What gauge sheetmetal a workbench?

[kurtboyd]

What gauge sheetmetal for a workbench?

I'm thinking of covering one of my wooden work benches with some mild steel plate. I have a 3/4 table for doing my fabwork so I'm not looking to go big. I just need a tear down table. I'll probably have a friend with a brake put a back splash on it. Anyway, what gauge sheetmetal did you all go with?

 

[GRX]

Anyway, what gauge sheetmetal did you all go with?

10 gauge hot rolled steel.

 

[b974k]

I built my table with 2/6 and then covered that with 12 gauge that I had bent with a 2" lip down in the front and 6" up in the back with another 2" lip flat works great

 

[PCO6]

Mine is 10 gauge over 2"x10" lumber. I have a 4" lip up at the back and 4" down at the front.

 

[indianbullet]

I just built mine it has a 1/2" plywood top the full length the salesman talked me into 16 gauge. Its broke with 2" back splash and 2" nose over the edge. I could have easily went with 18 gauge and been fine. Its hell for stout as it is.
16 will make it easer to weld the seams up though.

 

[jonski]

I covered mine with 16 gauge stainless steel with 4" down on 3 sides and 4" up as a backsplash. Heavy enough for covering a wooden table.

 

[Steevo]

I used 12ga over 1-1/2" wood tops on both my lathe bench and my main workbench.

 

[kurtboyd]

Thanks everyone. Probably going to go with 16 gauge.

 

[Fyrme]

No one mentioned it, but the key to keeping it somewhat dent free is zero void between the metal and wood. Do not glue it down with liquid nails or anything very thick, because it will create tons of air voids. Clean the oil off the back REALLY good and glue it down with contact cement and pressure roll it like a laminate counter top if you don't want it to ever move.