STAINLESS STEEL countertop......the cheap alternative!

[TONE]

Okay, I really like the look-function of a nice stainless steel worktop. However, when doing my garage and the two large counters I have it just wasnt in my budget.

So, being involved in the sign industry and knowing about certain types of rare and sorta unusual material I came up with an cheap alternative.

I built a base for the countertops just using particle board. The sheets where glued and screwed together. Then I had the tops made to cover.

The material is aluminum. Its actually has the grain running thru it like stainless. To be honest, you really cant tell the difference.

We use to make high end signs out of this stuff for restaurants and bars mostly.

Anyway, here is a pixs. This is one of the two benches I have in the garage.

The plastic/protective film is still on it.

Not bad for $70 (materials and labor to fab)



I will post this in my Hey, hey..............I get a garage thread as well.

 

[tigmusky]

hell ya. looks good. I likey


Daye

 

[Gds14r]

that looks great!

 

[Scout Driver]

Very nice

 

[dfndr]

Yes, very nice indeed.

 

[rown4au]

That looks great, where did you get the material? Is it softer than stainless?

I have several large workbenches and counters I am going to be building in the new shop and I am trying to figure out use. At the moment leaning toward IKEA butcher block top.

 

[egdede]

One advantage to living in metropolitan wastelands of Los Angeles is the abundance of salvage materials. We put retired restaurant counters into my buddy's garage for $10.00 a linear ft (materials only). I tried to talk him into the quilted back-splash, he declined.

 

[back2class]

I like the way it looks but how durable could it possibly be???

 

[ddawg16]

Dude....that is nice.....good idea.....

Yea, it may not be as durable....but...hit it with a 3m Scotch pad...besides, once it gets a bit 'distressed', I think it will have character...

What gauge AL did you use?

 

[T.Hadley]

I have had an aluminum bench top for the last 16 years with no issues, and mine is racecar garage so it really gets used to build stuff.

T.

 

[TONE]

Well, my sign company did the same application (except we used a different color of aluminum).

Those benches where near 10 years old.

They where scratched up, but no dents or anything.

But then again, ANYTHING will scratch when worked on.

This method is nothing new at all, like mentioned above, people have been making bench tops like this for years and years.

I was more or less showing the new finish I found.

I like the way it looks but how durable could it possibly be???

 

[HIRISC]

I think it looks awesome and should be plenty durable.

Very clever use of materials. Kudos.

I won't tell you what I paid for 16' of stainless countertop

 

[aczr2k]

Looks good, the only thing is unfinished aluminum is always dirty.

 

[TONE]

This is actually an anodized product with a clear finish on it.

Looks good, the only thing is unfinished aluminum is always dirty.

 

[brimorga]

That is freakin awesome. Esp for $70! How can I do the same?

 

[sberry]

Mine isnt as fancy.

 

[JOHNMAN]

I can't believe the questions. Aluminum would be an awesome alternative to stainless.

Trust me, stainless scratches easily. Any metal surface that is used will scratch if it is used. Like others said, it will add character.

I used stainless because that was the cheapest solution to me.

I love the metal surfaces as they wipe down so easily and you can really clean them up. I can't imagine doing any sort of "clean" work without a metal counter top. I suppose I spoiled myself.

I think the aluminum looks really nice!

Great alternative.

 

[rown4au]

Forgive my ignorance but how would a novice go about making one of these? I am curious as to a good source for the blank stock and how you would form the material over the sheets of particle board and end up with the nice corners that you seem to have.

Sorry if this is blindingly obvious to the more experienced metal workers out there but I haven't done any metal fabrication to speak of before.

 

[back2class]

I was wondering more about big dents than scratches. Who cares if their garage counters have scratches?

 

[JOHNMAN]

The ones shown in the OP were professionally made. These are formed in a large metal brake. Some of mine were made in a shop in Kansas City where I moved from, and the rest were made out in the shop where I currently work. I was able to buy mine at material cost.

You could look in your local phone book to try to find a sheet metal shop. You might find one that will work with you.

 

[JOHNMAN]

I was wondering more about big dents than scratches. Who cares if their garage counters have scratches?

If the metal surface is mounted to a solid surface, It really shouldn't "dent" very easily. Mine are 16ga stainless over well supported 3/4" ply and they don't dent even with considerable beating. Mine are surprisingly more durable than I thought they would be.

I would assume Aluminum would be very similar. Neither is going to match the durability of a 1/2"+ thick steel welding table.

 

[rwhite692]

I would assume Aluminum would be very similar....

Eh, No. Aluminum is dead soft by comparison.

 

[mrpaco69]

Tone what gauge alum is the counter top also is there a specific name for that alum with the finish and coating on it?

 

[Jack90210]

If it is clear anodized, then the "softness" issue (compared to stainless steel) goes away as the anodized layer is extremely hard. Some googling revealed this.

The advantages of anodizing are two-fold. The first advantage is the stunning color that may be imparted to the piece. The second (and debatably more useful) advantage is the dramatic increase in hardness of the surface. The surface effectively becomes sapphire (Al2O3) when anodized. 6061 is a common alloy of aluminum because it is the least expensive to purchase and fairly easy to machine. Alloy 6061 also happens to be the easiest to anodize. The hardness of this alloy is less than 25 on the Rockwell C scale. Anodized aluminum has hardness close to 80.

That's much harder than the hardest stainless steels.

 

[TONE]

I dont know the actual gauge.........

I want to say .40

Not positive though. I could check later tonight on my paperwork.

Tone what gauge alum is the counter top also is there a specific name for that alum with the finish and coating on it?

 

[Zrexxer]

The cheap alternative has always been just using galvanized sheet steel. I had a sheetmetal shop bend up a 22 ga top for my bench for about $30; it's been in service about 10 years and is undamaged.

 

[tfro]

If it is clear anodized, then the "softness" issue (compared to stainless steel) goes away as the anodized layer is extremely hard. Some googling revealed this.



That's much harder than the hardest stainless steels.

A little more googling would show you that the hardness is only a few thousandths deep, if that. The increased hardness is really only a benefit for abrasive wear and galling type issues. It won't do anything noticeable if you're dropping a part on the surface.

 

[TONE]

Like I said before in this thread.

Ive had this application inside my sign companies shop area. Same everything except for different colored aluminum.

If a sign shop cant beat something up, believe me its strong.

I guess you could split hairs all day long.

I wont be smashing engine blocks with a sledgehammer on it.

 

[rwhite692]

Someone needs to alert the restaurant and food processing equipment industry that they have it all wrong, and could be saving millions by switching to aluminum.

 

[jah304]

Looks good. I wouldn't mind having one for my Snap-on Taco Wagon.

 

[JOHNMAN]

Someone needs to alert the restaurant and food processing equipment industry that they have it all wrong, and could be saving millions by switching to aluminum.

I wouldn't go that far, but I can tell you that the aluminum top looks nice to me.

I do like my stainless, but that's just me.

 

[TONE]

Ummmmmmmmmm, they use stainless for cooking and food preperation. Stainless has the best bacteria containment levels.

And besides, I wasnt trying to imply this is better than stainless steel. As I mentioned in my earlier post, this was a Cheap alternative. I copied stainless because I liked its looks.

Shrugs shoulders, rolls eyes, kicks can.........

Someone needs to alert the restaurant and food processing equipment industry that they have it all wrong, and could be saving millions by switching to aluminum.

 

[iagsxr]

Thinking about this today at work;

How is the aluminum top attached to the particle board?

I think it looks great. THe only thing I was pondering was that if it is .040(we make race car bodies outta that) it might oilcan if it took a very localized hit and wasn't securely enough attached to the particle board.

 

[rwhite692]

I apologize, Tone...I was in a crappy mood at the time, and I ran my mouth... I agree it is a nice, cost-effective alternative.

 

[TONE]

Its no sweat.............

I apologize, Tone...I was in a crappy mood at the time, and I ran my mouth... I agree it is a nice, cost-effective alternative.

 

[RUQKENF]

I think it looks great. I am also in chicago and I was wondering if you could PM me the info of the shop where you got it.
Thanks,
Tony

 

[Handyman163]

Very nice job on the benchtop - looks top-shelf.

What is the back-wall with grooves in it above the bench called? Does it come in 4x8 sheets, or what?

 

[TONE]

Yeah, its available in 4x8 sheets. I got these from menards. Its called slatwall.

Heres a link to a writeup I did on my garage. Theres more info on it in here.


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42080

Very nice job on the benchtop - looks top-shelf.

What is the back-wall with grooves in it above the bench called? Does it come in 4x8 sheets, or what?

 

[Tazfink]

If it is clear anodized, then the "softness" issue (compared to stainless steel) goes away as the anodized layer is extremely hard. Some googling revealed this.



That's much harder than the hardest stainless steels.

The "hardness" that you gain from the anodizing only penetrates 0.010" MAX. It does not harden the entire thickness, for that, you would have to heat treat the part. Heat treating is slowly heating the aluminum up, maintaining a set temp for a predetermined time, and slowly bringing it back to room temp.

You can also get different tempers of aluminum, for example 6061-T0 is VERY flexible easily formed. 6061-T6 is harder and will crack if you try to bend too tight of a radius on a 90 deg. bend even in 0.125" Sheet.

The different alloys of aluminum will vary the hardness as well. 5052-T52 forms very easily (sharp sheet metal bends), 6061-T6 (decent formablility), 2024 & 7075 (very strong and MACHINE WONDERFULLY!!)

Sorry I ran on....


Just read ahead.... Sorry for the Too Much Info.

 

[pixelmonkey]

looks nice!

i did the same in my garage last spring using .063 aluminum.


i currently have the aluminum off and finishing the ends. I had the initial 90 deg bend for the back splash complete, and have done the rest via 2x4 and rubber hammer.

getting there though!
chris<pixelmonkey>