Steel top for workbench

[Maxcustody]

Updated 10/24/22

Picked up the bench top today. I am going to leave it bare metal.



I just got back from local metal guy and he suggested I go with a piece of steel for my workbench top and it is also considerably cheaper than aluminum. I am having him do a 28"x96". He is going to do a bend 2" for the face of the workbench as well as a 2" bend up the back so nothing rolls off. It will be 1/8" steel. At first I thought about painting it with an etched primer like rustoleum, however the more I thought about it maybe no paint................

Therefore that is the question. Will I have any issues leaving it bare metal? This will always be in the shop and not outside. I thought it may be cool to have a natural patina over the years. Any problems doing this?

Thanks

 

[JRC3]

Ever think about a used stainless commercial food prep top? 24 or 30" deep with a backsplash. I kick myself for not buying an 8' one at the ReStore a few years back. Probably not as durable as steel but better than aluminum. I have a smaller 4' roll around in the garage and it has held up pretty well.

 

[Maxcustody]

Ever think about a used stainless commercial food prep top? 24 or 30" deep with a backsplash. I kick myself for not buying an 8' one at the ReStore a few years back. Probably not as durable as steel but better than aluminum. I have a smaller 4' roll around in the garage and it has held up pretty well.

Yeah that would be pretty nice. I am in a pretty rural area, not a lot of options here for stuff like that.......................

 

[Garcky]

I think it depends on what you'll be doing on your new bench top. Paint can be problematic if you're working with metals on projects. It will get scratched up pretty quickly. Might be OK if most of your projects are woodworking. In the auto shops I've worked in, steel bench tops are unfinished. They don't seem to rust, probably because there is pretty much always a very thin film of oil on them. You spill, you wipe it down, but that thin film doesn't go away unless you physically clean the bench to remove it. On a painted bench, cleaning it will always be a problem if you work on cars. Grime will collect in the scratches in the paint, and pretty much make it impossible to clean the bench top when you want to.

 

[Maxcustody]

I think it depends on what you'll be doing on your new bench top. Paint can be problematic if you're working with metals on projects. It will get scratched up pretty quickly. Might be OK if most of your projects are woodworking. In the auto shops I've worked in, steel bench tops are unfinished. They don't seem to rust, probably because there is pretty much always a very thin film of oil on them. You spill, you wipe it down, but that thin film doesn't go away unless you physically clean the bench to remove it. On a painted bench, cleaning it will always be a problem if you work on cars. Grime will collect in the scratches in the paint, and pretty much make it impossible to clean the bench top when you want to.

Thanks, same thing I was thinking on the paint, it will constantly be scratched up etc. I would rather have it natural and not worry about paint chipping, scratching etc.

 

[65ranchero]

As a former auto tech in dealerships I can tell you a painted benchtop will be bare in a short while.
As others have said it will always be covered with a thin oil coating.
And if you want to brighten it up a 3M Scothbrite or a fine sand paper works.

 

[Maxcustody]

As a former auto tech in dealerships I can tell you a painted benchtop will be bare in a short while.
As others have said it will always be covered with a thin oil coating.
And if you want to brighten it up a 3M Scothbrite or a fine sand paper works.

Great thank you! I will leave it bare. Should be ready for pickup Thursday or Friday...................

 

[wssix99]

I wouldn't be afraid of it. I have a SawStop table saw with a plain steel table. It was shipped wrapped in a bag of oil. (Obviously not what one can do woodworking on.) When I cleaned the oil off, it immediately started to rust.

I found that using a coating of Paste Wax keeps the rust away and makes for a great working surface. I also have a Zerust cover, which seems to work well. (I haven't had to deal with any rust in 7 years.)

 

[Maxcustody]

I wouldn't be afraid of it. I have a SawStop table saw with a plain steel table. It was shipped wrapped in a bag of oil. (Obviously not what one can do woodworking on.) When I cleaned the oil off, it immediately started to rust.

I found that using a coating of Paste Wax keeps the rust away and makes for a great working surface. I also have a Zerust cover, which seems to work well. (I haven't had to deal with any rust in 7 years.)

Thanks! Going to stick with bare metal.......................paint will be nothing but a hassle

 

[Snip's]

I made a ton of HR steel countertops.... Many were used as bar tops... While in the shop I'd apply and buff a coating of SA Johnson's paste wax (this wax was discontinued late last year however)... Better than paint and easy to re-apply when needed and you won't get oil on your shirt sleeves....

 

[Sumboodie]

Mine is bare steel. Around 3x10ft, 3/4" thick. It's handy to weld stuff to it at times.

 

[Maxcustody]

I made a ton of HR steel countertops.... Many were used as bar tops... While in the shop I'd apply and buff a coating of SA Johnson's paste wax (this wax was discontinued late last year however)... Better than paint and easy to re-apply when needed and you won't get oil on your shirt sleeves....

Thanks! I have some old paste wax laying around

 

[Maxcustody]

Mine is bare steel. Around 3x10ft, 3/4" thick. It's handy to weld stuff to it at times.

Wow, that is a beast! I have a separate welding table, workbench will be used for everything else.

 

[Sumboodie]

Wow, that is a beast! I have a separate welding table, workbench will be used for everything else.

I did, but I got rid of the welding table. Wish I had it now, as I have the room for it.

Was around 5x10, 1.25" thick. Weighed around 3500lbs.

 

[Maxcustody]

I did, but I got rid of the welding table. Wish I had it now, as I have the room for it.

Was around 5x10, 1.25" thick. Weighed around 3500lbs.

Mine is small compared to that one

 

[Sumboodie]

Mine is small compared to that one

I've been using the bed of one of my trucks, it's about 38" ish high and 8x12ft, 5/16" plate. Works ok, but it's not all that flat. Flatter than the dirt though.

 

[tjansson]

I made a ton of HR steel countertops.... Many were used as bar tops... While in the shop I'd apply and buff a coating of SA Johnson's paste wax (this wax was discontinued late last year however)... Better than paint and easy to re-apply when needed and you won't get oil on your shirt sleeves...

Those are beautiful! Did you do a blackening treatment to that as well?

 

[CraigStu]

Once you get your plain steel top installed then look into tig welders. One huge advantage that I love is 90% of the time you don't need to attach a ground to your project. Leave the ground clamped to the bench and set your project on it. Once in a while the ground isn't perfect so I just slide the project back and forth an inch and ground is good to go.

 

[KEH]

Number two on what CraigStu said. Doesn't have to be tig, stick welding works the same way.

KEH

 

[ItsNemo]

I have a steel bench with a 3/16" top, the frame is painted flat black including the underisde of the top, but the actual top is just raw steel...a quick wipe down with a spray of wd40 or oil or whatever I've got around at the end of the day, many years now, not a spot of rust on it.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Mine is about 32x96, 1/4 inch plate. No paint. It's got a cold copper patina with a bit of WD-40 on it. Makes a great welding table.

 

[msharley]

Great thank you! I will leave it bare. Should be ready for pickup Thursday or Friday...................

When you get it?

Take a rag and some ATF and give it a rub....

 

[Maxcustody]

Once you get your plain steel top installed then look into tig welders. One huge advantage that I love is 90% of the time you don't need to attach a ground to your project. Leave the ground clamped to the bench and set your project on it. Once in a while the ground isn't perfect so I just slide the project back and forth an inch and ground is good to go.

Thanks this is great info

 

[Maxcustody]

Number two on what CraigStu said. Doesn't have to be tig, stick welding works the same way.

KEH

Thanks great to hear

 

[Maxcustody]

I have a steel bench with a 3/16" top, the frame is painted flat black including the underisde of the top, but the actual top is just raw steel...a quick wipe down with a spray of wd40 or oil or whatever I've got around at the end of the day, many years now, not a spot of rust on it.

Thanks. Sounds like easy maintenance.

 

[Maxcustody]

Mine is about 32x96, 1/4 inch plate. No paint. It's got a cold copper patina with a bit of WD-40 on it. Makes a great welding table.

Thanks. Bare steel is definitely the way to go from all the great responses I have been given. Looking forward to picking it up

 

[Maxcustody]

When you get it?

Take a rag and some ATF and give it a rub....

Will do, thanks! I am also having him pre drill holes and countersink them.

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

These where built in the 1980s, never painted ( they are tear down/build tables with a gutter ). I just dont clean them to the point of dry. I took this pic, when I was moving to a " new to me " shop. Ive got maybe 8 other, gray factory fabricated steel painted tables/small work benches, and all are screwed up, that is the factory paint is, eventually they all get sanded clean and oiled. Not a fan of painted work benches. If cost was not a factor, I guess stainless would be nice, but honestly, I dont see a need for it, if you actually do heavy metal work on them that involves oil. I cant work on wood, or any other substrate due to the nature of the work Im doing ( drivetrain ).

 

[Maxcustody]

These where built in the 1980s, never painted ( they are tear down/build tables with a gutter ). I just dont clean them to the point of dry. I took this pic, when I was moving to a " new to me " shop. Ive got maybe 8 other, gray factory fabricated steel painted tables/small work benches, and all are screwed up, that is the factory paint is, eventually they all get sanded clean and oiled. Not a fan of painted work benches. If cost was not a factor, I guess stainless would be nice, but honestly, I dont see a need for it, if you actually do heavy metal work on them that involves oil. I cant work on wood, or any other substrate due to the nature of the work Im doing ( drivetrain ).

No paint is definitely the way to go, Thank you!

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

No paint is definitely the way to go, Thank you!

I buy WD40 and similar products by the gallon, or the case ( whatever I can get a good deal on at the time ), and use that to clean my tables when they need cleaning. To keep my costs down, I have a couple of the steel " sure shot " shop air rechargeable sprayers to apply bulk thin lubes, and cleaning solvents. Had one for almost 30yrs now that still works !

When I need to keep something Im working on entirely clean, and use a break down table to work on, I will wipe a spot mostly dry and work on top of a shop paper towel.

 

[Maxcustody]

I buy WD40 and similar products by the gallon, or the case ( whatever I can get a good deal on at the time ), and use that to clean my tables when they need cleaning. To keep my costs down, I have a couple of the steel " sure shot " shop air rechargeable sprayers to apply bulk thin lubes, and cleaning solvents. Had one for almost 30yrs now that still works !

When I need to keep something Im working on entirely clean, and use a break down table to work on, I will wipe a spot mostly dry and work on top of a shop paper towel.

Thanks, great information!

 

[simnil]

I´ll add to the masses, Don't paint it! You'll end up with paint chips in every carburetor or other sensitive component you will ever work on on it..


Mine is bare metal, on the top at least, and I have no problem with rusting. (pic was taken just after I got it and it had been stored outside a while previous and thus the "orange tint")
The bench itself is a beast, 40mm solid steel top, almost 2x1m and weighs in at 8-900kg. Works just fine as an anvil =)

regarding thinner sheet metal benches I'd consider "deadening" it by putting the sheet metal on some thick planks, just metal on metal legs could end up "noisy".

 

[Maxcustody]

I´ll add to the masses, Don't paint it! You'll end up with paint chips in every carburetor or other sensitive component you will ever work on on it..


Mine is bare metal, on the top at least, and I have no problem with rusting. (pic was taken just after I got it and it had been stored outside a while previous and thus the "orange tint")
The bench itself is a beast, 40mm solid steel top, almost 2x1m and weighs in at 8-900kg. Works just fine as an anvil =)

regarding thinner sheet metal benches I'd consider "deadening" it by putting the sheet metal on some thick planks, just metal on metal legs could end up "noisy".

Thanks. Bare metal it is

 

[Beelzeboss]

Another vote for bare metal top, though if I was building this again I'd go thicker than 3mm; it's really noisy if you're hammering on it.

 

[4cyclic]

Been using Sheila Shine on my 32x120x1/4in steel plate bench top and once dry it’s invisible and prevents rust.
Super easy to apply, just wipe it on and let dry.

 

[Maxcustody]

Another vote for bare metal top, though if I was building this again I'd go thicker than 3mm; it's really noisy if you're hammering on it.

Thanks for this……..bare metal it is

 

[Maxcustody]

Been using Sheila Shine on my 32x120x1/4in steel plate bench top and once dry it’s invisible and prevents rust.
Super easy to apply, just wipe it on and let dry.

Thanks, I will check it out.

 

[NORDFORD]

Clean. Dry. Wax. Any wax. Cheapie car wax will work just fine.

 

[Maxcustody]

Clean. Dry. Wax. Any wax. Cheapie car wax will work just fine.

Thanks

 

[LryFx1]

When we built my main workbench, we used a plain 10ga steel top, with a bent over front edge, and a bent up rear back edge. The front lip is 1", and the back edge is 4". We built it on a wood 4X4 and 2X6 heavy duty framework, carriage bolted together. The top is attached by pieces of angle iron welded to the bottom side of the top, and carriage bolted through the frame.

On the corner where the vise was going to be installed, we welded a section of 1/2" plate to the bottom side of the top, and cut the 2X6s for clearance. The vise bolts though the top and the reinforcement plate, and that works out well.

Nothing at all was done to the top surface; we just left the mill scale on it. I've had no issues with it rusting in normal use. When needed, I spray it with BraKleen and wipe it off. Over the years the mill scale has worn off in some areas, but most of it is still there.

The bench has served me well for 20+ years in my truck shop, and 11 more years in my retirement shop so far. Even though 10ga is kinda thin for a heavy duty bench top, if it has a good frame underneath it can work quite well. Many projects have been beaten back into shape on it, as well as many welding jobs done on it. It was not designed as a welding bench though. It was envisioned as a workbench you can weld on. It has a few lowish spots in the top after 32 years of hard use, but that is to be expected I guess.

These are pretty much the only photos I have of it, with Nothing on it. They are from back when I was setting up my retirement shop, and I had let it sit outside for a week or two. That is why the top has a rusty tinge to it. When it is kept in a shop, it never looks like that.