Nice Wood Work Bench Surface Protection

[dfndr]

How do you protect the surface of a nicely finished work bench from dings and fluids?

 

[gungatim]

if you want it to remain looking like a formal dinner table, use a table cloth.

only half kidding...I often times use a cheap vinyl/felt backed picnic table cloth over benches when I am doing something extremely messy, assembling a motor, head, etc. or when I am butchering a deer.

toss it in the trash when done. I stock up at end of season when they are on clearance for a buck or so...sure they have Christmas, Thanksgiving, or other holiday themes but they work!

 

[rieferman]

My workbench looks like a war happened on its surface, and I kind of like the patina actually.... tells a story of past projects somehow.

That said, if I'm doing something really obnoxious, I temporarily throw a piece of hard board (for pounding) or cardboard (for fluids) on top to absorb the pounding / mess.

 

[jjkrjh]

1/4 lexan if you want to see it. Or 1/2 conveyor belt to protect it.

 

[mxdev]

Different workbenches for different tasks. Steel top for hard work, replaceable plywood for generic work, and my woodworking bench just for woodworking.

 

[BillK]

How do you protect the surface of a nicely finished work bench from dings and fluids?

You dont

 

[SOKY]

I wipe my woodworking bench down with tung oil from time to time. No real reason or science behind it other than I had some left over from a project and thought WTH. Made it look real nice!

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

How do you protect the surface of a nicely finished work bench from dings and fluids?

It's called a "work" bench for a reason!
As previously mentioned, war wounds tell stories...

 

[Shadowdog500]

You dont

Best answer

My grandparents used to have protective pads on their nice dining room table that only came off for thanksgiving or Easter dinner. The protective pads looked like 3/8” luan plywood with felt on the side that faced the table.

The top of my bench is just 2x4s but I do keep a piece of cardboard on the top to keep it from getting too bad. I pit a new piece of cardboard when it gets too messy. I picked up this trick from an upholstery shop.

This is not my grand mom. Lol!

 

[Stuart in MN]

Put a piece of tempered hardboard on top of it. Cheap and durable.

 

[Jackfre]

Why would you want to?

 

[matt_i]

Put a piece of tempered hardboard on top of it. Cheap and durable.

This is easiest and greatest bang for the buck but you'll miss out on the surface....and with wood a brand new perfect surface is only 1/16" deeper

 

[JAYoung]

I floated laminate flooring on my old bench, held around the edges with aluminum molding. The stuff is tough and resists fluids and if it gets dinged eventually I'll go to the ReStore and get another leftover box for $20.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I use a sheet of hardboard on my workbenches secured with a few pin nails. When it gets too dirty or banged up, tear it off and drop in a new sheet.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Bench top is 1 1/2" maple butcher block finished with shelac. There are a few dents and dings, just adds character.

 

[ItsNemo]

I did one side good sanded plywood on the top of mine and put 5-6 coats of spar urethane. Everything just wipes right off and it does make the surface a bit harder so it resists dings a bit better. If I'm throwing something heavy/metal on the top, I'll just grab a piece of cardboard or something first and use that and can throw it away when done.

 

[dfndr]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Some good ideas. It’s a homemade bench that just turned out too nice to beat the **** out of. Cardboard or Masonite should do the trick and whe not doing heavy or messy work the shine still will look good—although I understand those of you who just use it and enjoy the beaten look.

 

[PugetDude]

!/4 Masonite, tack it down with a few brad nails around the perimeter.
I rough-cut it a bit oversize and then use a flush-trim router bit to trim the edge for a perfect fit.

 

[TTTTTT]

On my "good " woodworking bench. (Have others for the crappy stuff . Nice 2" maple I recently refinished with water based varathane, but the floor finish version. A much harder and tougher finish than regular that I use for projects. So far looks great and holds up very well.

Sent from my ASUS_Z01HD using Tapatalk

 

[bugnut]

I use luan plywood, thanks for the thought of trimming oversize and finishing with a flush trim, I m going to try that.