What are you using for a Workbench top?

[sctattooer]

I used stainless steel .

I just ran across an 8' stainless top just like this. I saw this guy loaded down with scrap pulling into a gas station, and followed him in. I asked about the top, and he said he got it from a restaraunt that closed down, and that the scrap yard would give him 40 bucks for it. I bought it on the spot from him.
It's wider than a normal countertop, so I'll have to move my center cabinets out a bit and shim the top up. It has a rounded front edge that I'm sure will prevent my drawers from opening unless I do some shimming.


For you guys looking to do stainless, check Craigslist for restaraunt equipment. You'd be amazed what you might find.

 

[S4PLAY]

Has any one done a pergo flooring as a bench top??? I had this stuff in a condo and it is virtually indestructible. For a small space it would be dirt cheap too.

 

[Kevin54]

Has any one done a pergo flooring as a bench top??? I had this stuff in a condo and it is virtually indestructible. For a small space it would be dirt cheap too.

I posted this in the workbench thread a little while ago. I also built a 4x8 bench a while back and used laminate flooring, but have since got rid of the bench. The desk I put the laminate on yesterday. The smaller pics are the workbench.

One thing though, even though laminate is tough, if you slide something across it that is sharp, you'll gouge the hell out of it. But it's cheap and can always be replaced. Lumber Liquidators have been advertising it for as low as $0.39 /sq.ft.

 

[rvr6000]

My bench has a layer of 2x dimensional lumber laid flat then to give it a smooth surface I put down two layers of 3/4" particle board. When the top layer gets too beat up then I just swap it out with a new top layer. I knew my tool chest was going to sit on this bench so when I built it so I made it deep enough for the chest and still have some useful space in front of it. Bench is 12 feet long and 36" deep.

 

[doan]

I have also seen 8 ft solid wood doors on CL for $50 that would work nicely as well

I use a solid core door on top of 2 tool boxes. I like doors better than counter-tops because they go up to 36" wide.

the flush Luan doors are cheap at lowes/HD.

 

[S4PLAY]

Kevin54 thats why I was thinking pergo because it is super resistant almost impossible to scratch or gouge. Desk looks great btw. thanks

 

[NUTTSGT]

Double 3/4" PT plywood painted with some black rustoluem paint.

 

[kbs2244]

I use the mostly white, cheap, bathroom 4x8 paneling.
The big box stores always have some with banged up corners that they will sell for $2.00 or $3.00
I have found it stands up to anything I use except acetone.
I replace it as necessary.

The roll around work tables have cut down, light colored, kitchen counter tops.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I got a sheet of masonite board cut to fit both benches and screwed it on top. It's like having new benches!

 

[964haus]

Just picked up off of CL - 9'7" x 25" x 1 1/2" double 3/4" ply (oak ply on top) with solid oak trimmed and mitred edges - natural varathane varnish finish..

$30!!!

 

[jimgreen]

Stainless over ply.

 

[Choptopjimmy]

I got a sheet of masonite board cut to fit both benches and screwed it on top. It's like having new benches!

I did something similar to this. I screwed down 3/4" MDF. When the top gets rough I can flip it over and screw it back down. Another new bench top for no more money. Jim

 

[ilovevocs]

My "working" bench has a 16 gauge galvanized top bent to fit the steel top that it covered. Almost 5 years old now and still looking good and working well. I have laminate tops on my other benches but they are slated for a sheet metal overlay.

 

[Steevo]

12ga. steel over 1-3/4" solid core doors, cut down to 30" deep.

 

[porschedude996TT]

Ikea has the best prices for butcher block tops. I bought them for 1/3rd of the price of industrial supply houses. I bought eight of them and they are well made.

 

[NUTTSGT]

What happened if you were writing on that laminate flooring and hit and edge with your pen or pencil ?

 

[Kevin54]

What happened if you were writing on that laminate flooring and hit and edge with your pen or pencil ?

I have to get a piece of plastic. I stopped over to the Craft store yesterday but they didn't have any pieces large enough. I did get one piece about 2' square for right now. I'll stop down at either a Staples or Office Max and see what they have. If I happen to go past the glass company, I'll also check with them and see what they have as far as any odd size pieces laying around but that would have to be tempered.

 

[lilscorpion]

Ideally, you get the right surface for the job you're doing.

That's a solid-core door to the left, 1" steel plate in the back, Ikea Birch butcher block on the right, and then 3/16" steel on the little guy over the saw.

1"?!?! Thickest ice ever had was 1/2" which was nearly 48" x 60" and nearly unloveable by hand. Bet that little table is nearly equivalent. Perfect though for using the BIG persuader though!

 

[lilscorpion]

I've had steel, ply, Masonite, polycarbonate, and 2x4 work surfaces. Now I build typical laminate counter tops mostly due to the simplicity, easy of fabrication, and clean look. I use 3/4-inch particle board/melamine buildup to add strength. Some Home Depots sell damaged sheets for 1/3 the price new, may want to check yours. This summer I plan to redo all of mine, it's about time. The first one gas lasted me about 10 years and its still holding strong, I just need to add to it. Laminate isn't perfect for hammering on but I keep around scrap pieces of 3/4-inch melamine to lay under parts when I do need to throw something a beating. Best part about laminate is I can wipe it down with lacquer thinner and just about anything wipes up.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have to get a piece of plastic. I stopped over to the Craft store yesterday but they didn't have any pieces large enough. I did get one piece about 2' square for right now. I'll stop down at either a Staples or Office Max and see what they have. If I happen to go past the glass company, I'll also check with them and see what they have as far as any odd size pieces laying around but that would have to be tempered.

Thank you, I was wondering about that. Hobby Lobby have anything that big ?

 

[Vinci]

I used 1/8" Lucite over 3/4" MDF on my latest bench. I've never used Lucite before, but I had great luck with 1/4" Lexan in the past. The price (free) was right, though, in both cases.

 

[Kevin54]

Thank you, I was wondering about that. Hobby Lobby have anything that big ?

I don't know. My wife mentioned that yesterday. I'll have to check there also. There is a Hobby Lobby about 20+ minutes from me.

 

[kevinwilly]

Used to manage a steel fabrication shop right when I got out of college. We made a LOT of stuff out of stainless. We'd literally go though 45,000 pounds of 304SS sheet metal in three weeks.

We had some come in that was really wavy and unusable for anything that we normally made. I decided to buy it for scrap value (about a buck a pound at the time) and stay late one night with the CNC press brake. So for about $60 or $70 I ended up with two 8ft long 16ga stainless workbench tops with a 4" backsplash and 1.5" front lip on them.

The nice thing is that they were so wavy that sitting on the ground there were parts that were almost 2" off the ground, but as soon as I put that first bend in them, they just went "SPRONG!" and completely flattened out. Bonus.

Also, around the same time, a friend of mine was doing some work with Boos Butcher Block (which was in the town I lived in), and was friends with the owner. So he gave me a 42x36" piece of solid 1.5" thick dark walnut butcher block, so I made a service cart out of that. Cost was pretty much nothing... just some casters. The steel frame I welded from scrap at work and the top was free.

Unfortunately when I moved I only had room to keep the tops of the benches. They have been in storage for almost 4 years, but I recently got a place with a garage, so I'll be building the benches hopefully this weekend.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

I got a sheet of masonite board cut to fit both benches and screwed it on top. It's like having new benches!

I'm liking the masonite top idea. I'm nearly done with my main workbench/assembly table - the top of which is a 8' x 3.5' sheet of 3/4" MDF. Although MDF isn't necessarily crazy expensive, I'm thinking I'd still like to try to protect the surface as much as possible - so the idea of attaching a top sheet of masonite seems like a pretty decent idea.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

+ 2 to the Ikea butcher block... Can't beat if for $120!!

Before:

After waterloxing it and cutting it down and attaching it as a backsplash.

Old pics above.

-Nigel

 

[coachrick]

Don't forget the Ikea 'scratch and dent' area. Might find something for a steal!

 

[coachrick]

I'm liking the masonite top idea. I'm nearly done with my main workbench/assembly table - the top of which is a 8' x 3.5' sheet of 3/4" MDF. Although MDF isn't necessarily crazy expensive, I'm thinking I'd still like to try to protect the surface as much as possible - so the idea of attaching a top sheet of masonite seems like a pretty decent idea.

Back in Atlanta, I installed Masonite over the 2 x 6 pine table top left behind by the original owner(and left behind by ME...that table was STOUT!!!). I was almost afraid to use the table for a while...it looked SO good!

I re-purposed our old preform lam countertops by installing one section in the garden shed. The 45 degree cut was perfect to make sure you didn't lose a hip when entering with a load of stuff. To keep the cost down, just check around for kitchen remodels. The dang things are so heavy, people often just want to get rid of them.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

While I like the look and price of smooth surface Masonite, the material is not water sealed so unless you seal it, you'll ruin it with any sort of liquid- and that includes soda can rings on a warm day.

What's the price of stainless steel for an average 8 foot table these days?

 

[stonewellmark]

I used 1/4" mild steel plate over double 3/4"plywood. I like it, when something hits it their is no metal ring, just thud.

Mark

 

[CaptainMarvel]

I used 1/4" mild steel plate over double 3/4"plywood. I like it, when something hits it their is no metal ring, just thud.

Mark

Where does one find a 1/4" mild steel plate ??

 

[stonewellmark]

CaptainMarvel, one finds such a piece of steel at your local steel supply supply/fabrication shop. Mine is 28"x72" and cost $85 plus sales tax.

Mark

 

[purdum]

I just coved my 20 year old surface with laminate flooring I got from habitat for humanity for a buck each. Nice bright surface and pretty durable. I sprayed a spare piece with carb cleaner everyday for a week and saw no effect on the surface. I tear apart motorcycle engines on it and it holds up well. Can be replaced in about 30 min. wrote an instuctable here
http://www.instructables.com/id/using-wood-laminate-flooring-for-a-work-bench-top/

 

[PhantomEB]

2x3 1/2" plate will be my welding table, drilled, tapped and on casters when its done, will have a top box stuck underneath for grinders, consummables, etc.

54" wide, 24" deep bottom box will get 3/4" plywood stained for its top as its replaceable when destroyed. Will be routering a groove around the perimeter for fluid stoppage.

 

[orca8589]

Found an old melamine desktop one the way to the train station one day; a homeowner put a pile of stuff out for free. Approx. 1.5"x27"x62", with an ugly woodgrain finish.

It sat for years until I finally decided to use it a few months ago. I didn't figure it would work too well, but I figured I'd use it until it was too scarred up to be any good, and replace it. Turns out that when properly reinforced, it's the most stable top I've made to date. Pics later.

 

[92GreenYJ]

I use 3/4" MDF for mine. Will be doing the same for the new bench in the new house. Its held up great for me for years. When it got too nasty looking i just unscrewed it and flipped it over

 

[Journaler]

I used 1/4" mild steel plate over double 3/4"plywood. I like it, when something hits it their is no metal ring, just thud.

Mark

How did you secure the plate to the plywood? The bolts for the vise would keep it from moving, but I expect you would have used something else on the other end?

 

[CaptainMarvel]

I use 3/4" MDF for mine. Will be doing the same for the new bench in the new house. Its held up great for me for years. When it got too nasty looking i just unscrewed it and flipped it over

So you didn't attach a hardwood top of anything to it - as a work surface?

Also, did you countersink the screws to attach the top?

 

[coachrick]

Found an old melamine desktop one the way to the train station one day; a homeowner put a pile of stuff out for free..

Must have been a little cumbersome carrying that on the train.

 

[jimp]

My bench top is 3/4" stress skin with 1/4 rubber (look for gym flooring). It works out great. I have 1/8 steel on each end for work that is not appropirate for the rubber (grinding ect.)

 

[mudhog]

I need to get some pictures. I was driving by a new church being built and in a pile of scrape wood they had a beam about 12' long that is about 5" thick and around 30" wide. I don't know what it is made of but it looks like wood compressed together but it was heavy. It was the main beam in the church big room that they cut off to fit. They told me take it. I screwed 2x6 around the edges and made legs out of 4x4. You can hit this thing with a slege hammer and barely put a dent in it, it's solid. All free. You got to use long bolts to mount a vise to it.