Bench top material?

[Innovate1]

Have a heavy bench that the top is beat up - corners especially so needs more than just a new sheet on top. 30" x 60". Thinking a solid core door with some sort of replaceable top sheet would be sturdy and fairly cheap to do. Not planning to do anything too abusive on it. Any suggestions?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Solid core doors are usually pretty good, and if you're resourceful you can often find one that someone's throwing out for free. I like using a layer of tempered hardboard for a replaceable top sheet, it's pretty durable and inexpensive.

 

[Lorydr]

I got a solid door from a hospital before it was brought down. I trimmed about 4" off the knob side, and turned that into a back splash. It's a heavy, solid *******. I used a dual set of doubled up 2X6s, for front legs.

 

[tool_scrounge]

If you have the time, you can find really nice butcher block tops on the used market. The last 30x60 boos block table top I purchased was barely used and came with legs for $100. I sold the legs for $15. In the end it cost me 25% of what they sell for new.

 

[finn]

Solid core doors are usually pretty good, and if you're resourceful you can often find one that someone's throwing out for free. I like using a layer of tempered hardboard for a replaceable top sheet, it's pretty durable and inexpensive.

I never had much success with the tempered hardboard top. It soaks up solvents like brake cleaner and turns to a soft, fuzzy mess.

Probably ok for a woodshop, though.

 

[69CHARGERMD]

I bought a inexpensive kitchen counter top at lows works great . Also has a back splash which is nice. I think it's 8' long

 

[Bigbird]

Have a heavy bench that the top is beat up - corners especially so needs more than just a new sheet on top. 30" x 60". Thinking a solid core door with some sort of replaceable top sheet would be sturdy and fairly cheap to do. Not planning to do anything too abusive on it. Any suggestions?

Mine is 2x4's laid flat with 5/8" finish plywood on top of that. Very solid and tough in my use.

 

[Innovate1]

Mine is 2x4's laid flat with 5/8" finish plywood on top of that. Very solid and tough in my use.

Did you varnish that? Seems like a good thing to make it hold up better.

 

[BTL-A4]

I have 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood screwed and glued together with 16 Ga steel on top. I tried the tempered hardboard top and it didn't hold up well to anything wet.

 

[jives]

My solid core, maple veneer top with a finish has soaked up every spill -- solvents, oils, thinners, cleaners, water, paints and stains, and more. I have two butcher block tops I plan on refinishing, but they won't be for general use. An old student formica work desk is my glue up and layout top. But my main table is one of those industrial style all steel jobs, with the top removed and the underside filled in with solid wood. It is very heavy, takes a beating, absorbs no liquids, does not burn under welding or grinding. But, no woodworking tools on this bench.

Moral of the story is intended use.

 

[Skellyii]

I used a solid core door for my first worktop in my first house 40 years ago. It held up very well.

In my current house I also have solid core doors on both workbenches. They will probably out last me.

 

[nicholsmf]

I used 5/8" Steel and never regretted it.

 

[MushCreek]

I have one 8' and one 6' bench I made from Formica counter tops that were being thrown out. Free for the hauling, and they've held up well.

 

[Bigbird]

Did you varnish that? Seems like a good thing to make it hold up better.

It’s over 50 years old and I was given it about 40 years ago by my friend’s dad. It has moved with me 3 times. I didn't use varnish, but I have stained and rehabbed it over the years with stiffening and added that finish-ply top about 17 years ago. I stained that too. Since then, I give the top a spray of WD40 once in a while and rub that in. It seems to like it! This is it in it’s current home:

 

[Hammer1963]

You might try hardwood flooring. I have used blemished unfinished maple and white oak. I purchased mine at Lumber Liquidators at a very, very reasonable cost. I finish them with multiple coats of high traffic satin floor polyurethane with great results.

 

[Innovate1]

You might try hardwood flooring. I have used blemished unfinished maple and white oak. I purchased mine at Lumber Liquidators at a very, very reasonable cost. I finish them with multiple coats of high traffic satin floor polyurethane with great results.

Interesting idea. What did you use for a base layer under the flooring? How did you fasten it down?

 

[Stuart in MN]

I never had much success with the tempered hardboard top. It soaks up solvents like brake cleaner and turns to a soft, fuzzy mess.

Probably ok for a woodshop, though.

That seems odd - in my experience tempered hardboard is pretty resistant to grease and oil. I admit I don't get much brake cleaner on it. A coat of varnish can help make it more resistant to things soaking into the surface.

 

[nadogail]

When the floor of garage that we park our car in was epoxy coated, I asked them to coat the bench in that garage also.

 

[thammel]

I use smooth masonite on mine. Easily replaceable.

 

[phred]

I’ve made several and covered them with Formica. They have held up well to chemicals and general abuse. I recently picked up some corian tops that were being tossed. Very stable material.

 

[Innovate1]

When the floor of garage that we park our car in was epoxy coated, I asked them to coat the bench in that garage also.

Interesting. I am having our floor epoxy done next week and he said he could do the step into the house and showed some pics of others he had done. Ours are just painted and have held up will with just a narrow strip of bare wood right on the front edge.

 

[Skyman]

I had the wooden stairs done when the garage floor was done. It has held up well for two years. I wouldn't add flakes to a benchtop.

 

[Innovate1]

I see there is a small gap between the stairs and the floor. Were the stairs coated and then installed? Mine sits directly on the floor so I think the stairs will end up glued to the floor by the epoxy. Not sure that's a problem but if I ever need to replace them it will make things difficult.

 

[Skyman]

The stairs were in place for twenty years before they were coated. They looked pretty bad before, but now look as good as the slab. The slab is sloped. I don’t know whether there was a reason for the gap below the bottom riser, or the contract just went to the lowest bidder. I might guess it is to allow the space under the stairs to breathe and dry out if someone were to hose down the slab and drove some water under there. I expect all of it to outlast me, so I’m not worried about ever replacing it. And, a replacement would land in the same places on the slab anyway, so I really don’t see an issue there.

 

[Wes Tex]

I found an old metal oil company sign; turned it over and screwed it to my rolling work bench. It has held up well over the years. It probably has some advertisement on the front side that is now valuable.

 

[JAYoung]

The workbench that came with my 100-year-old house was beat up, so I bought a box of left-over vinyl laminate flooring at the ReStore for $20 and floated it on top, secured with aluminum molding. It's held up well to both pounding and spills.

 

[lolaetype]

I have two metal Craftsman workbenches I replaced the top on about 8 years ago. I used the thickest MDF I could find and applied multiple coats of polyurethane. I kept applying coats until it stopped soaking in; maybe 12 coats in total. I also did the edges. The tops are hard and durable. Water, gasoline, acetone, brake fluid, carb cleaner, oils and greases don't soak in; they all just wipe off. When we moved 4 years ago I configured the two benches back-to-back, which explains the joint down the middle in the picture. The backsplash is a black painted 1X4.



Someone suggested a sheet of Masonite as a topper. I used that before I made these tops and as Stuart mentions in post #17 above, a couple of coats of polyurethane will greatly prolong it's life.

 

[rd65]

My FIL gave me some solid core doors, or so I thought. I cut them down to 30", one turned out to be a fire door, full of gypsum and boy did that make a mess. It is furthest in the corner. At some point I will put some formica down that he gave me, just havent gotten that far yet. I've only had the formica for 3 years, or 5, something like that.
Pic is from 2019, bench is too covered in junk to see these days.

 

[Jazz1]

Source some 1/8” steel plate at scrapyard,,that was my method to cover my 1 1/2” plywood top to prevent further burns and soaking up solvents etc..

 

[fishwatcher]

My big box (maybe Costco) work bench came with 3/8” sheet particle boards for the top and bottom shelf. They were pretty thin and after years of use.. the top soaked up liquids, got stained, and had swollen lumps on it.

I thought I was clever the first time I tried to solve this, by flipping the top over and BAM! I had a new looking top. I may have even sealed it with a coat of poly.

Then.. I searched for new and used “butcher block” tops. Not real butcher block with the end grain on top.. but stuff from Home Depot, Grainger and Amazon as well as used from Facebook marketplace.
I found one by Husky on FBMP for $100, cut it to fit (my first real use of a circular saw), and replaced the particle board top with it.



I love it! It’s got a few dings on it now.. but nothing worth complaining about. I keep a silicon mat on it to keep the top clean and to prevent more dings.

I took the particle board top and moved it to the bottom shelf so that’s twice as thick now. Ignore the table top I have clamped in a vise on my WorkMate. I’m just reusing this picture from a different post.

 

[rd65]

My big box (maybe Costco) work bench came with 3/8” sheet particle boards for the top and bottom shelf. They were pretty thin and after years of use.. the top soaked up liquids, got stained, and had swollen lumps on it.

I thought I was clever the first time I tried to solve this, by flipping the top over and BAM! I had a new looking top. I may have even sealed it with a coat of poly.

Then.. I searched for new and used “butcher block” tops. Not real butcher block with the end grain on top.. but stuff from Home Depot, Grainger and Amazon as well as used from Facebook marketplace.
I found one by Husky on FBMP for $100, cut it to fit (my first real use of a circular saw), and replaced the particle board top with it.



I love it! It’s got a few dings on it now.. but nothing worth complaining about. I keep a silicon mat on it to keep the top clean and to prevent more dings.

I took the particle board top and moved it to the bottom shelf so that’s twice as thick now. Ignore the table top I have clamped in a vise on my WorkMate. I’m just reusing this picture from a different post.

I just open my workmate and clamp the 2x2 in it...

 

[Jgaz]

My woodworking bench top is four thicknesses of 3/4” Baltic birch glued together. I wanted weight to hold the bench in place while planing boards.
The surface has held up well for almost 20 years. The solid maple edging is a must IMO.
I refinish the top from time to time with a mix of BLO, and spar varnish thinned with mineral spirts so it can be wiped on.


I drill dog holes where I need them and am not afraid to screw a jig to the top if it helps accuracy with a large project. (Think king sized bed headboard.)


I have a steel top bench for dirty work but I’ve not babied the woodworking bench at all.

 

[fishwatcher]

I just open my workmate and clamp the 2x2 in it...

Yah, but then where would I keep my vises? Lol.

On a daily basis.. I don’t have that worktop clamped. I keep the two vises on my WorkMate.