10 Popular Types of Woodworking Benches: Roubo, Moravian & More

The main types of woodworking benches are Roubo, Nicholson, Moravian, Scandinavian, Holtzapffel, and Shaker. There are also some modern portable, hybrid, and DIY options. All of these solve specific issues.

A bench isn’t really a table. It’s a workholding device, and the style you pick decides how you clamp, plane, chop saw for years. Lumber Grand built this guide around that idea. Under each workbench style, you’ll see how the bench holds your work, who it fits, and its drawbacks.

We cover the different types of woodworking benches first, then the woodworking bench vise types that go on them, then a simple way to choose. Every claim comes from bench makers, historians, and shop guides. Read on!

Types of Woodworking Benches at a Glance

The table below shows different woodworking bench types and the skill level you need for each one. The team has given a difficulty score bench by bench, based on how complex the joinery and vise work is.

7 Traditional Types of Woodworking Benches

Traditional benches carry the names of the countries and shops that refined them. Most have a heavy construction, with large flat surfaces and strong vises.

1. Roubo Workbench

The Roubo is the big brother of the woodworking bench family, named after André Jacob Roubo, an 18th-century French cabinetmaker. It has a large solid, flat top 4 to 6 inches thick, and sits on heavy legs joined with big mortise-and-tenon joint. That mass does your clamping for you. When you plane a board or chop a mortise, the bench stays put.

Roubo is the first best woodworking bench on the list

Photo: Wikipedia | Text: Lumber Grand

Lie-Nielsen's own Roubo-style bench weighed about 400 lbs with a maple top 4 in thick, 24 in wide, and 8ft long. However, it takes up a lot of space and requires strong assistants to move around. Roubo workbench would suit a hand tool woodworker who has a permanent shop.

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2. Nicholson Workbench

The Nicholson (aka English workbench) takes the opposite approach. A box-like frame carries a wide front apron and cross braces. As the joints are simple, many woodworkers choose this as their first project. The deep apron and planning stop allow you to work with wide boards for edge work. And some manufacturers produce a knock-down version with bolts.

Nicholson knock down work bench

Photo: Lost Art Press

The apron on this type of woodworking bench has some drawbacks. It makes you reach farther for the bench dogs and tail vise. Think about how you want to position your vises before cutting any wood.

3. Moravian Workbench

The Moravian workbench was developed by the Moravian settlers of Old Salem, North Carolina. Will Myers measured an original there and helped bring back the design popular again. It has splayed legs to stop it racking and tusk tenons that people can dismantle in minutes.

The Moravian workbench was developed by the Moravian settlers

Photo: Reddit users

Lost Art Press describes this bench as “a highly functional bench that doesn’t take up too much space.” That’s why Moravian is a great choice for small workshops, renters, and anyone who moves a lot. You may have to tighten the wedges as the seasons change, since wood moves with humidity.

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4. Scandinavian Workbench

The Scandinavian bench is the cabinetmaker's bench. It has a narrow, heavy top and a tool tray along the back. There are two vises, a shoulder vise and a tail vise, in the corners. This bench is best suited for precision furniture and cabinet making. Companies such as Sjöbergs sell finished versions, and Lie-Nielsen also sells a European-style bench.

This bench is fantastic with the vises but is hard to build. The shoulder vise in particular is a tough job and requires a 5th leg to stabilize it.

5. Holtzapffel Workbench

The Holtzapffel workbench is a little brother of the Roubo. It offers everything you get from the Roubo, in terms of thick laminated workbench surface and robust vises, but takes up less room. If you like the Roubo workbench style, but just can’t spare the floor space, then this type of woodworking bench is a good choice.

The Holtzapffel workbench is a little brother of the Roubo workbench

Photo: WoodSmith | Text: Lumber Grand

6. Shaker Workbench

Storage and convenience are key in Shaker style benches. They have many drawers and built-in storage space inside the cabinets. You'll always have your tools at hand. Popular Woodworking lists a Shaker workbench in its bench collection. The cabinet base can restrict the clamping area around the legs, so make sure you know where you place the vises.

7. Lie-Nielsen Workbench

The Lie-Nielsen Workbench is the only traditional-style bench on this list that is available pre-built. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks of Warren, Maine sells maple benches with a high-quality vise setup. That is a chain-drive twin-screw shoulder vise with 12-inch screw spacing, 8-1/4 inches of travel, and a 22-1/2-inch maple jaw.

A previous version of this bench was of the Roubo design and had a sliding deadman for wide panels and doors. Buyers pay for that quality. I've seen these up to £1000+. Check Lie-Nielsen's website for up-to-date prices. This is perfect for woodworkers who want a professional-quality bench without spending months building one.

3 Modern and Informal Woodworking Benches

Not all shops have the space to accommodate a 400-lb slab. The advantage of these three styles is that they trade some weight for flexibility.

1. Portable and Benchtop Benches

Small workbenches like the Rockler Handy Bench and Sjöbergs Hobby Workbench are great in apartments or garages/parking spaces and for on-site use. You can easily place them on sawhorses or tables. Although not as heavy, they’re suitable for small furniture, boxes, and tool projects.

2. Hybrid and Commercial Benches

Shops can buy tables with metal frames, rubberwood or MDF tops, and built-in storage. These cost less and are ready to use. They're ideal for a mixed shop where you keep power tools, do assembly work, and store hardware. However, hand tool woodworkers usually pass them over because the light tops and limited vise options make heavy planing difficult.

3. Informal Setups

If you are looking for an assembly or budget option, then building a solid core door or sheet of ply on saw horses will work. This is standard within the woodworking community at The Patriot Woodworker. It costs little, so you can find out what you need to know before investing in a proper bench.

However, it will be quite wobbly and flex under force. That means it’s better for assembly and finishing than for planing.

Types of woodworking benches for beginners

Photo: Magnific

4 Woodworking Bench Vise Types

The type of vise you choose will determine how your bench works day to day, so it deserves as much thought as the bench style. There are two main types of vise on a bench that you should know for woodwork projects. A front vise (or face vise) is attached to the long side of the bench. Meanwhile, the end vise (aka tail vise) sits at the short end.

These types of woodworking bench vises suit different jobs. Many woodworkers find a face vise useful. Once you've used a tail vise, you'll quickly fall in love with them. If you're joining large edges of boards, you will likely prefer a leg vise, or if you're a dovetailer, you'll like a twin screw or shoulder vise for wide case sides.

In short, the type of vises you choose for your woodworking bench will affect what style of bench you should have:

• If you're going for a Scandinavian style, you’ll rely on your shoulder and tail vises.

  
  

• A Roubo or Moravian is a good choice for a leg vise.

  
  

• A hybrid bench generally comes with a bolt-on face vise.

  
  

How to Choose the Best Woodworking Bench: 4 Points to Pick

The best woodworking bench depends on what you build, how much room you have, and which tools you grab first. No single style wins every shop. We’ve narrowed it down to 4 points, so you can decide fast:

1. Tools: If you work with hand tools and do a lot of planing and chopping, you'll benefit from a heavy bench such as a Roubo or Holtzapffel. If you use power tools or do general building, a lighter bench like a Shaker or hybrid is a good choice.

2. Space: Moravian or portable bench is better than a slab bench for small workshops.

3. Budget: A simple door-on-sawhorses bench or a Nicholson will be the most budget-friendly options. Vice versa, a Lie-Nielsen complete bench will be the most expensive.

4. Build skill: Through tenons and shoulder vises require more skill and patience than a Nicholson frame.

Whatever you decide on, ensure it is a heavy bench with a solid top and strong vises and dog holes to give plenty of support whilst planing, chopping and putting together.

Types of Woodworking Benches for Beginners

The best types of woodworking benches for beginners are the Nicholson and Moravian.

The Nicholson is a simple design using simple joints. This explains why it’s easy to assemble with basic skills and few tools. The Moravian can be packed away easily and is portable.

If you just want to cut wood straight away, you can get away with an informal setup as a stopgap. Using a solid core door on sawhorses will teach you what you need to know, and you can build a real bench once you know it.

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FAQs

1. What are the Main Types of Woodworking Benches?

The main types are Roubo, Nicholson, Moravian, Scandinavian, Holtzapffel, and Shaker, plus portable, hybrid, and informal setups. Roubo has the most weight, Nicholson the simplest construction, and Moravian the easiest to move. Scandinavian workbenches are good for fine cabinet work.

2. How Thick Should a Workbench Top Be?

A workbench top should be 3 to 4 in thick. A Roubo top can be 4-6" thick. A thicker top can add weight and stability to your bench but will also increase the price and make it less portable.

3. What is the Best Woodworking Bench for a Beginner?

The Nicholson and Moravian are the best types of woodworking benches for beginners. Both of them use joinery that a new woodworker can learn, and the Moravian knocks down when you need space or move house. A door on sawhorses works as a budget stopgap while you build.

4. What is the Difference Between a Roubo and a Nicholson Workbench?

The Roubo uses a thick top and stout legs to allow planing without moving. The Nicholson has a much lighter rectangular frame with a broad front rail and simpler joints. The Roubo requires much more wood, knowledge, and floor space, whilst the Nicholson uses less.

5. Which Vise is Best for a Woodworking Bench?

A face vise will do the most versatile jobs, and most people start here. For holding boards between bench dogs, add a tail vise. The leg vise is very affordable and gives you lots of clamping force for working on edges. The shoulder (or twin screw) vise will pay off with dovetail and case work.

Types of Woodworking Benches: Final Thoughts

Each bench offers a unique solution to the problems you may face. The Roubo gives you weight, the Nicholson allows you to keep things simple, the Moravian is perfect for on the go, and the Scandinavian will reward you for precise work. If you want an instant solution, then look at the Lie-Nielsen or portable benchtop.

We hope this has helped you decide what type of bench to go for. Check out our other blogs for more woodworking tips, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about types of woodworking benches. Thank you for reading!