Advice on wood bench top

[Fyrme]

I will be building a wooden benchtop soon and was wondering what you thoughts were on how I plan to go about making a very solid minimal vibration surface. I will only be using the materials I have on hand. The finished top will be a 3/4" Sanded plywood that I will stain and seal with several coats of ploy. My question lies underneath however. I have at my disposal, some 1 1/8" plywood that can span the entire surface of the top. Or I have some 1 1/2" solid particleboard panels wrapped in a laminate that measure 12"x60". I was thinking of ripping the laminate off of the sides and joining a few pieces together to make a 24x96 base and affixing the plywood to the top of it. I know I the particle board would be more work, but if it would offer a heavier low bounce top, then I don't mind the extra work.

 

[yhprum]

I am going with the plywood. Plus you can glue and screw to the top plywood.

 

[KEH]

I would go with the plywood also. Particle board is basically glued together sawdust. The epoxy glue is what makes it strong, but like the other post said, you can run screws in the plywood.

KEH

 

[thdewey]

Particle board is a pour choice for a shop. The humidity will eventually cause it to degrade over time. If you leave the laminate on top it'd liekly chip. Due to you know "work". MDF is a much better choice.

My personal favorite is two 3/4" B-C plywood sheets with a top layer of 1/8" hard board. Basically thin MDF. This is my wear surface that after five years of painting, oil, cuts and hammer marks, I can flip it and have a whole new shop. It's also cheap to replace.

 

[Fyrme]

Don't think you guys are understanding. The particle board will go under the plywood top essentially making it a 2 3/4" thick top. I would screw through the PB into the plywood from underneath. I'm looking to add density to the top. And my choices are the 2" PB or 1 1/8" ply for the base with sanded 3/4" ply on top of that finished with a nickel poly finish.

I would never consider using PB as a finished top

 

[Smoky14]

Best bench I ever had was a section of bowling alley, got it when they were tearing down for the new composit alley.
They are so hard I ruined a blade cutting it to length.

YMMV

 

[ford33]

You didn't state what the purpose of the bench is going to be. Is it woodworking which requires a flat surface or general automotive and household repair surface?

I would use two sheets of plywood. Cut it to size and screw it to the bottom of the 3/4" plywood top.

However, plywood for the top would not be a good wearing surface. It would gouge easily and soak in liquids even with the polyurethane coating once the surface was gouged or scratched. I like thdewey suggestion to screw a thin MDF top onto the two sheets of plywood. You can replace it easily when it wears out.

I would also suggest putting solid wood edging around the entire top. It will keep the plywood strands out of your fingers when you move things on the edge of the bench and looks nicer than bare plywood.

 

[Fyrme]

It will be a general purpose bench. It will be wrapped with a hard wood trim for durability and yes I will have a 1/8" MDF floating top to protect it from scratches when needed for rough work. No welding or grinding will be done on this bench.

 

[Kevin54]

It will be a general purpose bench. It will be wrapped with a hard wood trim for durability and yes I will have a 1/8" MDF floating top to protect it from scratches when needed for rough work. No welding or grinding will be done on this bench.

I don't think you are going to be using 1/8" MDF, I think you are talking about 1/8" Masonite. Brown in color and smooth to the touch. MDF is like compressed sawdust.

For a general purpose bench, if you are going to top it off with plywood, use up the OSB underneath. It will be plenty solid. Then put your plywood on top, then the sheet of Masonite to prevent scratches. Or if affordable, top it off with some metal instead.

 

[Fyrme]

Yes Masonite. However when I bought it at the hardware store it is called MDF sheeting.

Edit: unfinished hardboard. But it comes up when you type in MDF panel.....
http://www.lowes.com/pd_15483-46498...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=mdf+wall+panel&facetInfo=
Here is a version with a design
http://www.lowes.com/pd_20465-46086...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=mdf+wall+panel&facetInfo=

Zero results come back for Masonite. I think that was either a universal term we use, like a weed eater, or a material they have replaced with MDF.

 

[Kevin54]

Yes Masonite. However when I bought it at the hardware store it is called MDF sheeting.

Edit: unfinished hardboard. But it comes up when you type in MDF panel.....
http://www.lowes.com/pd_15483-46498...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=mdf+wall+panel&facetInfo=
Here is a version with a design
http://www.lowes.com/pd_20465-46086...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=mdf+wall+panel&facetInfo=

Zero results come back for Masonite. I think that was either a universal term we use, like a weed eater, or a material they have replaced with MDF.

My bad, but you are correct. Masonite is actually the company name or brand name.

What I am calling masonite is actually like a compressed paper product, whereas MDF is the compressed sawdust and glue product. OSB...we all know what that is. Chipboard is similar, but more coarse than OSB.

But back to the bench, I would use the OSB underneath and keep the plywood for something better. 1+" of OSB alone would be enough to toss an engine block on.

 

[usmc_noma]

I'd agree with Kevin on this. OSB is cheaper than ply and works just as well. For my top I have two sheets of OSB and a sheet of masonite. It's very sturdy. If you're adding extra to get the thickness you'll be good to go with what you're trying to achieve.

 

[nine4gmc]

probably the 2" particle board for a thick base with the sanded, finished ply top.

 

[Engineer61]

Even 2" of particle board won't add much strength to the top - weight yes, but not strength. The 1 1/8 plywood would make a very strong top that you could beat on without cracking the 3/4" plywood, something that will probably eventually happen if you go with the particle board.

 

[machine_punk]

I don't know how much 3/4" ply you have, but I like 'double 3/4" ply" for my general benches...
View media item 18635
Kev

 

[tylernt]

I've heard of, and am about to use in my shop, a base layer of 2x4 (or 2xwhatever) laid down flat and glued to each other. This has both strength and mass, then you can just throw a thin sheet of whatever replaceable material on top.

If you need more strength or mass, glue the 2x4s standing up instead of laying down.

 

[Falcon67]

I used 7/16 OSB, then 3/4 ply, then 1/8 hardboard. Sits on a box frame of 2x4s. Ply and OSB screwed to frame, hardboard stuck to top with a little silicone so it can be replaced is needed. No flex.

 

[Fyrme]

Thanks everyone. Like I said, I'm using what I have, so osb and 2x's are not in the plans. I think I will go with the PB and top it with 3/4 sanded ply finished out nice and wrap it with a hard wood like oak, maple, or hickory. Then put a piece of hardboard on top when doing nasty work.

 

[MarkG]

My favorite, which I have on my main bench, is 2 layers of 3/4 birch ply and a top layer of 1/4 Masonite all laminated together with wood glue and edgebanded with 3/4 solid Oak. 1.75" total thickness. Drench the top surface several times with Watco Danish oil finish, letting it soak in all it wants.

When you're done, it's a nice solid, smooth, rigid and durable surface which can be renewed with addition coats of Danish oil anytime to refresh it if needed. The danish oil soaks in and doesn't flake off. Hardens the surface, but won't harm edge tools.

Read about it in some woodworking mag and did it. Works great for my uses! My other 'bench' is a 4 x 8 table on casters which is a great 'multi-purpose table' for my sign business and numerous hobby uses.

The Masonite work surface is VERY durable and smooth when finished in this manner. You'll be kicking yourself forever if you use plywood as a top (no matter how smooth it starts out!) it forms splinters quickly and frequently and once they start, it just gets worse! Machinepunk-----glue a layer of Masonite on there, soak it with Danish oil several times, and you'll never regret it. You'll be a convert!

 

[Steevo]

You haven't stated what the framework looks like that this top will sit on.
The 1-1/2" laminated particle board is thicker, but has less strength than the 1-1/8" plywood does. The fact that the particle board is also in 12" widths means that you have less rigidity across the top than with a continuous piece of 1-1/8" plywood. What kind of support will be underneath the top material? How far apart are supports for the top, and what are they made of?

 

[Fyrme]

Good point steveo. THese will be sitting under the top. The two in the back ground will be butted to the set in the foreground. The center section is a cabinet itself with shelves and sliding doors. So essentially, it will be a solid surface across the entire top as the frame work. They are Diebold cabinets and very heavy.
Edit: the tops you see in the pic have been sold. They were steel with a steel wrap and hollow in the middle. Very strange design and even though they weighed about 75lbs each but were very bouncy being hollow.