” x 4” x 8’, plywood ½” x 4” x 4”, 2.5” screws, (2) 3” strap hinges, (4) 2” x ½” dowels, and wood glue |
| Tools: | Cordless drill, miter saw/table saw, and bandsaw/jig saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re looking for the simplest DIY wooden folding sawhorse, it’s tough to top these plans from The Saw Guy. But while this is a simple folding sawhorse, it’s still extremely useful and effective. It’s everything you need and want from a folding sawhorse and nothing more.
They’re also extremely compact so storage is never an issue, and because of how simple the design is, it’s easy to customize if you want something slightly different. Finally, while it’s simple it’s still durable, giving you sawhorses you can count on for years to come.
4. Durable Folding Sawhorse From eHow
| Materials: | (4) 36” x 2” x 4” studs, 44” x 2” x 4” stud, (2) 33” x 1” x 4” lumber, 36” x 1” x 4” lumber, (10) 1.5” deck screws, (2) 3/8” screw eyes, (2) 4” x ¼” bolts, nuts, & washers, and a 25” lightweight chain |
| Tools: | Saw, protractor, tape measure/yardstick, pencil, drill, ¼” wood boring bit, and needle-nosed pliers |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
This is a classic and durable folding sawhorse plan from one of the most reliable DIY websites on the Internet. eHow does a great job of breaking down everything you need to do to build this folding sawhorse, making it easy for amateurs and experienced woodworkers alike to build it.
It doesn’t have a ton of advanced features, but it’s everything you could want from a folding sawhorse. It’s something you can rely on for years and it supports a ton of weight, which is a real win-win!
5. Simple Easy & Compact Folding Sawhorses by Instructables
| Materials: | (3) 8’ x” x 6” and screws |
| Tools: | Miter saw, bevel, table saw, and a drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re looking for the most compact folding sawhorse you can build yourself, this one from Instructables is probably it. It’s also super easy to build, making it an outstanding choice for amateur woodworkers.
It can hold a ton of weight and takes up almost no space, but our chief complaint with this sawhorse is that it won’t last as long as many of the other options on our list. The wood is thinner than the other options, and while that helps make it more compact, it also means it won’t last as long.
You shouldn’t have any issues for a few years, but after that, the wood might start to break down, especially if you’re using it to frequently hold heavier objects.
6. Simple Folding Sawhorse by Famous Artisan
| Materials: | (8) 2” x 4” x 36”, (2) 2” x 6” x 38”, (4) 1” x 4” x 36”, (4) 4” x ¼” bolts with washers and nuts, (2) 32” paracord, exterior wood glue, and (20) 1.5” deck screws |
| Tools: | Miter saw/circular saw, jigsaw/bandsaw, drill & driver combo, clamps, tape measure, and a ¼” wood bit |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
There’s more than one way to build a great foldable wooden sawhorse, and these plans from the Famous Artisan are an excellent example of that. It’s not the simplest design to build, but since the plans do a great job of breaking down everything you need to do, we’re confident you can build it.
They can hold a ton of weight, are extremely durable, and fold down nice and compactly for easy storage. It’s a fun project that adds a ton of versatility to your garage or workshop.
7. Basic Folding Sawhorse by Do-It-Yourself-Help
| Materials: | (4) 8’ x 2” x 4” and (4) door hinges |
| Tools: | Table saw, hand saw, drill, pencils, and a chisel |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Do-It-Yourself-Help does a great job of walking you through everything you need to know and do to build this basic folding sawhorse. The design uses a few pieces of wood and some door hinges to create an outstanding sawhorse.
Whether you’re an experienced woodworker who wants a simple project or a novice that doesn’t want to take on anything too complicated, this DIY sawhorse plan is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s also so simple you can customize the dimensions a bit if you want, giving you the ability to get exactly what you’re looking for since you’re building it yourself!
8. Folding Sawhorse From Mother Earth News
| Materials: | (2) 8’ x 2” x 4”, (2) 30” x 1/8” x ¾” steel strap, (2) 1’ x ¼” cold-rolled steel rod, (4) ¼” x 1” machine screws with nuts, and (2) 2” x 4” 16-gauge steel |
| Tools: | Sandpaper, handsaw, saber saw, and a drill with a ¼” bit |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
While we don’t love the guide from Mother Earth News for this folding sawhorse, it’s simple enough that we’re still confident enough to include it on this list. And if you decide to tackle this project, you’re going to get a great folding sawhorse, and that helps justify the little extra work needed to figure everything out too.
Finally, it’s durable and extremely functional, so once you do build it, we’re confident that you won’t need to put in the work to build another one any time soon. Check it out and you might find yourself with the perfect folding sawhorse for you!
9. Cheap and Easy Foldable Sawhorses From Instructables
| Materials: | (6) 8’ x 2” x 4”, ¾” x 3.75” x 48”, (40) 2” flathead wood screws, (4) ¼” x 4.5” hex head bolts with nuts & washers |
| Tools: | Table saw, measuring tape, electric drill and bits, screwdrivers, and a plane |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
If you’re looking to build your own sawhorse, there’s a good chance it’s because you don’t want to spend a ton of money. That’s part of what’s so great about this DIY sawhorse plan from Instructables. With just a few pieces of wood and some screws and bolts needed to build this foldable sawhorse, there’s no reason to spend a ton of money to complete this project.
And no DIY low-budget project would be worth anything if it wasn’t durable, and with this plan, that’s not a problem. It’s affordable, durable, and effective, giving you everything you could want from a DIY foldable sawhorse.
10. Folding Plywood Sawhorse From Instructables
| Materials: | ¾” plywood, (4) 3.5” hinges, wood glue, 1.25” drywall screws, 2” deck screws, and ¼” polypropylene rope |
| Tools: | Table saw and a miter saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This is a super simple plywood sawhorse plan, allowing you to build your own super compact sawhorse without purchasing any bulky or heavy wood. Just keep in mind that while it’s easy to build and super effective, the plywood construction means it’s not quite as durable and can’t handle as much weight as many of the other options on our list.
Still, when you’re trying to move this DIY sawhorse around, there’s no denying it’s much lighter and easier to move because of the plywood construction.
Final Thoughts
With any of these folding sawhorse plans, you can expand your capabilities without taking up a ton of space in your garage or workshop when you’re not using them. It’s a little bit of work now, but when you’re looking at your finished sawhorses, you’ll be happy to have them for years to come!
Featured Image Credit: Les Weber, Shutterstock
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