I’m fed up with working on the floor of the garage and as I don’t really have room in my garage for a permanent work bench I was thinking of building one that folds flat against the wall.

So the plan is to source a work surface and attach it the wall via a battoen and hinges.

However, has anyone got any ideas on how I can secure the legs?

I was initially thinking of using hinges for these too but they will be too long to fold up behind the work surface?

Was also planning to have the legs run from the edge of the underneath of the work surface at an angle and sit where the floor meets the wall – would this work.

Any advice greatly appreciated as I haven’t a clue!

I used to have one just like that. The legs were hinged so that when it was folded up against the wall they went with it. Worked really well.

oh, the legs on mine were just vertical. The length didn't matter as it folded up the way.

I was initially thinking of using hinges for these too but they will be too long to fold up behind the work surface?

Depends on the height of the bench & its depth.

Your other suggestions sounds OK to me, good to brace the support diagonally if you are likely to be putting alot of force on the bench.

Depth of bench will be about 60-70cm. Height will be about 100cm so legs won't fold under.

Perhaps I could check to see if I could make depth longer as it would be so much easier to just fold them behind, otherwise I would have to have detachable legs but not sure how I'd do this.

Just realised that if I make the the surface deeper, the legs will folder behind it but the surface will be too long to fold down wall!

Have it fold up?

As I said – fold it UP the way…

Sorry, missed that part of the suggestion!

I have a feeling the light switch is just above!

or have the legs swing out from the wall, bit like on a dining table

Don't have legs – cantilever it

suspend chain/rope form the ceiling?

http://www.woodworkcity.com/wordpress/2008/01/10/folding-work-bench-plans/

I like this one from the link GTDave posted:

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-make-a-fold-down-workbench/index.html

Or could you butcher 1 or 2 of these kits from Ikea?

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80091713

Ikea also list this one:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20104718

but whilst it's in the Flash based catalogue on the UK website, you can't find it by searching to see how much it is.

I am a big fan of the Black & Decker workmates.

I used pop hinges from Wickes, no need for legs as the hinges lock. Pop the button and the workbench folds flat against the wall. My bench is about 1.5x1m and made of some old 12mm ply.

I think its these, but can't be 100% sure:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/3-Position-Folding-Bracket/invt/165031

Cheers all, I like the look of those pop hinges – will have a look in my local Wickes/B&Q/Homebase

Make the legs fold along the length of the workbench. When unfolded, use another length of wood to brace them apart and parallel to each other.

pop hinges are a good call. problem is that if you want to line up 3 or 4 to make it nice and strong, you'll have to be crawling underneath to activate the ones in the middle. still, small price to pay!

take the slacker approach – you can get cheap folding steel trestles in Lidl just now for about 6 quid. Get something light but rigid like a door, stick it on top. Thats it. Then you can place your workbench anywhere you like – like out in the room so you can work either side of it, working against the wall can mean you're always casting a shadow over what your working on. You can then work outside when its sunny, take it in the house when you're decorating. Take it to the high street when you want to had out leaflets about animal cruelty or to sell the socialist worker. Sell your home baking from your front drive…. I could go on, and I might in a bit.

A whole new life awaits you. I trestle, do you trestle too?

Second for the Black & Decker workmate. Source a piece of nice thick kitchen worktop & attach a block to the underside. Then clamp the block into the workmate. A mantlepiece & pipe for admiring your handy-work are optional.

What spooky said – have the legs folding along the bench a put a simple bracing strut in place to lock them when using it. If the bench is not as much as twice as wide as the height you could offset them slightly

Have done it, will post some pics up some time.

Went for the pop hinges from Wickes.

One of them isn't exactly straight on the wall (her indoors was indicating when straight so not my fault :-)) so it doesn't fold completely flat against the wall but isn't a problem.

Thanks all.