Work Bench Top

[oldzzy]

I have a work bench frame made out of 3" angle iron, and i was wondering what type of wood would be best for the top, just 3/4" plywood?

 

[drivesitfar]

how big is your bench? steel works great, but pretty heavy and expensive or stainless if you can find some from a restaurant's old inventory on Craigs or at an auction.

i'm going to use a few nice 2 inch thick commercial doors that came out of a building when they were remodeling. these are 3 x 8 foot and solid and the door knob hole in back is good for cords and wires to go through. not sure if i'm going to top it off with a 1/4 inch of hardy board or a thin steel piece or leave as is. butcher block will work if you want to spend the extra money and of course your 3/4 inch plywood will work too.

if you do put plywood on top putting a nice inch or 2 or 3 inch wood edge on the front will keep it from fraying and from snagging your clothes and getting slivers.

 

[Jd34]

I used 3/4" birch and polyurethane it. Over a years worth of abuse and still looks like new

 

[Danketch]

I used 3/4 ply on mine, but almost immediately after I built it, I saw a great deal on craigslist for butcher block. If you can find some butcher block for cheap, might be worth looking at.

 

[kbs2244]

I like to use a sacrificial top layer.
If you use the 3/4 for structural support and a layer of cheap, white "bathroom paneling" on the top you can replace you top surface with no problem when the time comes.

 

[rrmccabe]

Most my benches are 3/4 plywood or two 1/2" plywood pieces. I covered them with 1/4 hardboard stuck with two sided carpet tape. Trimmed edges with hard maple and several coats of poly. When the top needs replaced I will rip a couple grooves in it and remove/replace the 1/4 hardboard. It looks great and holds up well. Not my idea as my uncle who works for woodsmith magazine shared it with me.

 

[monomach]

I'm firmly in the "tiny little pieces of lumber making an extra strong surface" camp. The only downside is that it takes about 1/2 gallon of glue. You can't get this strength from playwood.

I think my next one is going to be an end grain butcher block top made from reclaimed hardwood pallets.

 

[motoretro]

3/4" MDO makes a good top, I get quite a few years out of it and then flip it. I use 2" deck screws to secure. Give it a coat of machine gray enamel, durable, easy to spot screws/parts on although stays reasonably clean.

 

[plow]

I'm firmly in the "tiny little pieces of lumber making an extra strong surface" camp. The only downside is that it takes about 1/2 gallon of glue. You can't get this strength from playwood.

I think my next one is going to be an end grain butcher block top made from reclaimed hardwood pallets.

What kind of glue are you using and is warpage going to be a problem?

 

[DoghouseForge]

http://orlando.craigslist.org/mat/4533596775.html

30 seconds of searching and I found this... Priced a little high but you cant beat the resilience.
JP

 

[monomach]

What kind of glue are you using and is warpage going to be a problem?

These days I use something called "Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue MAX." It's a waterproof indoor/outdoor dealio that has wood fibers in it. I'm really happy with it.

I've never had warpage from a top like this, but it's not like I go soaking it down with a hose, either. When they're new, I wipe them down with some boiled linseed oil. Every year or so, I give it a quick once-over with a random orbital sander and oil it again. I did make a top for a workbench out under a carport, but the top for that one was western red cedar because of moisture/bugs. No warpage there, either.

Woodworkers have been doing their work surfaces like this for...well I dunno....they started long before I was born.

 

[oldzzy]

Thnx for the replies guys. My workbench is 7' long x 3' wide.

 

[rartuin270]

I'm firmly in the "tiny little pieces of lumber making an extra strong surface" camp. The only downside is that it takes about 1/2 gallon of glue. You can't get this strength from playwood.

I think my next one is going to be an end grain butcher block top made from reclaimed hardwood pallets.

I've been thinking of doing this in my shop soon. Couldn't you just screw all the inside pieces together and then glue the two outer pieces?

 

[theknurl]

3/8" steel plate 30"x10' fully welded to a 3"x5" I-beam frame with 4" pipe legs......not for wood work, I drilled and tapped it for the Athol 614 1/2 vise my Father bought in '31

 

[ZRX61]

The top on mine is 3 2x10's with a piece of 1/2in plywood on top of them.... & then a piece of sacrificial masonite on top of that.