Concrete Work Bench

[mebedave]

I had one of them brain storms that you think no body else but you came up with,
A CONCRETE WORK BENCH!!!!! Sorry to let myself down when I goggled it it’s been done already. I know all about kitchen countertops they have been out for years now but never seen a work bench. Never the less I think this is a great idea (that I thought of…lol) very strong and cheap to make. Here are a few youtube examples of what I plan to put in my shop. Do any of you guys have concrete tops? Can anyone think of a reason this would be a bad idea? Please make any suggestions you think would benefit the design

Here’s how I plan to do it, cast in place with rebar and iron work edge. The thing I plan to do different than the below link is make it free standing. I don’t want it poured into the wall, I have wood framed walls so my bench will be stand alone. I will make the legs a little different to balance the load.

.1

.2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=8DNcrvlfook


Here is a way you can make a top for let’s say… a small exiting bench. Only thing I’d do different is add rebar and iron work edge

 

[camarotoolman]

Some flee markets have concrete tables, cc blocks fo legs, they pour them on the ground and move them around with a tow motor.

 

[Ric in Richmond]

In WWII they used concrete benches to increase the accuracy of small lathes and made precision parts in the garages and workshops of America.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/monarch-lathes/not-monarch-but-useful-info-just-same-166280/

 

[boseefus402]

As long as it isnt ultra heavy banging on it where you could crack or chip it, it should be fine. I wouldnt be afraid to do some hammer work on one, but I might think twice about taking a beating on something like an axle on top of it.

 

[ptschram]

In WWII they used concrete benches to increase the accuracy of small lathes and made precision parts in the garages and workshops of America.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/monarch-lathes/not-monarch-but-useful-info-just-same-166280/

They are also used in laboratories for mounting the balances on. They used to be sold in three pieces, two legs and a top with a piece of pipe bracing between the two legs.

I worked in a lab with a marble bench for the balance and another where the balance bench was made out of concrete.

 

[Steevo]

I think it would depend on what kind of work you do on them. Greasy, oily stuff like tearing down engines or transmissions might be prone to soaking into concrete, so sealing it would be critical.
And don't bang on it, whatever you do. If you have ever seen a porch that someone has split wood on, you know how easily concrete can crack or chip.
Make sure you cast in studs for your vise, too, since drilling mounting holes will be difficult.
And don't scrimp on the rebar.

 

[mebedave]

I think it would depend on what kind of work you do on them. Greasy, oily stuff like tearing down engines or transmissions might be prone to soaking into concrete, so sealing it would be critical.
And don't bang on it, whatever you do. If you have ever seen a porch that someone has split wood on, you know how easily concrete can crack or chip.
Make sure you cast in studs for your vise, too, since drilling mounting holes will be difficult.
And don't scrimp on the rebar.

yep lots of rebar, plan to weld the rebar joints.

 

[ConCretin]

yep lots of rebar, plan to weld the rebar joints.

I wouldn't recommend welding rebar. Bars with the designation A706 are weldable - standard rebar is not.

I'd also mention, that rebar in a shallow section like a work bench top isn't doing you much good anyway. Put it in if it makes you feel better - I would- but a concrete workbench won't stand up to much pounding, whether you have rebar or not.

I love the concept but I'm not sure it's all that practical in a working shop.

 

[TONE]

I knew an old bicycle store that had one. It was real nice.

The top had old bike parts on its top and then they poured a clear rosin over it all. The rosing gave the top some cushion, made it easy to clean and added even more strength to it.

This top was about 2 inches thick if memory serves me.

Good luck with your project.

 

[mebedave]

I wouldn't recommend welding rebar. Bars with the designation A706 are weldable - standard rebar is not.

I'd also mention, that rebar in a shallow section like a work bench top isn't doing you much good anyway. Put it in if it makes you feel better - I would- but a concrete workbench won't stand up to much pounding, whether you have rebar or not.

I love the concept but I'm not sure it's all that practical in a working shop.

I'm not to sure why you say you can not weld rebar, I weld it all the time?

 

[Zeke]

Concrete work bench. Bad idea, IMHO. Can you mount a vise on it easily? No. Can you weld on it? Definitely NO!. Can you beat on it? No. Will it clean and refinish? We'll see.

 

[cyamaha2007]

Ive made some at my last job a precast plant. I would put a ton of threaded insets in them. I would have a 1/4 in plate i could bolt to the bench for welding. Use rebar and bend up some 90 degree corners. I have one for our farms chop saw and small lathe. I stained and sealed mine it almost looks like frankinstien granite, Legs are tricky tho i cast concrete around square tubing just in case. You cant tell its there but if some one hit it with a tractor or something a 2400lb slab of concrete wouldnt fall on some one. Mine were about 10in thick. 6in pvc makes good corner forms so does sytofoam covered in cling wrap. Buy some form oil from a nu way type store. Let it harden for 3 days at 70 degrees. 1 week at 40 degrees.

 

[mebedave]

Ive made some at my last job a precast plant. I would put a ton of threaded insets in them. I would have a 1/4 in plate i could bolt to the bench for welding. Use rebar and bend up some 90 degree corners. I have one for our farms chop saw and small lathe. I stained and sealed mine it almost looks like frankinstien granite, Legs are tricky tho i cast concrete around square tubing just in case. You cant tell its there but if some one hit it with a tractor or something a 2400lb slab of concrete wouldnt fall on some one. Mine were about 10in thick. 6in pvc makes good corner forms so does sytofoam covered in cling wrap. Buy some form oil from a nu way type store. Let it harden for 3 days at 70 degrees. 1 week at 40 degrees.

10" thick i like that

 

[mebedave]

Concrete work bench. Bad idea, IMHO. Can you mount a vise on it easily? No. Can you weld on it? Definitely NO!. Can you beat on it? No. Will it clean and refinish? We'll see.

yes i can mount a vise on it easy, drill hole and thru bolt it if you can't plan before the pour.

yes i can weld on it, do you ever weld on your concrete floor, i do all the time

yes i can beat on it, do you ever beat on something laying on your concrete floor,i do all the time.

yes it will clean and finish, it can be ground,buffed,polished to look like glass if one wanted that look, and sealed

 

[Jamesbbh]

I wouldn't recommend welding rebar. Bars with the designation A706 are weldable - standard rebar is not.

I'd also mention, that rebar in a shallow section like a work bench top isn't doing you much good anyway. Put it in if it makes you feel better - I would- but a concrete workbench won't stand up to much pounding, whether you have rebar or not.

I love the concept but I'm not sure it's all that practical in a working shop.

I was wondering about that too, I made this entirely out of lowe's bought re-bar I had left over.

 

[cyamaha2007]

The classes i went to said if it wasnt a706 you were weakining it severely by welding.

 

[805gregg]

Just get a sheet of steel plate, I just priced a 1/4" 4'x8' steel plate at around $220. You can beat on it, weld on it, mount a vise etc. it will outlast you. I have one bench 3/4" plywood covered with galvanized 22 gauge steel, another coverd with 3/8 steel plate and now an outside bench made of 1/4" steel plate all are easy to maintain are bullet proof and very usefull.

 

[mebedave]

Just get a sheet of steel plate, I just priced a 1/4" 4'x8' steel plate at around $220. You can beat on it, weld on it, mount a vise etc. it will outlast you. I have one bench 3/4" plywood covered with galvanized 22 gauge steel, another coverd with 3/8 steel plate and now an outside bench made of 1/4" steel plate all are easy to maintain are bullet proof and very usefull.

1/2 i think would be better don't you think

 

[85YotaMan]

I wouldn't recommend welding rebar. Bars with the designation A706 are weldable - standard rebar is not.

I'd also mention, that rebar in a shallow section like a work bench top isn't doing you much good anyway. Put it in if it makes you feel better - I would- but a concrete workbench won't stand up to much pounding, whether you have rebar or not.

I love the concept but I'm not sure it's all that practical in a working shop.

I also weld rebar often, for concrete application and art work... There is nothing wrong with welding up the joints in the rebar for a table. Supposedly it weakens it if not the correct grade... riiight. Once the concrete is cast into place it's not going anywhere, tie wire works good too.

How thin are we talking here? As long as it's atleast 2" and you're using quality crete it should be plenty strong and YES rebar is VERY important... #3 bar 6 inches on center should do the trick. I've been pouring 1.5" concrete in houses for in-floor heat systems for years with no problems... but like others are saying buy STEEL, 1/2" 4x8 sheet works great!

 

[Jack Olsen]

double post?!

 

[Jack Olsen]

It's a nice idea for a counter top, but not a great one (in my opinion) for a work bench.

The reason you can bang on a concrete floor is that it's supported in a very uniform way by the substrate it's sitting on.

Hammer on a 4" thick piece of concrete that is suspended between leg-like supports, and you will (probably -- eventually) break it. Strong in compression; weak in tension -- it's the recipe for a good piece of showmanship.

Concrete will also absorb just about any liquid you spill on it. You can seal it, but you're going to have to keep re-sealing it over its lifespan. And cracks will become particular problems when it comes to absorption -- and cracks are going to be hard to avoid in this application.

But as others have said -- it's not a terrible idea. But it all comes down to how you plan on using it. Wood and steel have great advantages for most work bench use (mechanical, woodworking, carpentry, metal fab). But they also have shortcomings.

There is no perfect solution for every application.

 

[ConCretin]

I'm not to sure why you say you can not weld rebar, I weld it all the time?

The reinforcing bars you are likely to buy at your local supply house are not meant to be welded - it weakens the bar considerably. if we are talking about a workbench, there is no need to weld the bar anyway - just use full length pieces.

There is no advantage to welding the bars where they cross. Just use wire ties to join the bars. This is not a structural connection, it just keeps the bars in position until the concrete is placed.

Look, as a concrete guy, I love the concept but in reality a concrete workbench is more money and is less practical than a wood or steel bench.

 

[PT Doc]

How heavy would this top be? Cost would be pretty low. Taking both into account is key compared to other surfaces. I wouldn't-simply too cold for my feel.

 

[mad57]

If your looking for an all around bench use steel, but if your up for the challenge go for a crete bench, we use fiber mesh and a product called cavasil? maybe spelled right....but both work to strenghten concrete ALOT. good luck and post pic when done.

 

[RivennHewn]

Welding on concrete is one thing, torch work is another story.

Concrete will explode if exposed to heat for too long,

leaving large craters in your top.

 

[mebedave]

All very good points here, that's why its always better to post it here before you try something new (or new to you)!! I hear you guys loud and clear,still think concrete bench has it's place (somewhere). Thank you for the lesson about welding rebar.

 

[KMinAF]

I got mine for free from a local precast concrete company. It is made from two sections of stadium seating about 3" thick, 16" deep and each section is 4' long. The pieces have a rounded front edge and are rebar reinforced and sealed. When it was poured there was an issue with the form which left a small 1/16" ridge along the back edge rendering it un-usable as a seat. Any spill is eaily wiped up and I really appreciate having a solid flat surface to work on. If I need to "massage" something with a large hammer I just put a scrap piece of plywood down to protect the surface. I easily mounted my vise using a masonry bit and red heads.

I was amazed at what they had available in their "bone yard" and they even helped me load the pieces. Now if I could just find a use for those awsome columns that they had for $100

 

[joes169]

I have a bench with concrete tops I poured. They are 3.5" thick, which makes them pretty heavy, so you need decent support under them. Here's a pic (don't mind the clutter). The bigger piece on the left is 11' long by 26" wide, not a crack in it due to good curing. They take a decent pounding as well, I have a few employees who work on them on occasion.

 

[mebedave]

I have a bench with concrete tops I poured. They are 3.5" thick, which makes them pretty heavy, so you need decent support under them. Here's a pic (don't mind the clutter). The bigger piece on the left is 11' long by 26" wide, not a crack in it due to good curing. They take a decent pounding as well, I have a few employees who work on them on occasion.

nice!! what process did you use to cure them

 

[sooz52]

Hi, I’m building an outside workbench and already got the walls, angle iron and bricks in place, but I’m worried about being able to use impact on the surface (it’s for everything from painting to welding to whatever). But reading this forum I can see that I’ve probably planned this badly as it won’t take impact. Does anybody have suggestions to allow it to take impact, I was thinking maybe a layer of rubber then sheet metal? Or do I need to accept that this won’t do for impact work?
I’m a newbie at most things but like to DIY, so here to learn.

 

[PopcornSutton]

The only bench I have made with concrete is my shooting bench. And it has rebar in it.

 

[sooz52]

Ok rebar sounds like a plan. Not sure what a shooting bench is used for.

 

[PopcornSutton]

A concrete shooting bench is the best because it's stable. You can't shoot accurately on a shaky bench.

 

[cannuck]

The reinforcing bars you are likely to buy at your local supply house are not meant to be welded - it weakens the bar considerably. if we are talking about a workbench, there is no need to weld the bar anyway - just use full length pieces.

There is no advantage to welding the bars where they cross. Just use wire ties to join the bars. This is not a structural connection, it just keeps the bars in position until the concrete is placed.

Look, as a concrete guy, I love the concept but in reality a concrete workbench is more money and is less practical than a wood or steel bench.

And, as a concrete guy you know that the rebar will be doing SFA until the concrete breaks - and that it can be the cause of failure. Concrete is a fantastic material for some things, but a work bench top it is not.

Also, to the steel guys: I cheaped out 40 years ago (cash was tight as rebuilding after a fire) and built my 4 x 8 layout/welding table from 1/4". Where the legs and stiffeners are welded on distorts enough to ruin it for any precise layout work. I now do that on a 3/4" 3 x 6 that stays very flat.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Keep in mind this thread is 13 years old.