Work Bench Surface Material

[Defyant]

Hey everyone,

Quick question:

I am looking for suggestions on what to use for a surface on my work bench. It is 8 foot long by 20 inches deep and made of 3/4 plywood and 4X4's over a Sears Craftsman bench.

I do not have pics yet.

Anyway, the plywood is new and would last for awhile, but will turn to ****. So what do you suggest?

BTW, it needs to be durable and chemical resistant. Function is more important than "bling".

 

[bmwpower]

I chose stainless over wood. No picts yet, order has been placed.

 

[Frank]

You can usually get a formica counter top in those measurements. I bet you could find one for less than $100 at a builders surplus place.

 

[REFLEXX]

Search! There are a few LONG threads on this subject.

 

[Defyant]

I chose stainless over wood. No picts yet, order has been placed.

Thanks. I searched around and saw several options. One idea I liked was diamond plate. I may just go with a sheat of steel since cost is a factor.

Keep the ideas coming

 

[bhays]

Thanks. I searched around and saw several options. One idea I liked was diamond plate. I may just go with a sheat of steel since cost is a factor.

Keep the ideas coming

Just get some galvanized steel and go that way. Heck of a lot less expensive than stainless and if it gets messed up, just replace it.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Hey everyone,

Quick question:

I am looking for suggestions on what to use for a surface on my work bench. It is 8 foot long by 20 inches deep and made of 3/4 plywood and 4X4's over a Sears Craftsman bench.

I do not have pics yet.

Anyway, the plywood is new and would last for awhile, but will turn to ****. So what do you suggest?

BTW, it needs to be durable and chemical resistant. Function is more important than "bling".

Just and sand and varnish with several coats, it will last a long time and if you really mess it up, sand and varnish again. I have two 8 ft work benches with 3x8 3/4 plywood on top and one is going on over 25 years now without refinishing.

Charles

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I took an idea from those Craftsman project centers. I have several benchs, but the normally used one, is a varnished wood top, that I have a steel plate, with backerboard, that slides over the top when I need it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I like putting a sheet of 1/4" tempered hardboard on the bench top. You can just tack it into place with a few screws or nails. It's fairly cheap, durable and resistant to oil, and when it does get beat up you can simply toss it and get another piece. It has a nice smooth finish so it's easy to clean. If you feel like it, you can put a coat or two of polyurethane on it to make it last longer.

 

[REFLEXX]

NO DIAMOND PLATE!!! ***** to clean, nothing sits flat on it, scratches things, etc, etc...

Smooth steel (stainless is best, but regular is fine). 1/16" or thicker would be great, over 3/4"+ mdf or ply.

 

[sjsfire]

Use 1/4 inch hard masonite. Screw it down and put a couple of coats of laquer on it and your good to go. When it starts looking like hell replace it for $7.

 

[jstbecauz]

I kept mine plywood, sealed it with a few coats and they have lasted for three years and look good still in a commercial environment. Brakekleen, penetrating oil and other chemicals have not bothered it yet.

 

[OzCop]

I used 20x36 aluminum sheets, 1/8th inch thick glued over 3/4 inch oak. Looks good, durable, and relatively cheap...

 

[Z27]

I was looking for a new top for a double wide Craftsman bench. A little bling would also be nice but cheap was important. I went with the cheapest parquet flooring I could find. Came out to about $25 total for a 2' by 9' top. Went with lightest blond looking wood I could find and tacked on a 1 by 2 around the edge. It's been on 6 or 7 years and holds up well against car maint and pounding on stuff. A good coat of paste wax makes it easy to clean.

 

[Dave Carney]

I was looking for a new top for a double wide Craftsman bench. A little bling would also be nice but cheap was important. I went with the cheapest parquet flooring I could find. Came out to about $25 total for a 2' by 9' top. Went with lightest blond looking wood I could find and tacked on a 1 by 2 around the edge. It's been on 6 or 7 years and holds up well against car maint and pounding on stuff. A good coat of paste wax makes it easy to clean.

Great idea.

 

[Rich1028]

how about just some 2x4's???
thats what I have on mine...

 

[dboat]

how about just some 2x4's???
thats what I have on mine...

me too except I cover mine in 1/4" plywood that I in turn seal with poly.. I have changed the plywood once in over 20 years.

Dana

 

[D-Cal]

I chose stainless over wood. No picts yet, order has been placed.

Hey BMW, what thickness did you choose? I priced a 4x8x1/8" sheet of SS at the metal dealer while I was there for something else, just about had a goddamn heart attack. I have about 30 ft x 36" (plus front lip and splashguard) to cover, it would cost me a small fortune to do it all. Was wondering if 1/16" with a plywood backing would be acceptible? Will be dropping trannies and hammering on it a fair bit.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I think he was suggesting stainless sheet measured in gauges, not eights of an inch.

I don't think anyone expects the average workbench to withstand, un-dented or un-damaged, walking up and heaving a 150 lb ****** onto it.

Charles

 

[D-Cal]

I think he was suggesting stainless sheet measured in gauges, not eights of an inch.

Actually, he didn't specify a thickness at all, and one can be converted to the other.
http://www.mittlerbros.com/INFORMATION_SHEET_GAUGE.htm

I don't think anyone expects the average workbench to withstand, un-dented or un-damaged, walking up and heaving a 150 lb ****** onto it.
Charles

Huh? I wasn't going to drop it off the hoist. I also don't expect it to stay pristine, I work in my garage. Backed by 3/4" plywood, it will not dent easily.

Anything useful to add?!?

 

[bmwpower]

Hey BMW, what thickness did you choose? I priced a 4x8x1/8" sheet of SS at the metal dealer while I was there for something else, just about had a goddamn heart attack. I have about 30 ft x 36" (plus front lip and splashguard) to cover, it would cost me a small fortune to do it all. Was wondering if 1/16" with a plywood backing would be acceptible? Will be dropping trannies and hammering on it a fair bit.

The stainless is 1/16". Wood (basically MDF) is 1-3/4". Lista doesn't list the spec for the gauge. I plan on using it for just about everything, but I don't plan on "banging" directly on it, well at least not really hard.

 

[D-Cal]

Cool, thanks. What was the cost?

I priced galvanized steel locally (good idea bhays, thanks) and they want $134CDN for 4x8x1/16" and $201CDN for 1/8", not a huge jump to 1/8" so I may go that way with some nice thick backing behind it. I want about 36" of flat workspace, with a folddown in the front, and a nice 4-6" backsplash in the back.

 

[bmwpower]

Cool, thanks. What was the cost?

I priced galvanized steel locally (good idea bhays, thanks) and they want $134CDN for 4x8x1/16" and $201CDN for 1/8", not a huge jump to 1/8" so I may go that way with some nice thick backing behind it. I want about 36" of flat workspace, with a folddown in the front, and a nice 4-6" backsplash in the back.

Cost was $0.22 per square inch. All four sides are stainless, too. Basically an inverted "pan" covering a wood core. Check out BoostAddiction's garage for what they look like.

 

[smoothy58]

I was able to find an 8 ft section of bowling alley a few years ago which works for me. Heavy as hell and virtually indestructable. Cost was $50.
Smoothy58

 

[914forme]

I am in the same boat here. Built a pretty nice bench 1 5/8 tongue and grove top, with 4x4 legs and a 2x8 under structure, it weighs about 400 lb. by its self. I have 6 350 pound casters under it, so it still moves, and I have built wedges to place under the leg so the casters don't take a beating.

I am going to sand and varnish the top, just because I like the look of the top, I plugged all the screw holes. I need to fill the minor joints between the tongue and grooves. But I really like the looks of the top. I want to see it, its not perfect, but I built it myself. And that is important to me. I have built a ton of stuff on it already. Tools for my Mercruiser outdriver repair. Auto-x trailer Tire rack, now I am working on the front of the boat trailer winch post tongue etc.... Major modifications. But every time I use the bench I love it.

I have two steel top benches, and a wood butcher block bench, it is a wood working bench. The steel tops dent if you pound hard on them, the mdf gives to much under them. I use them for rebuilds of carbs, trannies etc.... The above bench was built for pounding cutting and building. I will seal the top and sand it down every now and again. I have some pieces of hardboard that I keep around and lay on the bench to do cutting etc onto. I also have a roll of carpet scrapes that I use for nice assembly work. Like upholstery of a chair, or small items that require a gentle surface. Should take pictures, but I am not done yet.

 

[atch]

about 20 years ago i built the top for a bench my brother was building.

we figured out the size he wanted the top to be. then i laminated up a 3.5" thick top out of 2x4's. i don't remember any of the dimensions, but it as about 8' long by a couple of feet wide. anyway, i drilled holes (about 7/16") every 24" or so in all the 2x4's except for the two best ones. then i glued the two straightest together and put a 3/8" piece of all-thread through all the holes and put on washers & nuts to act as clamps, in addition to the pipe clamps i used. so i kept adding a couple of boards every day until there were only the last two left. at that point i countersunk the holes on the outside boards that were already glued up. i cut off the all-thread short enough to fit down into the countersunk places with the nuts on. then i glued the two last pieces in place. then i took the whole top to a commercial cabinet shop that has a planer large enough to run the whole deal through and planed it little by little 'til it was perfect.

i gave the top to larry and he fitted the legs, lower shelf, etc. in place. all these years later it is still as solid as the day we built it. the purpose of the all-thread installed internally was to eliminate all possibilities of the wood delaminating due to solvent use or beating on it or whatever. and by putting the best two pieces on the front and back he can position it in the center of his shop and it looks great.

weighs a ton and took a LOTTA glue, but it's really solid.

 

[atch]

i work at a VA hospital and our shops (plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc.) have benches that are (heavy) steel legs with 4" maple butcherblock tops covered with 1/4" steel plate. these sukka's are about 35 years old and are indestructable. i bet they'll be in great shape a hundred years from now. it ain't no tellin' how much ca$h it would take to duplicate them, though.

 

[Speedycheater]

1/2" Steel plate makes a great workbench top. Great for welding on and heavy pounding, etc. Support it with a 2x2x1/4" square steel tube frame.

 

[roger55]

Vinyl Tile.

Easy to install, cheap, looks great, easy to clean, and easy to repair if necessary.

I have a 48" steel top table for the heavy duty work.

 

[Ign]

Coming into this late but I vote for good 'ol steel. My general duty workbench is 3/16" plate and it's been fine for everything I can throw at it. We don't have humidity so it doesn't rust, but even if I lived in a humid area I'd just keep it wiped down w a light oil or WD40 and/or just go at it w the wire cup brush once a month to polish it back up.

I love steel. It's tough, won't gouge, hard to dent, easy to modify, easy to fill holes and grind smooth, won't absorb anything or stain, etc etc. It's as straightforward and as tough as it gets.

My whole bench is steel and I bolt it to the floor. This is a 7 1/2' cheater and I had to lean into it w all my weight, but the bench couldn't have cared less

 

[Winmon]

Global Industrial carries a good variety of bench tops in wood, plastic and steel (stainless also). Here is a link to what they carry...http://www.globalindustrial.com/gcs/product/categoryInfo.web?options.parentCategoryKey=168&index=49&catSearchParams.categoryKey=1941&REQ_SUB_CAT=Bench+Tops

 

[Coach James]

Ign, what is that cheater attached to?
Also, is that a Craftsman circular saw in the fat red case under the work bench?

Coach