Classic Stacking Sawhorses (Pair) — The Kerf
Classic Stacking Sawhorses (Pair)

Classic Stacking Sawhorses (Pair)

by Logan · Jul 9, 2026

Beginner Workbench & Workshop #construction lumber #first-project #shop-basics CC BY 4.0 — Attribution
Build time
A few hours
Material cost
Under $50
Wood
Construction pine (2x4)
Finished size
36" L × 30" H each
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Overview

This is an Example plan, has not been validated

Every shop needs sawhorses before it needs anything else — they are the workbench before the workbench. This pair is built entirely from 2x4s with simple angled cuts, stacks flat when you're done, and will happily hold a sheet of plywood, a door, or lunch.

A great first project: every cut is straight, every joint is screwed, and nothing needs to be pretty.

Materials

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Hardware & consumables

Lumber & sheet goods

Tools

  • Circular saw — Any saw that crosscuts a 2x4 Also works: Miter saw, Table saw
  • Drill — Driving screws

Everyday tools (hammer, tape measure, square) are assumed.

Build steps

  1. 1

    Cut the beams and legs

    Step 1 of 5

    From your 2x4s, cut for each horse:

    • 1 top beam at 36"
    • 4 legs at 30", with a 15° angle on both ends (angles parallel, like a parallelogram)

    Set your saw to 15° once and cut all eight legs in a batch so they match.

    Cut the beams and legs
  2. 2

    Attach the legs

    Step 2 of 5

    Stand the beam on edge. Hold a leg against its side, flush with the top and splayed outward, and drive three 2 1/2" screws through the leg into the beam. Glue first if you want them to last decades. Repeat for all four legs — two per side, mirrored.

    Attach the legs
  3. 3

    Add the gussets

    Step 3 of 5

    Cut four scrap pieces of 2x4 roughly 12" long with 15° ends. Screw one across each pair of legs about halfway down. This stops the legs from racking and doubles as a shelf for clamps.

    Add the gussets
  4. 4

    Trim the feet flat

    Step 4 of 5

    Set each horse on a flat surface and check for rocking. If a leg is proud, mark it against the floor and trim the bottom with your saw. A sawhorse that rocks is a sawhorse you'll hate.

    Trim the feet flat
  5. 5

    Build the second horse

    Step 5 of 5

    Repeat everything. Cutting parts for both horses at the same time (step 1) makes this fast — assembly is under 20 minutes once the parts exist.

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