Workbench/Tool Stand Bottom Preferences?

I was debating just posting this as a comment in my existing forum thread about leveling shop floors, but decided it makes more sense as its own topic. The following is applicable to workbenches, tool stands, mobile tool stands, dedicated carts, just about any furniture one might build for their woodshop.

In the sketch above, you’ll see four workbenches with slight differences, grouped into two categories. As for the differences:

- Workbench #1 sits on a sheet on the floor
- Workbench #2 sits on a continuous rim on the floor
- Workbench #3 has four individual legs
- Workbench #4 has distinct feet, just not 4, in this case two big ones.

- Category A is any case where there is a uniform/singular contact between the ground and bottom
- Category B is any case where there are multiple separate connections touching the ground.

So how do you all prefer to design the contact surface on the bottom of your shop furnishings? My current thoughts on the matter are a bit scatterbrained, but figure I’ll share them:

Style 1: Assuming you want under-countertop storage of any kind, Style #1 lends itself to getting the most storage space out of the design, since the bottom shelf is directly against the floor. This version seems the most susceptible to issues with uneven floors or teetering on debris, like woodchips, causing issues if trapped beneath the contact surface. And if you choose to add leveling feet and/or casters, could nullify the storage efficiency I mentioned as a pro.

Style 2: Seems like a diluted version of style 1? You can lay a plywood sheet across the supports, and you’ve only raised the bottom of your storage cubby by the width of a 2x4 (or whatever lumber you used for the bottom cross braces). Because its only a rim contacting the ground as opposed to a full plane, if you had it on retractable casters and unknowingly lowered it onto a wood scrap or something as mentioned above, provided that obstacle isn’t directly below the rim, it shouldn’t be an issue. With that said, it still seems highly susceptible to issues with less than perfect shop floors. Assuming you wanted to incorporate leveling feet and/or casters, it may be slightly easier to do so than it would be on style 1.

Style 3: This style seems the most “furniture-like”. Having 4 discrete points of contact may still allow for wobble when the floor is less than perfect, but doesn’t seem as prone to it as either of the previous styles. Importantly, this style also seems to lend itself to being used with those screw-type leveling feet better than any of the rest, just drill holes in the center of each of the 4 wood legs. One downside is by virtue of propping the body up off the ground, your lowest shelf height is higher, reducing the amount of under-top storage with comparable countertop height relative to styles 1&2.

Style 4: Depends on the exact leg solution used. In this case, the two big feet, it just seems like an overbuilt, less precise version of style 3. Reduces the contact area down to multiple discrete points, so probably better than styles 1&2 at handling uneven surfaces, but if the floor isn’t smooth beneath those two beams, it may wobble. While leveling feet can certainly be attached, it’s not quite as intuitive ‘just add a leveling foot to each existing leg’ as style 3 is. Also raises the bottom shelf higher, same downside as 3.

Category A: Likely simple to build, lend themselves to maximizing storage space in a small shop, but seem more susceptible to issues with non-level floors.
Category B: By reducing the total bottom contact surface area and distributing it across multiple points, may reduce issues with wobble. May also integrate better with leveling feet for outright solving the issue. But add a bit of complexity to the build and lose storage-efficiency to the inherent clearance off the ground.

For some of my upcoming builds (including but not limited to: mobile router table, flip top tool cart for jointer/planer, mobile lathe stand) given that I’m operating out of a small shop with less-than-perfect floors, I’m mostly debating between styles 2 and 3, and will be including casters for sure, and likely leveling feet too. It seems like adding leveling feet would largely make the differences between styles 2 and 3 insignificant, although then it becomes a question of which style is easier to integrate them into? Would appreciate opinions relating to preferences on that front.

Thanks, and sorry for the long winded opening!