sheet metal workbench top

[keithh2oskier]

Hi everyone. I recently bought some 18ga sheet metal for my workbench top. It currently is just sitting on it. What is the best way to secure the sheet metal to the plywood deck that it currently sits on? I heard contact cement is the way to go. How do you recomend that it stays flat? Should I just take some 5 gal buckets of water and put them on some 2x4s to help it press into the wood?

Also since I will have an L shaped bench with 2 pieces of sheet metal joining at the corner, what is the best way to make the edge as seamless as possible? I don't have a welder so thats out of the question. I was thinking of running a bead of caulk or some sort of adhesive along the crack just to keep it smooth.

Thanks.

Keith

 

[Kevin54]

Treat it just like you would a sheet of Formica. Clean the back real well to get rid of all oils, then I would take some 240 sandpaper just to give it a little tooth, clean it real well again, then spread some contact cement on it. If your plywood is not very smooth, top it off with a piece of thinner MDF before putting contact cement on it. Let both almost dry to the touch before putting one on the other.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

A word of caution with contact cement. It is unforgiving. Once you drop that sheet metal down, you can't adjust it. When you put formica down a little trick that is used is to put a bunch of dowels on the bench top and then slowly role them out as the formica is positioned and pressed in place. You might want to adapt that method to your application...

 

[kelpaso1]

I used silicone. A few beads on the wood top and flatten/spread smooth the silicone. Don't need to cover the whole top. Put the sheet metal on and the silicone allows you to move it around to get it just right. Also don't need to put any weight on it either. Just use a roller or block of wood to make it smooth. Do the front/L after the top has dried a day and do it the same way but use tape to hold it while it dries. For the edge, not sure what to do there. I had my sheet metal bent in a L and have a nice round corner. Also, use galvanized metal (like furnace duct sheets) so it doesn't rust because ordinary steel WILL rust and look like **** in a year or two.

 

[D rock]

I just drilled holes in mine and attached w/ roofing nails...

 

[Falcon67]

I used silicone and some cylinder heads until the silicone set up.

 

[hrlychrly1]

when i built my new garage 2 years ago, my son who works at a metal shop, took 1/8" stainless sheet, bent 3 sides down 3 1/2" to cover the 4x4 frame, welded and polished the corner seams. i then made a 4x4 frame that fit the top snugly, and we just set it on top. as heavy as that stainless was, that top wasn't moving. course then i mounted a vise on top.

 

[marty_p]

Liquid Nails or a generic equivalent will also work. Plus you'll have a few seconds of 'wiggle time' to get it just right!