Last time I tried you can bury it most of the way, then cover with roof. Could cover with floor, but on the chance it takes AoE damage I'd rather it doesn't start with half health from rain.

Mostly I start with a central workbench, then build workbenches onto walls. If that means my base is several walls thick well, ok, my inner stuff is more protected.

Stone is good too, you can clip a big stone wall through half a workbench, then snap another on the other side for complete coverage. Complete rain protection, solid against most mobs, and you can stack other workbenches on top for a high wall with work/forge/stone building ability.

If it's just spawns campfires are good - unlike work benches most things don't attack them, and once they run out they don't take damage from being stood on.

Currently I've got bonfires out beyond my main wall to aid in seeing event mobs - I don't even care about the spawns there but I guess it's a bonus.