coating workbench tops?

[TOOLFREEQ]

I've seen new toolbox tops utilizing the bed liner coated tops. I've been considering coating my workbench tops which are currently particle board. Does anyone have any experience doing this? I'm a good painter so I'm confident I can do this and make them look good, but I'm questioning the durability and resistance to chemicals.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I know some of the spray in liners are chemical resistant but I am not sure about the ones you can apply yourself. They may not be as durable or chemical resistant. You might consider poly sheets. I had a workbench with that on it and it worked out well. I actually still have it in my basement but I no longer use it since I built the garage except for storage.

 

[vavet]

For me, a pretty workbench top is counterproductive. I want something sacrificial that I don't mind getting paint on. I want to be able to screw a cleat into it. I want something that I won't cringe if I accidentally drill into it.

Workbench tops are expendable and should be replaced periodically.
My $0.02

 

[Al Bundy]

I coat mine with oil, grease, parts and tools. I don't know what the surface looks like I never see it.

 

[ItsNemo]

I did one side good sanded plywood with a few coats of spar urethane. Wipes up from oils/grease/grime pretty easily but when it gets really ugly, a quick pass with the sander, a new coat of urethane and good to go.

 

[Falcon67]

I like either steel (thick or galvanized cover) or 1/8 hard board with porch paint. The hardboard takes a beating, easy enough to spiff up with your choice of paint color, and when it's eat up you can strip it off and put down a new cover. I've got about 14 linear feet of bench with 1/8 hardboard top. It's going on 6 years since the build and it's holding up real good. Have everything from feather weight toys to 60 lb cast iron cylinder heads rolled around on it. It'd be pretty if I buffed it with some scotch brite and a little paint, but where would I put the 90 lbs of **** that's all over the bench top...

 

[strutaeng]

Tempered hardboard, aka Masonite.

The stuff is so inexpensive and durable. Big box has 1/8 and 3/16 (nominal) thicknesses.

 

[doorfx]

Get a piece of 1/8" steel, have them bend an edge on the front and your done forever. Lol

 

[Moose97]

A friend of mine made a bar for his game room. Covered the whole thing with some kind of coating that appears to be like a thick plastic. Hard as a rock and seemingly indestructible.

 

[Dr Stan]

Made my bench tops out of lightly used commercial solid core doors. One with the big vise has commercial restroom textured wall covering. Works very well and it is easy to pick up small items due to the texture.

The one with my bench grinders, small belt sander, etc is simply painted.

 

[kaje36]

Take a Look at Upol Raptor for a coating. It is very resistant to chemicals. I believe they use aviation Hydrolic fluid as a test for coatings, and if something last 5 minutes its considered good. Raptor lasted 24 hours. I recently did my garage floor in the stuff, and its been fantastic!
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6037915

 

[TOOLFREEQ]

Take a Look at Upol Raptor for a coating. It is very resistant to chemicals. I believe they use aviation Hydrolic fluid as a test for coatings, and if something last 5 minutes its considered good. Raptor lasted 24 hours. I recently did my garage floor in the stuff, and its been fantastic!
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6037915

I'm going to check this stuff out! Thanks, Id love to see how your floor looks!

 

[Jazz1]

I anchored 1/8" steel plate atop my 12'x3' bench. The bench itself was made from left over 2x4's and plywood from construction of the garage. Previous to adding steel top the plywood had a nice coat of varnish which looked great for about 3 months. The idea of applying primer and 5 coats of candy paint to steel top has long since passed.

 

[R_einan]

I used a scrap of rubber liner out of a potato bin 1/4" thick cord reinforced rubber, works for me!

 

[Stuart in MN]

Tempered hardboard, aka Masonite.

The stuff is so inexpensive and durable. Big box has 1/8 and 3/16 (nominal) thicknesses.

This is what I do, it makes an easy sacrificial surface. Looks pretty decent as well.

 

[kbs2244]

I is a WORK bench.
I use the 1/8 inch, pre-finished whit. "bath room paneling" and replace as needed.
It stands up to anything but acetone.

 

[Empty Pockets]

My work bench is MAPLE Butcher Block. I have a piece of tempered Masonite screwed to it in the corners. Once the Masonite is too badly messed up to use, I simply unscrew and replace