need suggestions for potting bench top

[BTL-A4]

I'm making my son a potting bench. I'm looking for suggestions for a top. The top is about 18" x 36", with a small lip around the back and sides. Most of what I've seen in my research were wood ones with a wood top that were sealed with Danish Oil or spar varnish of some sort

Some of my more rational, realistic thoughts so far:
-Wood: I have some oak that might work, but it needs to be sealed. I'm thinking Danish Oil, since I have some.
-Wood: I have some 2x4's I can glue together to make a cheap butcher block style top. I'd seal it with Danish Oil, then spray it with a clear paint to seal it some more.
-Plastic: melamine would be nice, but it's pricey and I'm concerned it will warp in the sun.
-Find a kitchen countertop used and cut it to fit. These are usually some sort of plastic over particle board, and when water gets in the particle board, the table is ruined.
-Use whatever I have and replace it when it gets ruined. For example, I have some plywood I could seal and use.

Anyone got any other thoughts, comments or ideas?

Here's a rough draft idea (the lip is not shown). The shelves will probably be some sort of perforated metal, not wood as shown, unless someone suggests something that has to be bought in a big enough sheet that I'd have enough to make shelves as well as the top. The structural pieces (shown in green) are 1.5" square steel tube that I will weld and paint.

 

[Jgaz]

I used a product called Star Board for the replacement top of my WorkMate.
It’s often used for cabinet building on boats.

This WorkMate has been outside continuously for over eight years now.

 

[Packard V8]

I've built several potting benches and found metal work surfaces preferrable. Find one which was a countertop in a former life. Scrap yards and Habitat ReStores are good sources.

The first one was built around a sheet of galvanized steel that already had a lip on it.
The second, I went to the scrap yard and found a stainless steel countertop. Cutting it to size was a bitche; try to find one usable as is.
The third had a powdercoated top from a laboratory table.

jack vines

 

[PhantomEB]

Off topic…A couple years ago I made michelle a flip up table out of lumber and plywood. Painted it purple, covered with glitter and resin.

I have put grow lights in the laundry room, need to add wire shelving and build her another table. Did see some planed hardwood at the big box store…..hmmm thinking 24x48 with hair pin legs. Cover with glitter and sealant this time?

 

[four.cycle]

I'd go to a sheet metal fabrication house - one of those outfits that stamps out furnace and a/c ducts - and have them chop off a piece of galvanized sheet steel to fit the table top and be done with it. Seal the wood up good under it so it doesn't rot away.
Just my two cents.

Potting bench you're going to be dropping metal trowels, terra-cotta pots, and dirt.

 

[snickers muncher]

Mine is just treated 4x4s and decking boards held together with 3 inch deck screws.

 

[BTL-A4]

I used a product called Star Board for the replacement top of my WorkMate.
It’s often used for cabinet building on boats.

I saw that material. It's really expensive in the larger sheets. Good to know that it's lasted so long! Maybe I'll just buy some and be done with it.

I'd go to a sheet metal fabrication house - one of those outfits that stamps out furnace and a/c ducts - and have them chop off a piece of galvanized sheet steel to fit the table top and be done with it. Seal the wood up good under it so it doesn't rot away.
Just my two cents.

Potting bench you're going to be dropping metal trowels, terra-cotta pots, and dirt.

When I've inquired at those types of places in the past they want a large set-up fee and then a premium for the material.

I've built several potting benches and found metal work surfaces preferrable. Find one which was a countertop in a former life. Scrap yards and Habitat ReStores are good sources.

The first one was built around a sheet of galvanized steel that already had a lip on it.
The second, I went to the scrap yard and found a stainless steel countertop. Cutting it to size was a bitche; try to find one usable as is.
The third had a powdercoated top from a laboratory table.

jack vines

I like metal as well, but I'm concerned it will get really hot sitting in the sun. I might buy plastic sheet material to put over it and use as a work surface/cover.

I thought of a countertop, but they all seem to have particle board cores which don't play nice with water.

 

[BTL-A4]

So no one recommends, or has any comments on, using wood sealed with Danish Oil?

 

[mike93lx]

If your oak is white oak, go for it. If it's red oak, I wouldn't bother as it will rot much, much faster

Will this live outdoors? Assuming yes based on the warping due to sun. Greenhouse?

 

[BTL-A4]

Mine is just treated 4x4s and decking boards held together with 3 inch deck screws.

The plastic-y decking boards? I hadn't thought of those, thanks.

 

[Shiftless]

How about concrete?

Or Hardi board covered with 2 big 18x18 porcelain tiles?

 

[BTL-A4]

If your oak is white oak, go for it. If it's red oak, I wouldn't bother as it will rot much, much faster

Will this live outdoors?

I think it's red oak. Yes, this will live outside. I live in Southern California in an area that gets little rain and is very hot and dry in the summer.

 

[BTL-A4]

How about concrete?

Hmmmm... that could work. I'd have to cast a piece that was thick enough to stand up to being wheeled around and worked on and reinforce it with wire mesh. Might be top-heavy, though. I'll have to calculate what the weight of the metal frame is, and tell my son to make sure to put heavy items on the bottom shelf to keep it stable.

 

[Shiftless]

You can buy big precast concrete slabs at many landscape supply yards. But concrete would add a crazy amount of weight if you plan to wheel that bench around.

 

[RivennHewn]

I used an old solid core door, and clad it with zinc so it covers the edges, and wraps to the underside. Sealed the bottom with penetrating epoxy. Should be good for a few lifetimes.

Currently using it to redo my engine heads

 

[mike93lx]

I think it's red oak. Yes, this will live outside. I live in Southern California in an area that gets little rain and is very hot and dry in the summer.

Ah, socal, where you skip all the ****** seasons.

Red oak would probably last plenty long there.

 

[Jgaz]

I saw that material. It's really expensive in the larger sheets. Good to know that it's lasted so long! Maybe I'll just buy some and be done with it.

I’ll look for the eBay seller I used. He had off cut sizes in stock that I could use and the price was much cheaper than buying by the sheet

Deck boards wouldn’t be bad either.

 

[Jgaz]

@BTL-A4
This is a link to the eBay supplier I used in January of 2017. Looks like he’s still in business.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Don't be afraid to reach out to him with questions. I found him helpful. YRMV

Edit: Link works. Don’t know why it says “Pardon our Interuption”

 

[BTL-A4]

How about concrete?

A 2" thick by 36" x 18" concrete slab would weigh around 112 lbs. That's gonna be too top heavy.

For comparison, a 1/8" thick steel sheet would be about 23 lbs and 1/2" thick oak would be about 8 lbs.

 

[Shiftless]

112 lbs. That's gonna be too top heavy

That’s true if you want to be able to wheel it around.

 

[BTL-A4]

That’s true if you want to be able to wheel it around.

Yeah, he needs to wheel it around. I'd hate to have it fall on him or anyone else.

 

[MoonRise]

Danish oil outdoors? Not my first (or second) choice.

Unless you have an outdoors formulation with UV resistance, the sun will break it down rather quickly. And it really doesn't have all that much water resistance either. Or much surface protection. You or he will probably have to refinish the oil finish every couple of years or so.

I like Danish oil finishes for some indoor uses, but not what I would pick for outdoors uses or a heavy-use surface.

Outdoor use spar varnish with UV inhibitors would be one of my top choices for a wood table top finish.

Cedar, redwood, teak $$$, are usually good outdoors use woods. White oak is sometimes OK for outdoor use, I don't know how it would do against the SoCal termites though.

Plastic deck boards as mentioned (might have to run another cross piece or two, front to back, as 36" span is usually to much for the plastic deck boards. 12" or 16" is what most of the plastic boards call out for the joist spacing. Yeah, I know that it is 'just' a potting bench but someone eventually is going to put something heavy on it or stand on it.

Definitely no to a particle board counter top. For the reasons you already mentioned.

Metal table top would be a good option IMHO. If the table top is too hot, it's also probably too hot in general to be outside playing with plants.

 

[brothernov]

Composite deck boards.

 

[rlitman]

Mine started as the cart from my Weber Genesis grill. Removed the fire box and placed a 36" solid surface composite vanity sink that I took out of a bathroom being renovated. It's a perfect fit in the middle, and leaves the side tables available. I put a perforated style drain in the bottom (that clogs with dirt too easily), with a piece of 1" irrigation tube routed off of that to direct any drainage away from my feet, and I have a flex-neck cold only faucet that I can hook up to my hose.

 

[gahrajmahal]

If you like wood and like cheap, buy a couple of cedar fence boards and use those. I have a lean to covered “garage” for my gas powered leaf and branch chipper. The frame is made of pressure treated fence posts then wrapped in leftover house wrap for moisture protection. I then screwed the cedar deck boards to the side and the angled roof. We get lots of rain and snow and sun too with 90 deg days and it holds up just fine. It is near my wood pile and I abuse it by piling wood on it and my tools too.

 

[BTL-A4]

@BTL-A4
This is a link to the eBay supplier I used in January of 2017. Looks like he’s still in business.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Don't be afraid to reach out to him with questions. I found him helpful. YRMV

Edit: Link works. Don’t know why it says “Pardon our Interuption”

3 Sq ft max. I need a piece about 36" x 28" x 1/2" thick.

 

[BTL-A4]

Danish oil outdoors? Not my first (or second) choice.

Unless you have an outdoors formulation with UV resistance, the sun will break it down rather quickly. And it really doesn't have all that much water resistance either. Or much surface protection. You or he will probably have to refinish the oil finish every couple of years or so.

I like Danish oil finishes for some indoor uses, but not what I would pick for outdoors uses or a heavy-use surface.

Outdoor use spar varnish with UV inhibitors would be one of my top choices for a wood table top finish.

Cedar, redwood, teak $$$, are usually good outdoors use woods. White oak is sometimes OK for outdoor use, I don't know how it would do against the SoCal termites though.

Plastic deck boards as mentioned (might have to run another cross piece or two, front to back, as 36" span is usually to much for the plastic deck boards. 12" or 16" is what most of the plastic boards call out for the joist spacing. Yeah, I know that it is 'just' a potting bench but someone eventually is going to put something heavy on it or stand on it.

Definitely no to a particle board counter top. For the reasons you already mentioned.

Metal table top would be a good option IMHO. If the table top is too hot, it's also probably too hot in general to be outside playing with plants.

I've come to the same conclusions you have. I'm leaning toward the plastic top or metal. I've also looked at a few quartz countertop remnants, but those might be too heavy.

The plastic deck boards aren't as cheap as I thought. They are about $30 for one and I think I'd need about 3 to cover the top and 2 shelves. May as well go with the plastic and have a top with no seams.

 

[Jgaz]

3 Sq ft max. I need a piece about 36" x 28" x 1/2" thick.

He might have 3 or 4 boards to make that size panel. Would be cheaper to ship.

I used two of the wide boards on my Workmate. The narrow board was easy to rip on the table saw.

My pieces were “drops” or leftovers from a larger job
White was the only color when I bought mine.

 

[BillK]

If you like wood and like cheap, buy a couple of cedar fence boards and use those.

I was going to suggest the same thing. I have an old cedar picnic table that has become work/planting bench in the back yard. It is probably 30 years old and has never had anything done to it. The top is 1x6 cedar boards.

 

[tehach]

@BTL-A4
This is a link to the eBay supplier I used in January of 2017. Looks like he’s still in business.

Pardon Our Interruption...

Don't be afraid to reach out to him with questions. I found him helpful. YRMV

Edit: Link works. Don’t know why it says “Pardon our Interuption”

Yes, second the Star board recommendation. I have used the stuff for exterior projects and it is great material.

 

[BTL-A4]

I called a local shop and he had a remnant of 1/4" x 72" x 48" black Starboard that will suit my needs. He sold it to me for $170. At some point I'll post the finished table. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

 

[Mike65]

What about MDO (medium density overlay) plywood. I just watched an episode of The New Yankee Workshop where Norm built a planter bench & he used MDO & redwood to build it.

 

[mike93lx]

What about MDO (medium density overlay) plywood. I just watched an episode of The New Yankee Workshop where Norm built a planter bench & he used MDO & redwood to build it.

Tommy and Norm loved MDO. I don't think I've come across it... Is it still readily available or have veneered plywood taken over?

 

[ALinCarolina]

I would use something that will stand up water. With two greenhouses I have quite a few tables/benches.
Some are stainless steel tables I got at auctions when grocery stores or restaurants were going out of business. The ones I built are of either pressure treated wood or composite decking boards.

 

[dscheidt]

Tommy and Norm loved MDO. I don't think I've come across it... Is it still readily available or have veneered plywood taken over?

I see it at commercial suppliers. Haven’t checked prices, though.

 

[BTL-A4]

CONCLUSION
I made the potting cart for my son, a budding (pun intended) horticulturist:


The 1/4" Starboard was black. Not my first choice, but it was an extra piece the seller had that he sold me at a discount. If it's too hot to touch the surface, it's probably too hot to be gardening. I told my son to keep it under the patio cover. I used stainless steel hardware (except the wheels). The frame is 1-1/4" square steel tubing that has been painted and clear-coated. We'll see how it holds up. I was told by the seller the Starboard can buckle, but I placed the screws close enough together (as he suggested) to hopefully mitigate that.

Thanks to all for your help and suggestions.

 

[Griff79]

I picked up a damaged stainless steel kitchen top super cheap. Fit over the top of my bench works great repelling water and dirt. One drawback, it can get hot in the direct sun. But not prohibitive.
Griff

 

[Jgaz]

CONCLUSION
I made the potting cart for my son, a budding (pun intended) horticulturist:


The 1/4" Starboard was black. Not my first choice, but it was an extra piece the seller had that he sold me at a discount. If it's too hot to touch the surface, it's probably too hot to be gardening. I told my sone to keep it under the patio cover. I used stainless steel hardware (except the wheels). The frame is 1-1/4" square steel tubing that has been painted and clear-coated. We'll see how it holds up. I was told by the seller the Starboard can buckle, but I placed the screws close enough together (as he suggested) to hopefully mitigate that.

Thanks to all for your help and suggestions.

It will be interesting to see if the black is “too hot”

I faced the choice of white or black when I put Starboard on my Workmate top.
Living in Phoenix I went with white thinking it would be cooler.
What I didn’t take into account was the glare that I get off the white surface at times.



It can be distracting at enough that I will use a full face shield with my sunglasses instead of safety glasses.

 

[RTM]

Wow, jumping into this way too late, but I have / had several potting tables. One had a slat wooden top, where the loose **** falls thru. Bottom shelf was full of pots, so they serve as a incomplete collection system.

Another had a wooden top, with a dry sink at one end, left that at old house.

Another just a converted cabinet with a plank top Lots of poly on that one, plastic bins in cubbies to store stuff, had not reached it's full potential.

Most of these don't get pic in the GS thread

Just bought a SS table from an out of biz restaurant, it will go near my shed once we clear the space.

 

[Plump]

I used some leftover recycled plastic 2x6 planks from picnic tables that we use. They've lasted over 28 years so far without so much as the color changing. Expensive, yes, but indestructible. They are available at the big box stores, as well, so you can get them readily.