Bench top Advice

[Marcmcm]

Doing a re-do of my small workshop come spring time and I plan on make the back wall of my shop my workbench with cabinets below. It looks like it'll be about 13 feet wide. Best bets for a work bench top that long? I do a lot of motorcycle work, no welding, it will definitely have a vise attached to it as well.

 

[rwhite692]

Bowling lane material, if you can find some locally.

 

[Scout Driver]

I did my recently built bench with 10 gauge (1/8th inch) steel. The steel shop made it with a 1" lip that extends down the front and sides, and made a 4" backsplash. My cost was a buck a pound for the weight of the steel.

Scott

 

[D KRAGER]

Unless you are going for looks. Good old 2 X 12's (3 wide) I think are the best material. Yea it will get dirty black, torch marks ect. (I think good character) But you really can't destroy them, I've seen farm workbenches last 50 years made out of good old 2 x lumber. Also plenty strong for a vise.

 

[ehegwer]

sometimes the return area of Ikea has the butcherblock stuff real cheapl

 

[Ocho]

2 layers of 3/4 plywood with a sacrificial layer of hardboard. $10 to replace the hardboard when it gets so bad you cant stand it in a few years.