Reference

Dimensions, the cut list, the gotchas, the glossary, and the measurements to take before you buy. Print this page; it's the one you'll keep at the bench.

Five things to measure or confirm before buying anything

Each of these can kill the design if you skip them. Tape measure, level, half an hour.

Stair clearance. Carry a 99" cardboard tube or scrap 2x4 from your driveway to the bedroom. If it doesn't make the corner, the Pinnarp won't either. You'd need to redesign for a two-piece top with a seam.
Back-wall stud locations. Run a stud finder along the back wall now. Mark every stud. Confirm there are at least 5 studs across the 98" run — there should be 6, but old framing can be unusual.
Left wall plumb. Hold a 4-ft level vertically against the left wall. If it's out by more than 1/4", plan for a scribed filler strip (a tapered board to fill the gap) or accept a thin caulked seam.
Back wall baseboard depth. Measure how far the baseboard sticks out from the drywall. If more than 5/8", the bottom rail will need a notch, or you add a 3/4" spacer behind the frame. Plan now.
Husky tool chest dimensions. Confirm width and depth from the product page or by measuring an existing chest. The cabinet was sized for 27" wide × 18" deep. A wider chest won't fit.

Don't skip step 1

People underestimate stairway constraints. A 98-inch slab is longer than most rooms — it has to pivot up the stairs at the right angle. If the landing turn is tight, the slab won't make it. Test with a cardboard tube before driving to IKEA.

Final dimensions

Overall width	98 3/8" (250 cm)
Overall depth (frame)	22"
Top depth (with overhang)	25 5/8"
Counter height	48"
Frame height (under top)	46 1/2"
4x4 leg length (before levelers)	45 1/2"
Top thickness	1 1/2"
Section count	3 equal
Section opening width (interior)	~29 1/2"
Section opening height (interior)	~41 3/4"
Section depth (interior)	~20 1/2"

Cut list

Front elevation diagram of the workbench frame. Two outer 4x4 posts, two interior 2x4 dividers, top and bottom rails, with overall width of 98 3/8 inches and frame height of 46 1/2 inches labeled. — Front elevation. Use this alongside the cut list when laying out parts.

4x4 pine (3 1/2" × 3 1/2" actual)

Part	Qty	Length
Outer leg (left)	1	45 1/2"
Outer leg (right)	1	45 1/2"

2x4 pine (1 1/2" × 3 1/2" actual)

Part	Qty	Length
Interior divider post	2	45 1/2"
Long top rail (front)	1	91 3/8"
Long top rail (back) — wall cleat	1	91 3/8"
Long bottom rail (front)	1	91 3/8"
Long bottom rail (back)	1	91 3/8"
Short side rail (top)	2	18 1/2"
Short side rail (bottom)	2	18 1/2"
Stretcher between dividers (top)	2	18 1/2"
Stretcher between dividers (bottom)	2	18 1/2"

3/4" plywood

Part	Qty	Dimensions
Cabinet bottom	3	29 1/2" × 20 1/2"
Cabinet door	3	30 1/2" × 42 3/4"
Lens cabinet side liner	2	41 3/4" × 20 1/2"
Lens cabinet shelf	4	29" × 20"
Middle cabinet shelf (optional)	1	29 1/4" × 20 1/4"

1/4" hardboard

Part	Qty	Dimensions
Cabinet back panel	3	30 1/4" × 42 1/2"

Joinery — pocket-hole layout

Every 2x4 rail has 2 pocket holes on each end, drilled with the Kreg jig into the broad face. Screws drive from inside the cabinet into the 4x4 leg or 2x4 divider, so they're hidden when viewed from the room.

Cross-section of a pocket-hole joint: a horizontal 2x4 rail meeting a vertical 4x4 post, with an angled hole drilled from the bottom face of the rail and a screw driven through it into the post.

Use 2 1/2" screws into the end grain of 4x4s — plus a dab of wood glue, because end grain holds a screw weaker than face grain.
Use 1 1/4" screws into 2x4 face grain.
If any joint feels iffy after assembly, reinforce with a metal L-bracket on the inside.

Wall anchor detail

Top-down cross-section: the bench's back 2x4 rail in front, drywall in the middle, wall stud behind, with a number 14 by 4 inch lag bolt passing through all three layers. — Six minimum lag bolts across the 98" run, each into a real stud.

Amateur gotchas

The shortlist of things first-timers miss:

Knots bleed through paint for months unless you use a stain-blocking primer (Zinsser BIN or Cover Stain). Don't skip the primer step.

Painting only one side of a plywood door makes it warp. Paint both sides equally, even though only one shows.

Pocket-hole screws into end grain are weaker than into face grain. Always add wood glue at those joints.

Door reveals are the most visible quality marker. Spend the time. Use the hinge adjustment screws after install to dial in even gaps on all four sides.

The Pinnarp is veneer over particleboard. Don't chop on it. Don't put hot pans on it. Seal every cut edge before the top sees any moisture.

Drywall is wavy. Don't bolt the back rail tight against a hump — you'll twist the frame. Shim with washers until the rail is flat-against-flat.

Don't fix the top with rigid screws. Wood moves with humidity. Use figure-8 fasteners so the top can expand and contract without cracking.

Mask pocket holes and joint faces before painting. Paint inside the pocket gums up the screw. Paint on glue surfaces kills the bond.

Glossary

Pocket hole: An angled hole drilled with a Kreg-style jig. A screw goes in through the angle and joins two pieces, with the screw head hidden inside the joint.
Lag bolt: A thick wood screw with a hex bolt head. Used here to anchor the back of the bench into wall studs. Driven with a wrench or socket, not a screwdriver.
Stud: A vertical 2x4 inside your drywall. Holds the wall up and gives lag bolts something solid to bite into. Find them with a stud finder.
Plumb: Perfectly vertical. A wall is "plumb" when a level held against it reads dead center. Houses settle; walls are rarely plumb.
Level: Perfectly horizontal. The countertop is "level" when a bubble level on it reads dead center.
Square: Corners meet at exactly 90°. Test a rectangular frame by measuring both diagonals; if they match, it's square.
Reveal: The gap around a closed cabinet door. A consistent reveal looks intentional; an inconsistent one looks broken.
Overlay door: A cabinet door that's bigger than the opening and covers the frame edges. The opposite is an inset door, which sits flush inside the frame. Overlay is more forgiving for amateurs.
Edge banding: A thin strip of wood with heat-activated glue on the back. You iron it onto raw plywood edges to hide the layered look.
Figure-8 fastener: Two metal rings joined at the center. One ring screws to the bench frame, the other to the underside of the top. The center pivot lets the top expand and contract with humidity without cracking.
Scribe / scribed filler strip: A board cut to match the shape of an uneven wall, so the bench's straight side meets the wall's wavy line with no gap. Used when the wall isn't plumb.
Pre-drill: Drilling a smaller hole before driving a screw or lag bolt. Prevents the wood from splitting.
Pilot hole: A pre-drilled hole that guides a screw into wood. Smaller than the screw's thread diameter so the threads grip.
Clearance hole: A pre-drilled hole the same diameter as the screw shaft (no threads). Lets the screw pull two pieces together tightly.
T-nut: A metal insert with internal threads and outer prongs. Hammered into a hole in wood; you then thread a bolt or leveler into it.
HVLP sprayer: "High volume, low pressure" paint sprayer. Atomizes paint into a fine mist for a smoother finish than a brush or roller can achieve.
Self-leveling enamel: A paint that smooths out brush or roller marks as it dries. Cabinet-grade.
End grain: The cross-section of a piece of wood — the part where you see the growth rings. Screws hold poorly in end grain; add glue.