Steel top for work bench?

[JasonJ]

It is finally time for me to order my steel top for my work bench project and I am having problems deciding which thickness to go with. The top is 26"x97" and will be supported by 1.5" thick MDF (two 3/4 pieces).

I have been trying to decide between 10 or 12 gauge hot rolled steel. But I am open to other ideas as well.

Work is mostly motorcycle related and there will be no welding on the table.

 

[rsanter]

Either gauge will be fine for what you want. I think you could even do with 14ga unless you plan on beating on it a lot.
The trick is to get the metal stuck to the wood really good for the best support.
I would use spray or contact adhesive and put some weights on the top to hold it as the glue sets up

Bob

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

A solid subsurface that doesn't let the steel bend / dimple / yield when impacted will be the key. Wood surfaces that are soft will leave you with dimples in your top, but a good solid surface will prevent it. MDF is fine, but I'd still top it with a sheet of hardboard/Masonite and coat it with a good contact adhesive like 3M's Super 77.

Also, if you want to add some niftiness, get the rear of it bent up at a shop for a small fee. Ideally a kickup of about 4" in the back, and a drop in the front by an inch or two will really prevent it from getting damaged, while also being very easy to clean. This is something I need to just sit down, measure, and order myself as well.

 

[JasonJ]

I did not consider a harder layer between the steel and the MDF. Good idea.

There will be at least 1.5 inches bent down on each side and in front to cover the MDF and anything else used to support the top as recommended.

I have the Wall Control metal pegboard going from my upper cabinets down and past the work surface. I did consider bending up a 6" or 8" back splash but decided that if I went that high, I would loose the versatility of having the peg board there. So I decided to go with a 1" bend for the back splash just to keep things from rolling off.

I can use the peg board to bring parts bins and etc to the work bench as needed.

 

[Reitwagen]

I also mainly work on motorcycle stuff. I went with a 1/8 steel top. I bought a 4x8 sheet and Albany Steel bent it for me. If you look there is a channel in the front for fluids. It works great.

Except for the steel top and lag bolts the rest of it was made from leftovers.

 

[AZ Glen]

why would you want hot rolled steel? I prefer cold rolled.

 

[chadman]

why would you want hot rolled steel? I prefer cold rolled.

Hot rolled pickled and oiled is a great surface.

 

[chadman]

To the OP, I would definitely go with the 10 gage or thicker. Mine is 7 gage hot rolled pickled and oiled and I don't regret going that thick for a minute. Here is mine:

Here is a closer view.

 

[burleyfarm]

Please explain "pickled and oiled". What is the process.

 

[chadman]

This process is a treatment where the steel is descaled through a treatment with an acid wash which also makes the steel more rust resistant. Then it is oiled to further enhance corrosion resistance. The end product looks like the picture I posted above. That bench top is three years old now and still looks like the day it was installed.

 

[SuperD]

I just finished a metal top bench, 30 X 96 inches and used 12 gauge on top of the 3/4 plywood. A couple of tips. Make sure ever who brakes ( bends ) the metal for you goes slightly past 90 degrees especially on the front of the bench. My metal guy was a little shy on the bends and it created a slight crown on the center of the top which makes it a nuisance for small round items to roll off the bench. I would also consider to weld 3-4 1/4 inch studs from the underside at the center in a couple of places and drill through the wood top so you can bolt and pull the center down when you place the metal on the bench, glue it was well liquid nails etc. It may sound like overkill, but I wish I had done mine this way.

 

[chadman]

I glued mine down with PL400. I didn't experience any bowing or need for studs in the center. Probably partly due to the thicker steel.

 

[burleyfarm]

This process is a treatment where the steel is descaled through a treatment with an acid wash which also makes the steel more rust resistant. Then it is oiled to further enhance corrosion resistance. The end product looks like the picture I posted above. That bench top is three years old now and still looks like the day it was installed.

My bench top looks exactly like yours only I still have the scale on it. I used 1/8th inch and had them bend the ends also. I'd like to acid treat it as you did. Can you share what type of acid, strength, etc was used for the process and what type of oil to use. Thanks

 

[Acuratechva]

To bring this back from the dead...at least i searched lol.

Which acid did you use on your bench top? Im about to pull the trigger on a bench top and would like to do it right the first time.

 

[sberry]

Why glued down? 10 ga is fine, 12 would be too but 10 is quite a bit stiffer.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I believe the pickling [acid] and oil is done at the manufacturing level.

 

[brownbagg]

12 gauge is a slight under 1/8. if i could afford it myself i would do 3/4 or one inch, but i cant afford it

 

[matt_i]

I believe the pickling [acid] and oil is done at the manufacturing level.

Yes, don't ever allow acid into the shop, it will rust every bare metal object in the shop....

The non-pickled finish is about like what you get on an angle iron or I-beam as received from the mill. The black-ish coating is the mill scale.

The HRP&O finish is what's described above.

The cold rolled with automatically be descaled and in "finished" condition. However it already has cold work from being smashed into shape by megaton rollers. This could present problems if its bent hard on a finger brake. Press brakes usually bend with a gentler radius in my experience.

As far as thickness, it depends partially on how much heat you intend to put into it from torch work or welding. The thinner metals can buckle whereas the thicker stuff will be OK. The second part of the equation would be direct hammering or bucking the blows from punches or chisels onto other parts laid on the benchtop. Also thicker is better.